UK pensions freedom helped UK fund distributor Hargreaves Lansdown to generate a stunning 47% surge in net business inflows to £1.4 billion in the three months to September 30, compared to the same period last year.

The firm's client roster rose by 24,000 to 760,000 in its first quarter, against a 10,000 rise a year earlier. Shares in the Bristol-based financial planner jumped 5% after the group released its October 14 trading update, leading to an 8.5% gain over the past week.