The second half of 2008 was a real turning point for structured products (which I will henceforth refer to as 'protected investments' - surely the most appropriate name for this particular product genre given the protection they have provided to investors in recent times).
Why? Well, there are a few reasons, but I will concentrate on two. First, sales hit record highs across the industry, as investors sought protection during unprecedented market volatility. Regrettably, many acted too late to arrest the precipitous decline in the value of their portfolios, but it is clear that protected investments have now usurped cash as the logical entry point into riskier investments such as funds. This is real progress, no doubt, but to consolidate our lofty new position - and, ultimately, to compete on a level playing field with the conventional fund market - protect...
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