Core Viewpoint - AJ Bell has selected Northern Trust and Carne Group to provide asset servicing and Authorised Corporate Director services for its in-house managed funds, which total £5 billion (approximately US$6.5 billion) in assets under management [1][2][3]. Company Summaries AJ Bell - AJ Bell is a UK-based asset manager and one of the leading investment platforms in the country, providing easy access to pensions, ISAs, and general investment accounts with platform assets under administration of £103.3 billion (approximately US$134.5 billion) [4]. - The in-house managed fund range consists of nine multi-asset funds designed to cater to various risk appetites, currently managing £5 billion (approximately US$6.5 billion) [2][3]. Northern Trust - Northern Trust has been appointed to provide custody, depositary, and fund administration services for AJ Bell's in-house managed funds, leveraging its scale, expertise, and technology to support AJ Bell's strategic and financial plans [4]. - As of September 30, 2025, Northern Trust had assets under custody/administration of US$18.2 trillion and assets under management of US$1.8 trillion, making it a leading provider in the industry [5]. Carne Group - Carne Group has been selected as the Authorised Corporate Director for AJ Bell's fund range, which will help support AJ Bell's growth and expand Carne's footprint in the UK [4]. - Carne is Europe's largest independent third-party management company, partnering with around 650 clients and overseeing more than US$2 trillion in assets under management [8][9].

Core Insights - Lloyds Banking Group plc has expanded its multi-year partnership with Broadcom Inc. to enhance its technology transformation initiatives [2][3] - The partnership aims to deploy Broadcom's VMware Cloud Foundation and mainframe solutions to improve infrastructure and support various applications [3] - The rollout is expected to enhance digital banking services for Lloyds' 28 million UK customers, providing faster and more reliable systems [4] Company Overview - Lloyds Banking Group plc is the largest retail and commercial bank in the UK, offering a range of banking, insurance, pensions, and investment products [5] - The company is recognized as one of the best penny stocks to invest in currently [5]