News & Views

Platforms that strive to continuously improve the investment and advice process are out there but haven’t always been easy to find. Until now… Could you define what sets a ‘progressive’ platform apart? There’s likely more than one answer to this conundrum, but here’s our rundown of where we believe the differences lie… 1. Progressive platforms..

It’s been an eventful year so far for the financial planning market, with advisers at the forefront of much of it. So how are they feeling and what do they think about the future? Our adviser clients are our most valuable sources of insight. Throughout 2023 we’ve asked the audiences of our monthly adviser webinars..

With some savings rates topping 6% and a mortgage costs crisis, clients can be forgiven for at least asking about cash. But there is a cost to not staying invested, as Morningstar’s Ed Fane explains… You’d need to go back to April 2008 for the last time the base rate stood at 5%. Then, as..

The last 12 months have been an exciting period for Morningstar Wealth, writes Mark Sanderson, with some significant new developments.   The Morningstar Investment Conference (MIC), held in London on 4 July, was the ideal opportunity to share with advisers some key developments across our business. First and foremost was the unveiling by Morningstar CEO..

New research underlines what we know to be true: that there is an unmistakeable financial advice gap in the UK. However, three new insights suggest how it can be addressed, writes Derek Smith The advice gap is really a story of two gaps. There is the gap you’ve read about before, between those individuals who..

Even advised clients are not immune to the financial anxieties sweeping through the rest of the population, writes Ben Lester. Investors are facing continually challenging times. It could have felt like the longest bull market run in history would go on forever, until it was stopped in its tracks by a global pandemic. While markets..

To find your perfect platform partner, there are questions you simply must ask that you may not have asked five or 10 years ago, writes Roo Janda… Did you know that some advisers carry out their platform due diligence in the middle of their Christmas holidays? You might say that (joke coming up) they do..

I got a clear sense that Morningstar is building teams and products centred around long term, successful investor outcomes and I wanted to be a part of that. After leaving my previous role in banking last summer I took some much-needed time with my family to reflect on my journey to date and what I..

The challenges of 2022 perhaps seem even harsher when set against what was a particularly buoyant 2021. The world was emerging from lockdown and investment plans which had been put on hold could go ahead. Then came soaring inflation, the cost-of-living crisis and market volatility on a global scale. It’s no wonder the lang cat..

In a Consumer Duty survey of advisers who attended December’s monthly adviser webinar, we heard a magnitude of answers; from very concerned to not worried at all. For those who are concerned, Mark addresses how to right size your approach for your practice. He also shares some tips for getting started and keeping it manageable.