Our regular round-up of the latest insights on investment distribution
How the pandemic has impacted on the European fund industry
The European fund industry looks as if it’s emerged unscathed from the havoc created by the COVID-19 – just looking at its buoyant figures for assets under management. But the reality is that the pandemic has accelerated several pre-existing trends that will cause...
The effect of M&A on platform use
Platform M&A activity doesn’t have the greatest impact on adviser behaviour – not immediately at least. Advisers will of course take notice, but there isn’t a red flag instantly halting all business to a platform just because it is being sold or merged. Such...
Financial regulators and the crusade against greenwashing
The FCA’s recent letter to chairs of authorised fund managers sets out the regulators’ expectations for ESG and sustainable investment funds. The aim is the same as the EU’s SFDR – fighting greenwashing by asset managers. The UK version is different in some ways,...
More M&A in the wealth management market
Further concentration is coming in the wealth management market, as Raymond James announced last week that it was looking to acquire Charles Stanley. There are efficiencies to be gained from scale in wealth management. Firms have increasingly focused on...
Financial advice firms in 2020 – the lowdown
When it rains, it pours. News aplenty on Thursday morning with announcements that Raymond James is to acquire Charles Stanley and Lloyds Banking Group is swooping for Embark. On the same day, the FCA published its annual figures on the state of the advice market....
Platform MPS use on the rise
DFM use is on the rise among financial advisers and platform-based managed portfolio services (MPS) have been the main beneficiaries. Recent Platforum research shows that advisers are using more DFMs now than they were two years ago, with advice firms that use...