'A solid performance': Polson on HL's big announcement

HARGREAVES LANSDOWN

So, then, Hargreaves Lansdown. Has a pricing announcement by a direct investment platform ever been so eagerly awaited? I don't know, and neither do you. But what you do know is what HL expects you to pony up for holding assets on its Vantage service.

HL is launching its offer into a funny old market. Direct platforms have until April to stop living off rebates from fund managers (in respect of new business, anyway). Of the top platforms by market share, at least half have still to announce their pricing - and we include Barclays Stockbrokers and Fidelity in that. Time to get a move on, girls. For the record, we'll only do comparisons here with those who have unveiled their explicit pricing. Back to HL. It announced its pricing in a stock exchange missive at 7am today, when I was just in the showers at Euston, which was inconsiderate....