The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has published its annual Sector Views (PDF), which is an assessment of the risks and potential harm to consumers across financial services markets.  The kinds of harms the FCA is concerned about, include:

• retail banking and payments - poor value overdrafts and cash savings products
• the credit market and adults who are over-indebted and find their financial commitment a burden
• pricing practices in insurance which penalise loyal customers (in home and motor insurance)
• pension savings and retirement income - unsuitable advice, poor value products, and pension scams
• high risk retail investment products which expose consumers to more risk than they can absorb
• pricing and quality of investment management products
• wholesale financial markets and operational resilience.

The first chapter of the review describes the common themes across sectors, with a focus on those which are having the greatest impact.  It also gives an overview of the FCA position in the current international context.  This is follwed by chapters examining the areas listed above.  The review considers the potential harm, what is driving change, how the sector is changing and for retail sectors, the consumer perspective.