Max Darer, Lowes Financial Management, 16/08/2023

August has witnessed the introduction of a new product shape in the form of Recallable Growth and Income plans from MB Structured Investments and Meteor.

Whilst issuer callable contracts are nothing new, to date the UK retail sector has only seen such contracts with an underlying index link, the position and trajectory of which would be a major factor in determining the issuer’s appetite to call the investment early.  With the latest ‘Recallable’ plans the only significant determinant will be interest rates.

MB's Recallable Fixed Growth Plan August 2023 offers a simple 7% per annum payment for each year it was in force, payable either at the 5th anniversary maturity date or on the 2nd, 3rd or 4th if called earlier at the issuer’s (Barclays) behest.

Meteor's Recallable Fixed Growth Plan September 2023 is very similar, with the same headline interest rate, albeit issued by Credit Agricole.

Both MB and Meteor also offer a very similar, annual income paying version at 6.25% for the Barclays / MB plan and 6.3% for Credit Agricole / Meteor. 

For all versions it is important to appreciate that whilst not designed as capital at risk plans, these are not deposits but in fact structured as capital ‘protected’ plans where capital is at risk in the event of counterparty failure whereby investor's would not be covered by Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) protection. 

Investors are committing to a five-year maximum term but the bank can close out the contract on any anniversary from the second onwards and are therefore likely to do so if interest rates have declined.  In the meantime, investors secured an attractive rate of return, with no market risk, at a level that was unheard of just a year ago. Whether these plans are your cup of tea or not, it is clear that the retail structured product sector continues to innovate to provide advisers and investors with more solutions for personal finances.

To view currently available UK retail structured products, click here

 

Structured investments put capital at risk.

Past performance is not a guide to future performance.