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Nightmare for Swiss Based Financial Advisers and their EU clients?

It is the opinion of the MFSA that Switzerland does not currently offer the relevant framework although recognises that the Swiss authorities are progressing to implement this.

As a result of this decision Pension Trustees in Malta are being given until the 1st of October 2019 to disengage and transition Members with an appointed Swiss Investment Adviser/Asset Manager to an Investment Adviser or DFM, who meet the licensing requirements under the Rules. This applies for all existing Members residing in or outside Switzerland.

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Next steps?

Swiss based IFA firms may wish to seek an EU IFA Network that can offer them MiFID permissions to be able to continue to service their client books.

Alternatively, clients being looked after by Swiss Based IFA firms may be required to seek an EU Based IFA Firm with the appropriate licences to able to provide them with ongoing servicing.

Conclusion

Not ideal as it is the client that is placed at risk here… but this is not without solution.

Blacktower Financial Management (International) Limited is MIFID licenced and passported throughout the EU. Not only that it holds Terms of Business with most of the Malta based Retirement Practioners.

We also run an IFA Network – Nexus Global – giving you the ability to access the EU Market for your EU based clients.

This communication is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute, and should not be construed as, investment advice, investment recommendations or investment research. You should seek advice from a professional adviser before embarking on any financial planning activity. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the information contained in this communication is correct, we are not responsible for any errors or omissions.

Other News

To Brexit or not to Brexit, that is the question

400 years of Shakespeare and we are still pondering over the question! 

I recently returned from London – more specifically the City of London – and was rather surprised to find out that the financial ‘experts’ were still in a state of flux, arguing over the theoretical economical fall out, on the day after of the fast approaching in/out referendum. I came to the conclusion, after pouring through reams of editorial columns from “would be” financial gurus, that the prognosis relating to the likely impact on the FTSE100 on the 24th of June – the day after – was that the general consensus converged on a simple equation; if the in campaign wins the day, there would be an immediate 5% appreciation. Conversely, if the out campaign has it, the FTSE100 would suffer a dramatic 10% loss.

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NEWS WRAP – Interest Rate Debate – Trust in Growth or Manage Risk?

GraphThe latest Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) survey describes widespread growth across the UK economy, with notable upturns in the services and manufacturing sectors.

The PMI records and aggregates the strength of various sectors of the economy and is often used to predict likely changes to interest rates. The fact that data for January indicated the most significant growth in 16 months, led many pundits to speculate on the unlikelihood of an interest rate cut by the Bank of England. And they were right.

The picture of growth was supported by numerous data channels. For example, figures from Rightmove revealed a 2.3 per cent month-on-month upturn on UK house prices in January, the largest ever recorded for the month, and this assisted the annual house price rise figure to 2.7%, the largest increase since 2017.*

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