IFAM 118 | A spotlight on Multi-Index | May 2023
The merry month of May
And so begins the merry month of May. With three bank holidays in just one month that’s one thing to help many of us feel merry even if it does put a bit of extra pressure on businesses to continue to deliver.
Of course, whether it will be merry for advisers and investment managers remains to be seen. Not only are IFA Magazine readers continuing to deal with all the ongoing uncertainties thrown up by today’s cost of living crisis and tricky economic climate, but you’re also finalising preparations for this summer’s introduction of the Consumer Duty rules. And that’s all on top of the day to day business of looking after clients.
The good news is that your May edition of IFA Magazine is here and ready to welcome you to plenty of opinions, insight, analysis and the odd prediction or two thrown in for good measure. We hope you enjoy it.
Spotlight on Multi-Index
With last month’s news that Justin Onuekwusi has left LGIM, we thought it was a great time to catch up with LGIM’s John Roe and Andrzej Pioch (this month’s cover stars!). I’m sure you’ll find our conversation with them of interest as the fund range is very popular with advisers and clients alike. We were reassured to hear that it really is business as usual over at LGIM when it comes to the management of the multi-index fund range, as the focus of their team approach continues in just the same way as ever.
The countdown to Consumer Duty
With the FCA’s new rules coming into effect on 31st July, advisers will be busy making sure that all processes and procedures are Consumer Duty compliant. Our reader survey conducted with Legal & General has shown some encouraging signs that most readers are ready – although of course there are still some who have work to do to ensure that they’ll meet the new standards. There are also practical tips from Standards International and MorganAsh on how to integrate the new rules as regards vulnerable clients.
Fixed Income proving popular
As both PIMCO and M&G Investments explain from pages 6 and 11 in this edition, interestingly, the economic climate is generating particular opportunities in fixed income investing. Quite a reversal of the position of last autumn when the Kwarteng mini-budget threw such a spanner in the works!
Supplement or substitute?
With news that the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is to look into the world of Artificial Intelligence (AI) we thought it was high time we found out what advisers and brokers thought about whether ChatGPT and other chatbots are likely to be a threat or a boost to professional financial advice. You can read their reactions – *spoiler alert* – opinions differ – from page 36.
I hope you enjoy this edition of IFA Magazine – and that your month is indeed a merry one!