FIN.

Category - Funds

FCA speaks to EU on global cooperation

Ashley Alder, FCA Chair, has spoken at the UK Mission to the EU on the importance of regulatory cooperation and open markets, and the relationship the UK now hopes to build with the EU under the 2023 MoU. He said that...

Treasury publishes MMF policy framework

HM Treasury has published its Policy Note (6 December 2023) incorporating a near-final version of the statutory instrument (SI) to replace the Money Market Funds Regulation and create a new framework for Money Market...

FCA consults on Overseas Funds Regime

FCA is consulting on how the Overseas Funds Regime should operate in practice. The Government has designed the regime to provide a streamlined process to allow funds from jurisdictions assessed as...

FCA updates on Woodford Scheme

Link Fund Solutions is to convene a meeting of all affected investors on 13 December to vote on whether to approve the proposed settlement fund in relation to the LF Equity Income Fund. FCA has confirmed it believes the...

UK Finance respond to ban on cold calling

UK Finance has responded to HM Treasury’s proposals to ban cold calling in financial services and is supportive of the proposals. The measures aim to protect consumers, particularly elderly and vulnerable...

FCA widens access to LTAF

FCA has published its final rules on giving a wider group of retail investors and defined contribution pension schemes access to Long Term Asset Funds (LTAF). The rules recategorise a unit in an LTAF from a Non-Mass...

FCA consults on vote reporting

FCA’s “Vote Reporting Group” is consulting on a voluntary template that asset managers can use to communicate with asset owner clients on their voting activity. It asks for comment by 21 September.

BoE launches system-wide exploratory scenario

BoE has launched its first system-wide exploratory scenario exercise. The exercise will include banks, insurers, CCPs and a variety of funds and will look to see how all these market players behave in stressed market...

BoE speech: building blocks of resilience

Sarah Breeden, BoE Executive Director of Financial Stability, Strategy and Risk, has delivered a speech on resilience within Liability Driven Investment (LDI) funds at Westminster Business Forum policy conference. The...

FSM Bill: Lords Report stage day 3

Day 3 of the debate on the FSM Bill at Lords Report stage included: a debate on forest risk commodities, which was approved on a vote; a proposal for a number of amendments relating to liability of PSPs for fraudulent...

FCA consults on dormant assets rule changes

FCA is consulting on changes to its rules to reflect the further expansion of the Dormant Assets Scheme. Its rules facilitating the first phase of expansion, covering insurance, pensions and securities assets, took...

Asset Management Task force takes shape again

5 new members have joined the Asset Management Taskforce in the wake of the Edinburgh Reforms announcements. The Economic Secretary has also launched a new Technology Working Group to look at the impact of technology on...

FCA announces Woodford redress plans

FCA has announced that Link Fund Solutions has agreed a redress payment to investors in the LF Woodford Equity Income Fund of up to approximately £235m. The Link Administration Group will make a material contribution to...

Lords Committee finishes FSM Bill debate

The tenth and final sitting in the House of Lords Grand Committee on the FSM Bill took place on 23 March. The discussion moved to: adding new regulated activities in relation to climate and nature offsets, tabled by...

House of Lords updates on FSM Bill

Ahead of the seventh day of debate on the FSM Bill in the Grand Committee, the House of Lords has published: a new list of amendments; a letter promised by Baroness Penn to all members on matters raised at the second...

FCA updates on Link action

FCA is in discussions with the Link Group and Link Fund Solutions over whether its proposed enforcement action against LFS can be resolved by agreement – specifically, that consumers affected by the suspension of...

FCA consults on asset management regulation

FCA is seeking views on what regulatory change might help the UK asset management industry while supporting investors and boosting competition. It has issued a wide-ranging discussion paper setting out possible areas...

FCA updates on asset management supervision

FCA has published a Dear CEO letter on its asset management supervision strategy. FCA has restructured so that these firms are now supervised by the Buy-Side Directorate. There are around 1,000 firms in the portfolio...

FCA makes new rules

FCA’s latest Handbook Update confirms the following new rules: the Non-Workplace Pensions Instrument, which takes effect from 1 December 2023 and puts in place changes designed to help non-workplace pension savers...

FCA seeks views on retail disclosures

Following on from the Treasury consultation on PRIIPs information requirements, FCA is now seeking views on when and in what format information should be delivered to consumers in a way that ensures what is provided is...

FCA makes new rules

FCA’s latest Handbook Notice confirms changes to SUP 16 to reflect requirements on firms subject to IPRU(INV) 5. The changes take effect from 31 December and mainly amend form FSA035 for affected firms.

FCA consults on anti-greenwashing rules

FCA is consulting on new rules to tackle greenwashing. Following its commitment in its ESG strategy and business plan, FCA is now addressing the concerns that the increasing exaggerated, misleading or unsubstantiated...

FSMB Committee stage timetable published

Following the announcement that the Committee stage in the Commons will begin on 19 October, a timetable for the sessions has now been published. Key witnesses scheduled to appear on that day include BoE, PRA, FCA and...

FCA publishes quarterly consultation

FCA has published its regular quarterly consultation. It proposes changes to: the schemes regime under s272, and consequential changes to COLL, the Glossary, DEPP and EG. The changes specifically relate to what FCA...

FCA consults on widening access to the LTAF

The FCA has outlined proposals to market the Long Term Asset Fund (LTAF) to a wider group of retail investors and pension schemes, whilst also introducing enhanced investor protections. Highlights include plans to:...

ESMA updates fund marketing questions

ESMA has updated its FAQs on the AIFMD and UCITS Directive: on the AIFMD, the most interesting new question seeks clarification on who is responsible for compliance with the marketing provisions in the AIFMD when an AIF...

FCA publishes Annual Report

FCA has published its Annual Report and supporting papers. It highlighted: how nearly 600,000 people are paying less in interest and charges on credit card debt following rule changes; how further rule changes have...

ESMA provides guidance on sustainability risks

On 31 May 2021, ESMA published a supervisory briefing setting out guidance on the integration of sustainability risks in the area of asset management. The guidance is aimed at national competent authorities (NCAs) to...

ESMA speaks on retail funds

Verena Ross of ESMA has spoken on the priorities for EU retail fund investors. She focussed on: the PRIIPs review: she acknowledged that change is needed, particularly on the presentation of performance information, and...

HM Treasury speech on credit unions reform

On 24 May 2022, in a speech delivered at the Association of British Credit Unions annual conference, John Glen, Economic Secretary to HM Treasury, announced reforms to the legislative framework for credit unions. In the...

FCA speaks on regulating finance in the UK

Charles Randell, FCA and PSR Chair, has delivered a speech on regulating finance for the whole of the UK. Highlights include: Importance of partnerships and policy coherence – the FCA recognises the continued importance...

FCA consults on expanding dormant assets scheme

On 13 May 2022, the FCA published a consultation paper on expanding the dormant assets scheme (the Scheme). The Scheme allows banks and building societies to pay dormant monies to an authorised reclaim fund which then...

Queen’s Speech 2022 – FS elements

The Queen’s Speech 2022 outlined the government’s legislative priorities for the next parliamentary session. The measures announced include two bills of particular interest to financial services...

FCA confirms changes to PRIIPs regulation

Following its consultation in 2021, the FCA has confirmed it is making changes to the PRIIPs regulation to: clarify the scope of the PRIIPs regulation for corporate bonds, making it clearer that certain common features...

FCA portfolio strategy letter on custody

FCA’s latest letter on its portfolio supervision strategy relates to custody and fund services. It sees 4 areas of potential harm: disruption to consumers and market participants, or the loss, compromise, or lack...

FCA consults on miscellaneous rule changes

FCA’s latest quarterly consultation covers: proposed changes to PERG in respect of the MiFID 2 ancillary activities test; making collective investment portfolio managers subject to the same research and inducement...

Dormant Assets Act gets Royal Assent

The Dormant Assets Act got Royal Assent on 24 February,  The Act expands the scope of “dormant assets” that has encompassed cash in bank and building society accounts since 2008 to include a greater range of...

FCA speaks on capital market enhancement

Sarah Pritchard has spoken on FCA’s role and priorities in enhancing the UK’s capital markets. She focused on FCA’s transformation plan and how this would affect the way it regulates.  It has welcomed...

FCA outlines new authorisation fee structure

The FCA has set out the new structure for authorisation application fees which takes effect on 24 January 2022. The current charges are being condensed into 10 simple pricing categories and the following additional...

FCA updates on PRIIPs

FCA has confirmed its intention to amend the UK PRIIPs RTS and handbook guidance to reflect the new end date legislated for in the Financial Services Act 2021 that allows UCITS providers to choose to supply either a...

FCA updates on rule changes

FCA’s latest Handbook Notice confirms, among other things: changes to SUP to clarify what FCA expects to see reported on form FIN-A changes to LIBOR rules (previously reported in FIN) and changes to the value...

EU updates on PRIIPs

The Council of the EU ha published details of the extension of the transitional arrangement that allows UCITS to choose whether to use the KID or the KIDD. The transitional arrangement was due to end in July 2022, but...

Dormant Assets Bill under inspection

The Dormant Assets Bill is making its way through the House of Lords, where members have voted on two changes to the Bill at report stage. It will now has its third reading on the Lords before moving to the Commons. The...

FCA finalises LTAF rules

FCA has published its final rules for Long Term Asset Funds. An LTAF will be an open-ended authorised fund intended for investment by sophisticated investors and pension funds – in particular DC schemes whose...

Commission updates PRIIPs KID standards

The European Commission has adopted new technical standards for the PRIIPs KID, which will apply from 1 July 2022 (so long as approved by the Council and Parliament), and will finally apply to all retail products. The...

Commission asks for views on UCITS KID

The Commission is asking for views on its proposal for a Directive on UCITS. The proposals relate to the use of KIDs by UCITS managers. The current exemption from the use of a PRIIPs KID for UCITS expires at the end of...

FCA writes to authorised fund managers on ESG

The FCA has written to the chairs of authorised fund managers setting out its expectations on the design, delivery and disclosure of environmental, social and governance (ESG) and sustainable investment funds. The FCA...

ESMA updates funds FAQs

ESMA has updated its FAQs: on the AIFMD, in relation to risk measurement and performance fees; and the UCITS Directive, in respect of how the guidelines apply to funds with multiple portfolio managers and performance...

FCA publishes Business Plan

FCA’s 2021/22 Business Plan highlights: how FCA has to change as the environment in which it operates changes and how investment in technology and changes in culture are key to this; the need to enable customers...

FCA finds “host” fund manager weaknesses

FCA has carried out a review of authorised fund managers that provide hosting services to third party investment managers outside of their corporate group. It concluded that some firms were operating well but others did...

ESMA finalises marketing guidelines

ESMA has clarified its guidelines on standards for fund marketing. Following its consultation, the guidelines detail how all marketing communications should: be identifiable as such; describe the risks and rewards of...

Update on AIFMD Delegation Rules

The EU has been saying for some time that it wishes to review the rules by which EU AIFMs may delegate investment management to entities outside of the EU. In its August 2020 letter regarding the review of the AIFMD...