The FCA has published Finalised Guidance 15/1: Retail investment advice: Clarifying the boundaries and exploring the barriers to market development (FG15/1).

In FG15/1 the FCA focus on what is, and what is not, a personal recommendation in relation to retail investments, and what scope there is for firms to provide a range of services in relation to those products. The FCA clarifies the current regulatory landscape on personal recommendations in relation to retail investments and, in response to requests from the industry, brings together in one place the existing guidance that is available to firms from the FCA (particularly on simplified advice) and from the Committee of European Securities Regulators and the European Securities and Markets Authority. The FCA also provides example scenarios and in each case offers a view on whether it thinks the example is regulated advice or not.

View FG15/1 – Retail investment advice: Clarifying the boundaries and exploring the barriers to market development, 22 January 2015