FSA

Firms will be obliged to inform the FSA if any of their advisers fall below its competence or ethical standards from July, as the regulator also confirms all retail investment intermediaries must carry a Statement of Professional Standing (SPS).

Retirement Angels' Alan Higham talks to Helen Morrissey about how the RDR will affect his firm and the adviser community.

After many negative headlines for UCISs, Piers Denne of Future Capital Partners provides the other side of the argument.

Firms have not changed the way they assess clients’ suitability in 20 years, but new guidance from the FSA pulls no punches, writes Bob Freeman, vice-president of Voyant UK

Paul Hudson, CEO of Cirencester Friendly, welcomes recent FSA proposals to exempt certain Holloway-style protection products from the RDR's fee-charging and professionalism rules, but insists there is still work to be done.

The FSA has fined and banned two partners at investment firm Clark Rees £28,000 for advice failings in relation to unregulated collective investment schemes.

Barclays tore up every TCF rule in the book to flog the two Aviva funds linked to today's record-breaking FSA fine. But shockingly, this is not an isolated case of negligent advice from major financial institutions and the big question is who will be next in the firing line?

Financial secretary Mark Hoban was forced on the defensive after MPs warned the Mortgage Market Review could have a "disastrous" effect on the economy if wrongly implemented.

The FSA has fined Barclays £7.7m, the highest imposed for retail failings, for poor investment advice linked to the sale of two Aviva funds, and has secured £60m in redress for customers.

The absence of consumer complaints in the IFA sector does not necessarily point to competence or good quality advice, the FSA says.