Former Towry Law finance director Alan Wardrop has joined Simon Chamberlain's new IFA consolidation vehicle Succession Advisory Services.

US blue chip stocks edged ahead in early exchanges today, echoing gains in stock markets across Europe and Asia.

Royal Liver says it is "considering carefully" the future of its investment in Park Row after the IFA posted a bigger-than-expected £2.17m loss for the first six months of the year.

Friends Provident is promoting a mixed commission option to IFAs ahead of the implementation of the RDR.

Friends Provident has launched an online income protection (IP) toolkit to help advisers sell more plans.

Lloyds Banking Group has dismissed as "rumour" reports it may sell part of its fund management business in a bid to raise cash following its bailout by the UK Government.

A former Bank of England employee has replaced Sheila Nicoll as FSA director of retail firms.

Renewed efforts to ensure introducers justify any money they receive for referring clients to financial advisers will bring to an end commission "sharing" arrangements, experts say.

The Department for Business Innovation & Skills has confirmed that mortgage brokers who are independent of banks and insurance companies are eligible for the government's £1.3bn Enterprise Finance Scheme.

Insurers are being praised for answering industry calls to cut premiums on protection policies where exclusions apply.