Space invaders: Are ex-only firms infringing the boundaries of advice?

Execution-only financial propositions and websites are becoming more popular as the costs of financial planning, coupled with the super-fast ‘buy now’ capability offered online, tempt consumers down the non-advised route. Yet, though many advisers welcome this new avenue for consumers – indeed, it can promote the value of financial advice and, for some, has become a new revenue stream – others are concerned that some tools are pointing consumers towards, and sometimes away from, particular products. Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) guidelines stipulate that execution-only sites shoul...