Axa

The Financial Conduct Authority is to ban firms with platform and fund management arms effectively giving away platform services for free, in return for investment into its in-house funds.

A breakaway movement of platforms pushing for special share classes could create a ‘cartel' between bigger firms, according to Axa Elevate.

Axa UK plans to withdraw face-to-face financial advice in the branches of its UK banking partners the Co-op, Clydesdale and Yorkshire Banks.

A former HBOS banker who signed off the firm's financial accounts in years leading up to its collapse collected £143,000 last year from life company consolidation vehicle Resolution.

Retirement Planner's round up of the top pension stories this week.

Axa is reviewing the viability of maintaining its defined benefit (DB) scheme due to an increasing deficit and the additional costs associated with the end of contracting out.

REBATES

Axa is considering allowing small firms access to its Self Investor service, which lets advisers provide a restricted direct-to-consumer proposition to clients.

IFAs believe those with pension pots of less than £65,000 are unlikely to pay upfront for advice, according to research by Axa.

Axa Life Europe has launched a unit-linked guaranteed range to equip advisers with different retirement options for their clients.