The FCA is offering up to £30,000 to people who successfully submit a research proposal that the regulator reckons will lead to a publishable report on growth, competitiveness or regulation.

Joshua Anderson of Fidenti Wealth of Sandbach in Cheshire has been named Financial Adviser Apprentice of the Year in the CII/PFS latest annual Financial Planning apprenticeship awards.

The FCA has called on insurance firms to improve bereavement handling times and share best practice after it found it took up to 122 days to process a claim.

Barclays Bank has been fined £40m for failing to disclose a fund raising deal with Qatari entities in 2008 at the height of the financial crisis in that year.

MKC Wealth, the expanding wealth manager backed by Cabot Square Capital, has acquired two adviser firms.

Inheritance tax (IHT) receipts are on course to be around 40% higher than three years ago following the first seven months of official data for the current tax year.

Newly-launched trade association The Platforms Association has expanded to 46 members just two months after launching.

Wealth manager Tavistock has acquired asset manager ABP as it completes its sale of its financial advice businesses, Tavistock Partners Limited and Tavistock Partners (UK) Limited, to Saltus.

Chartered Financial Planner firm The Penny Group has acquired fellow Openwork Partnership firm Surrey-based Whiting Financial.

More than 50,000 power of attorney applications were rejected last year because of mistakes.