
Government gives legacy financial services qualifications another reprieve
A government extension means MBSE can continue enrolling students for its FETC: Short-term Insurance and FETC: Wealth Management qualifications for another 24 months.

A government extension means MBSE can continue enrolling students for its FETC: Short-term Insurance and FETC: Wealth Management qualifications for another 24 months.

The NFO’s case studies show how disputes over evidence, process failures, and consumer rights can escalate into costly battles between credit providers and customers.

The NFO’s 2025 annual report offers a glimpse into the disputes that reach the banking ombud – and the lessons they hold.

New life sales rose 28% in the quarter to March, while stronger investment inflows and a better new business margin supported a broadly positive update.

The completed transaction added scale, while a recovery in client demand pushed the asset manager back into net positive flows after last year’s outflows.

Allan Gray’s data finds that advisers making heavier use of offshore solutions often have higher client balances and stronger inflows.

Crypto assets fall outside the NPS Act, but intermediary-led payment-type activity involving crypto may still trigger a licensing requirement.

Professionals still have time to complete any outstanding hours, but they should avoid leaving enrolment to the weekend.

Lenders and dealers should dig deeper into living costs, dependants, and insurance obligations to avoid stretching consumers beyond their means.

COFI’s outcomes-based framework may push governance responsibility beyond trustees and require umbrella funds to prove that members are better off.

The NFO says proactive disclosure, better underwriting conversations, and stronger intermediary oversight will benefit customers and insurers alike.

Advisers can reduce last-minute pressure by breaking the remaining hours into shorter, more manageable sessions instead of cramming courses into a final rush.

The judgment strengthens constitutional protections for homeowners by rejecting speculative ‘drive-by’ property valuations used in foreclosure proceedings.

The group says the industry is moving towards customised solutions, prompting it to hand active management to Ninety One and focus on alternatives, distribution, and emerging markets.

The GIFT City operation, together with the Lloyd’s syndicate and Avatar acquisition, is part of the group’s move to broaden its risk base and underwriting capabilities.

The tie-up will begin with global equity and emerging market ETFs and is designed to widen access to active strategies across international markets.

The bank says its AI-driven banking and fraud prevention systems have reduced fraud on flagged transactions by 85%.