alternative investments

Fidelity International believes it has identified the next cluster of countries that could prove themselves every bit the profit fillip for investment portfolios as that provided by the BRIC economies over the last decade.

The FSA has fined one IFA firm and censured another for advice failings on unregulated collective investment schemes (UCIS) and geared traded endowment polices (GTEPs).

Thinc founders Gregg Taylor and Neil Harkin have launched What Partnership, a service offering alternative investment products for SIPPs.

Standard Life SIPP customers can now invest directly in gold bullion. Standard Life has teamed up with GoldMoney, one of the world's largest providers and holders of physical bullion for retail investors to offer the service across its retail and Group...

NEST Corp will offer members the choice to invest their pensions in a socially responsible investment (SRI) fund, and is advertising for fund managers.

OUTLOOK FOR GEM

The US Congress is finally close to completing the largest policy reform of the financial sector since the 1930s.

The potential for ETFs to be used in dynamic asset allocation in precisely defined market segments or styles has not yet been fully exploited, according to the Edhec-Risk Institute.

The exchange-traded product market in the US and Europe is expected to hit $1.2trn in assets under management in 2010, says Deutsche Bank.

Lowes Financial Management has launched a structured products website targeted at IFAs to help them compare plans from across the market.