Monday, 31 March 2014 10:43
FCA will probe investment management firms and RDR
Probes into investment management firms and the Retail Distribution Review have been announced by the FCA.
The regulator has set out a number of thematic reviews for the year ahead in its annual business plan, published today.
The FCA, which took over from the FSA a year ago, said in its report: "We will undertake a post-implementation review of the Retail Distribution Review, carrying out research throughout 2014/15 using regulatory data, publicly available data, and specially commissioned industry and consumer research to assess the effect of the RDR against its objectives following the first 12 months of the rules being implemented.
"This will be carried out in parallel with work on any expectations gap and advice boundaries."
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On investment, the report said: "We will look at whether investment advisers are carrying out appropriate due diligence to ensure that consumers are sold suitable products and services."
The business plan confirmed a review into the conduct of wholesale banking and investment management firms would be undertaken.
The report stated: "The FCA will also examine the behaviour of asset managers, focusing both on how firms ensure that trading activity is consistent with expectations of market conduct and how asset managers are acting as good agents and taking proper account of investor interests."
In investment banking, the FCA will look at the issues surrounding conflicts of interest and a separate piece of work on the way firms ensure that confidential information received in one part of the business is not abused by a different part of the business.
The regulator has set out a number of thematic reviews for the year ahead in its annual business plan, published today.
The FCA, which took over from the FSA a year ago, said in its report: "We will undertake a post-implementation review of the Retail Distribution Review, carrying out research throughout 2014/15 using regulatory data, publicly available data, and specially commissioned industry and consumer research to assess the effect of the RDR against its objectives following the first 12 months of the rules being implemented.
"This will be carried out in parallel with work on any expectations gap and advice boundaries."
{desktop}{/desktop}{mobile}{/mobile}
On investment, the report said: "We will look at whether investment advisers are carrying out appropriate due diligence to ensure that consumers are sold suitable products and services."
The business plan confirmed a review into the conduct of wholesale banking and investment management firms would be undertaken.
The report stated: "The FCA will also examine the behaviour of asset managers, focusing both on how firms ensure that trading activity is consistent with expectations of market conduct and how asset managers are acting as good agents and taking proper account of investor interests."
In investment banking, the FCA will look at the issues surrounding conflicts of interest and a separate piece of work on the way firms ensure that confidential information received in one part of the business is not abused by a different part of the business.
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