Tag Archives: Investing

Protecting against losses is not the same as generating a profit – guest blog from Ralph Frank

Posted on January 28, 2015 by henry tapper

  The Swiss National Bank’s (“SNB’s”) decision to abandon the currency ceiling of the Franc relative to the Euro has drawn attention to risk management and hedging. The losers from the SNB’s actions, including retail leveraged trading platforms, investment banks … Continue reading →

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We need a Bus and a Lamborghini!

Posted on November 29, 2014 by henry tapper

My friend Ralph Frank is very good at putting his finger on the problem. If he was a Doctor, I’d trust his diagnosis and I like to think of him with a stethoscope prodding around the body financial – listening … Continue reading →

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Disclosing costs – we are almost there!

Posted on November 18, 2014 by henry tapper

The Financial Services Consumer Panel have issued a damning condemnation on the £5tr British Funds Industry for failing to tell people what they are paying for and how much they are paying when they invest their money in British Funds. … Continue reading →

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BRITAIN’S BIGGEST TABOOS: 20 MILLION PEOPLE STRESSED ABOUT FINANCES, YET TALKING ABOUT MONEY REMAINS OFF LIMITS

Posted on November 13, 2014 by henry tapper

I don’t normally do press releases on here, I will make an exception here. People are embarrassed about money – when it’s their money they are talking about. The taboos about debt, wealth and financial planning are real and we need … Continue reading →

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Pensions are yours to spend – but how do you get to the shops?

Posted on November 9, 2014 by henry tapper

Ours to spend! If I were to give you £100,000 and tell you that that was to bide you over to the end of your life you might initially be excited – you might then become apprehensive and you might … Continue reading →

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How to pay a consultant.

Posted on November 4, 2014 by henry tapper

Why this is on my mind Today I’m speaking at a conference for pension consultants which is supposed to be exploring the opportunities for them and for their clients. Looking at their agenda, there is an obvious issue missing “how … Continue reading →

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Double vision – a startling new blog from Ralph Frank

Posted on October 22, 2014 by henry tapper

The latest Command Paper, ‘Better workplace pensions: Putting savers’ interests first’, has recently been published.  This Command Paper follows prior consultations by the Department for Work and Pensions (“DWP”) on charges, transparency and quality standards in workplace defined contribution pension … Continue reading →

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“Educated beyond their intelligence”

Posted on September 8, 2014 by henry tapper

Denis Skinner’s recent gibe at Tory Ministers ,and George Osborne in particular, is brilliant (even if the phrase was coined by another). For me- it will be a defining epithet for the coalition- it sums up the best and worst … Continue reading →

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We knew we were cheating our clients.

Posted on August 22, 2014 by henry tapper

  Mark Wood (now of JLT and formerly of the Prudential) is calling on insurers to relax the early exit penalties on pension contracts set up in the “bad old days” when commission was paid in advance for premiums paid … Continue reading →

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“Open Government isn’t an idea, it’s an action”

Posted on August 21, 2014 by henry tapper

When you walk into the DWP’s offices in Westminster, you are greeted with a montage of Male, Pale and Stale mug-shots of politicians and permanent secretaries who are the DWP’s big wigs. Very 1980s – very Sir Humphrey! But that’s … Continue reading →

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