Insight

Around 42% of Britons are expecting their standard of living to worsen when they retire according to new research by Standard Life. The pension provider found that 63% are worried they have not saved enough for retirement while 45% expect their standard of living to be worse in retirement thatn thei

The chief executive of banking software supplier SBS says AI agents capable of making live decisions will be available to its UK building society clients by next summer, but warns that institutions’ willingness to hand over control will move more slowly than the technology. Eric Bierry said SB

Closed-end funds are almost absent from the portfolios that UK advisers build for clients, according to new Morningstar research.  The category that includes investment trusts, account for only 0.4% of average holdings in on-platform managed portfolios, while open-ended funds make up 91%.

Columbia Threadneedle Investments' Andrew Carnwath has warned that private equity is splitting in two, and that managers caught in between are coming under pressure. The firm’s head of private equity was speaking about the future of private markets at the Investment Association’s Scotlan

The Secretary of State for Scotland Douglas Alexander has claimed Scotland's financial services remains “scarred” by the financial crash, as he called for renewed confidence in the industry and greater collaboration between government and business to drive economic growth. Mr Alexander t

Senior figures from BlackRock, Aegon Asset Management, Aberdeen Investments and Aberforth Partners have said Scotland’s 700-year financial heritage is no longer enough on its own to stay competitive and grow the sector. Investors heard from Sandra Boss, UK chair at BlackRock, Aegon chief execu

Investors have shared their thoughts on what the US midterm results mean for financial services and markets, after Congress swung in favour of the Democrats. Many investment managers said the results mean “something and nothing at the same time”, pointing to President Donald Trump’

By Nicola Campbell, Partner, Azets Scotland has a strong story to tell international investors, and the evidence backs that up.

The Scottish Government is exploring new ways to privately finance major public infrastructure projects, with the Scottish Futures Trust leading work on alternative funding models as pressure on public finances constrains capital spending. The trust is working with the market on a revised approach t

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has urged firms to prepare for the UK’s new regulatory regime, warning that crypto-investors will not have access to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) for their digital asset investments. Val Smith, the FCA’s head of authorisations, p

After 29 years at William Duncan, Graeme Bryson is now tasked with making a new name familiar across Scotland. William Duncan and Company is a heritage accountancy firm more than 100 years old, based in Ayr. It was acquired by a Birmingham-based accountancy firm, Dains. Since the takeover, William D

By John Ewart, Director and Investment Manager, Aubrey Capital Management Rising incomes, digital identity and mobile finance are changing who wins in emerging market banking, writes John Ewart of Aubrey Capital Management.

A financial planner has claimed the profession is struggling to attract younger earners and people who earn a lot but are not yet rich. Sam Patterson, head of proposition at Equilibrium Financial Planning, discussed the challenge the profession faces in attracting HENRYs, high earners, not rich yet,

The chair of Baillie Gifford US Growth Trust has called on retail investors to turn out in force to vote at next month's annual general meeting, warning that a low turnout could see Saba Capital Management take control of the trust. Tom Burnet told Scottish Financial News that retail investors are t

Financial planners have the knowledge to help clients understand their goals and protect their interests. “Rightly or wrongly,” most clients are high-net-worth individuals who are retired and have more time to think about what they want to save or how to use their assets.