bonds

With interest rates reductions seemingly on the horizon and the full extent of the credit crunch not yet known, one of the hottest 2008 investor debates surrounds fixed income.

Advisers expect a drop in unit-linked bond business next year but do not believe it will be as bad as forecast, Defaqto research suggests.

Advisers could be guilty of mis-selling if they believe misinformed forecasts of a collapse in the life insurance market due to CGT changes, Zurich warns.

Uncertainty surrounding the future of the bonds market - sparked by Chancellor Alistair Darling's plans for capital gains tax (CGT) - is misguided, providers say.

Aegon Scottish Equitable is warning advisers to review their clients' investments into PEPs and ISAs amid fears surrounding their IHT treatment.

The Association of International Life Offices (AILO) have issued new business figures for the offshore market recently. They make impressive reading.

A set of simple generic principles should be included on all financial product literature to help consumers make more informed financial choices.

The latest figures from the ABI indicate that the market for offshore single premium bonds sold in the UK has increased from £4.8bn in 2005 to £7.1bn in 2007 - an increase of almost 50%. This is after a 63% increase in 2006 over 2005. This is a big and...

Intermediaries accounted for more than 80% of gross retail business in the investment sector, as total funds under management rose to £411bn in January, while net ISA sales fell by more than 70%.

I was looking at some HM Revenue and Customs figures recently and they quite surprised me. They were forecasting that the annual receipts for capital gains tax for 2006-2007 would be over £4bn. This compared to £3.5bn for inheritance tax.