Standard Life

MERRILL LYNCH, JPMorgan and Jupiter Asset Management have lost out in the battle to manage the £100m Deutsche Equity Income Trust (DEIT), reports The Times .

DAVID WILLETTS, shadow trade and industry secretary, last night called on the government to "socialise" part of the pensions burden for business or risk the prospect of zombie companies struggling to meet payments to former workers, says the Guardian....

Standard Life policyholders will receive letters from today confirming the life insurer plans to demutualise if members support the proposal in 2006.

Standard Life is calling for the life assurance industry to create a new more consistent approach to discounted gift plans in inheritance tax planning.

Self-regulation by providers of self invested personal pensions (Sipps) is the key to maintaining consumer confidence until formal safeguards are put in place, according to Standard Life.

STANDARD LIFE insists its demutualisation proposals are on track, despite growing speculation wrangling with the Financial Services Authority (FSA) could force the society to delay its flotation, reports The Times .

STANDARD LIFE is in detailed discussions with the Financial Services Authority (FSA) over its proposed stock market flotation next year but is convinced these talks should not delay its plans, says The Guardian .

STANDARD LIFE'S investment chief, Keith Skeoch, yesterday declared the bull market in shares had returned, as it emerged the life insurer had made a "tactical switch" into equities in June, says the Daily Telegraph .

Standard Life (SL) has made changes to its online protection underwriting procedures in a bid to improve straight-through processing.

FIDELITY INTERNATIONAL, Britain's biggest retail fund manager, is preparing to launch its first new investment trust for ten years, reports the Times .