Good morning and welcome to your Morning Briefing for Thursday 28 August 2025. To get this in your inbox every morning click here.
ValidPath’s CBO programme created due to ‘lack of options for advisers looking to retire’
ValidPath’s client buyout (CBO) programme came about as there is a “lack of options for financial advisers looking into their retirement”.
This is what ValidPath succession development manager Laura Handy told Money Marketing.
The CBO programme was launched in July 2025, as a comprehensive succession and acquisition solution designed to help advisers exit and retire.
Amanda Cassidy: Financial services must do more to attract and retain women
We’ve talked about the gender imbalance in financial services for years. And while there’s been progress, the pace is glacial, writes Quilter Financial Advisers managing director Amanda Cassidy.
The latest Women in Personal Finance Survey, commissioned by the Women’s Wealth Alliance and conducted by YouGov, offers a timely reminder that we still have a long way to go, but also that the solutions are within reach.
Quote Of The Day
Nvidia shares have taken a dip in after-hours trading despite another record-breaking set of results. Smart investors will look through the noise. Nvidia has traded flat or down after results in four of the past five quarters
– Hargreaves Lansdown senior equity analyst Matt Britzman on Nvidia’s second-quarter results
Stat Attack
Research from IG shows how many investors have had a payment blocked or delayed by their bank when trying to buy digital assets.
40%
of UK crypto investors have had a payment blocked or delayed by their bank when trying to buy digital assets.
42%
of UK adults said they opposed banks interfering in crypto transactions.
33%
support such actions.
29%
have submitted a formal complaint to their bank, appealing the decision, while others have adjusted the size of their transactions (22%) or given up altogether (10%).
12%
of UK adults hold crypto.
Source: IG
In Other News
Charles Stanley has strengthened its responsible investment team with the appointment of Celine Legaspi, who joins as sustainable portfolio lead and responsible investment analyst.
Legaspi brings “considerable” ESG experience to the team, joining from investment consultancy Reddington, where she led sustainable and impact investment research within the manager research team. She was responsible for researching best-in-class investment opportunities, identifying new and emerging themes, and delivering bespoke client projects.
She will lead the day-to-day management of Charles Stanley’s newly-launched sustainable multi-asset guidance portfolios. This role will also cover portfolio implementation practices for investment managers and guidance around bespoke portfolio tailoring for clients.
Legaspi joins the responsible investment team alongside Paris Jordan, head of responsible investing and Lewis James-Lawrence, responsible investment analyst.
Bank of Korea expects ‘significant’ economic shock even after US trade deal (Reuters)
FCA opens UK investigation into Drax accounts (Financial Times)
The end of London’s Elizabeth line is awash with empty offices (Bloomberg)
Did You See?
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has issued a fresh warning about fraudsters impersonating the regulator, after receiving almost 5,000 scam reports in the first half of 2025.
Figures show the watchdog received 4,465 reports of fake FCA scams, with 480 victims tricked into transferring money.
Scammers typically pose as the FCA to steal funds or sensitive personal details such as PINs and passwords.
Almost two-thirds of reports came from people aged 56 or over.
One of the most common scams involves fraudsters claiming the FCA has recovered money from a crypto wallet supposedly opened illegally in the victim’s name.
