The FTSE 100 has returned 22.8% year-to-date including dividends, in the highest returns seen since the bounce back from the global financial crisis in 2009.

The FSCS has opened a probe into a Facebook-advertising 'socially conscious' alternative investment firm which has now gone into liquidation.

Assets under management held steady for investment manager Premier Miton at £10.3bn (2024: £10.7bn) despite net outflows for the year doubling for the year ended 30 September.

Advised platform customers rose 6% for AJ Bell to 182,000 (2024: 171,000) for the year ended 30 September.

Schroder Investment Solutions is to launch a new Blended model portfolio service in early 2026.

The FCA is to go ahead with a simplified complaints process to make it easier for firms to report consumer complaints to it.

Over one in four savers (27%) expect to be either totally or heavily reliant on the State Pension in retirement.

AJ Bell Investcentre has launched two new estate planning trusts, with a third to follow, to boost options for advisers involved in estate planning.

The FCA is to open applications for a second cohort of live AI testing in January, with participating firms able to start testing in April.

Chartered Financial Planning firm One Four Nine Wealth has opened a new office in Glasgow to spearhead its growth in Scotland.