The Competition and Markets Authority has provisionally blocked the ‘mega-merger’ of platform providers FNZ and GBST due to concerns that the tie-up would hit competition and may lead to investors paying more.

Expanding Chartered Financial Planning firm Fairstone has acquired Berkshire-based financial adviser Chiltern House as it continues its 2020 growth plans.

Close Brothers Asset Management has opened a new office in Chester to expand its services to local HNW clients and provide more space for its Financial Planners, investment managers and support staff.

Protection sales were down 13% year on year for the second quarter of 2020, according to a new report.

The Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) has boosted the Temporary High Balance (THB) protection for deposits of up to £1m from six to 12 months for deposit-taker failures which take place from Thursday.

Data from today’s Wealth and Assets Survey from the Office of National Statistics has shown that the self-employed continue to invest in property over pensions for their retirement.

British investors expect average annual returns in excess of 11% over the next five years despite the uncertainty caused by the Coronavirus pandemic.

The average pension fund increased 13.3% in the second quarter of this year, the strongest quarterly performance since Q3 2009, according to new data.

Tilney has made its Sustainable MPS range available to the adviser market through its Tilney for Professionals arm.

The proposed six month notice period on property fund withdrawals could force investors into a longer term view of property funds. However, one Financial Planner warned of the potential inheritance tax implications