Despite their failings, the financial services industry needs its regulators. A simple measure to improve the transparency of how regulators work could help them avoid further bad publicity.

Following a debate last week in Parliament on the treatment of SMEs by the RBS Global Restructuring Group, and the publication this week of the FCA's feedback to its 2015 consultation paper on SMEs as users of financial services, this blog considers what's needed now to ensure SMEs can be confident they will get a good deal from FCA-authorised firms. Please click on the title above to read.

Three recent policy developments have a common theme. Regulatory bodies have looked at what happens at the end of an equipment or vehicle lease. They seem to have reached broadly similar conclusions.

Following a statement today from the FCA alongside the publication of the summary report on the RBS Global Restructuring Group, uncertainty over the application of the FCA's Principles for Business to SMEs seems greater than ever. Please click on the title above.

Earlier this week shadow Chancellor John McDonnell vowed to cap interest charges on credit cards if Labour is elected. The cap would mean that consumers would never pay back more than twice the amount of their original borrowing. But would it work? Please click on the title above for Asset Finance Policy's analysis.

In a speech yesterday, Alex Brazier, Executive Director of Financial Stability at the Bank of England, and a member of the Bank’s Financial Policy Committee, set out a list of facts about the car finance market. The facts indicate the Bank has become a little less concerned about the impacts of possible car finance market issues on the wider economy. Please click on the title above for the blog.

It was reported last week that Amazon is planning to expand its lending to small businesses in the UK as well as in the USA and Japan.Amazon’s smart finance solution aimed at sellers might not particularly relevant to the UK’s vendor asset finance sector. But it soon could be. Here’s why: Amazon Business. Please click on title above for the story.

The Conservative Party’s manifesto, published today, promises to introduce a “safeguard tariff cap” to help customers on the most expensive tariffs in the energy market. This blog considers how the Financial Conduct Authority's price cap of payday lending might influence the proposed energy tariff cap. Please click on the title to read.

This morning, the FCA said in its Regulation round-up: "We are concerned that there may be a lack of transparency, potential conflicts of interest and irresponsible lending which may exist in the motor finance industry." Our analysis suggests the FCA may refer the market for an in-depth review by the Competition and Markets Authority. Please click on the title for the blog.

There can be little doubt now following yesterday’s conviction of six people connected with HBOS lending to small business customers - following a string of other high profile issues concerning small business banking in recent years - that changes to SME finance are on their way. This article considers what we can expect to see and why there are grounds for optimism.