Wrap/platforms

Aviva has overhauled its income drawdown offering and launched a flexible product to give retirees more choice when taking retirement income.

Platforms attempting to dodge the cash rebate ban by paying consumers units in a cash fund would be acting in an 'incredibly foolish' manner and going against the spirit of the rules, Fidelity has warned.

Platforms continue to lobby the regulator for further guidance surrounding the move to post-RDR share classes.

Direct platforms - all the rage since the start of the year - need not be seen as the enemy by advisers

Allfunds Bank has appointed former Calastone director Anna Graziano as head of operations and propositions, representing the final hire for the management team headed by Stephen Mohan.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has said platforms need to do more to incorporate re-registration and has issued a warning over exit fees.

Fidelity's Personal Investing platform has moved to minimise the impact of D2C super clean fund deals on the end-investor by offering to refund the difference when funds are available cheaper elsewhere.

Price should be the last factor to consider when it comes to platform due diligence

UK platform Skandia has reported profits of £13m in 2013, up from £2m in 2012, after net inflows of over £2bn last year.

The skill of active fund managers "adds real value" to investors, but the market may need to improve at identifying that skill quicker, according to Investment Management Association (IMA) chief executive Daniel Godfrey.