The decline in the total number of qualified financial advisers accelerated towards the end of last year, at a time when the Government and advice industry itself are grappling to produce more affordable advice for the general population. The December quarter’s report from Adviser Ratings, published last week (February 3), indicates an industry sector approaching…
While all high-growth markets, such as many emerging markets, tend to disappoint equity market investors over long periods, China is a standout, according to Gerard Minack. The country is ‘the world’s best practice dilutor” of capital, he says. It’s the dilution of share capital, because of China’s allocation of capital through high levels of investment,…
As the dust settles on the Government’s Retirement Income Review, the search for the most appropriate and cost-effective strategies for both large groups of people and individuals has resumed, aided by some new academic work which sets principles and rules for big super funds, financial advisers and product providers. Geoff Warren, an associate professor at…
David Coogan notches up his 30th straight CMSF conference this May, at which he resigns from the finance, risk and compliance committee of AIST, and accepts another round of grateful applause for his services to the super industry and heads into semi-retirement. When he attended the first CMSF in 1990, held almost as an act…
Shortly after David Neal was appointed as the inaugural CIO of the Future Fund, the guardians approved the appointment of global custodian Northern Trust as its asset servicing partner. No big deal, you’d think. Well, welcome to the world of high-profile public sector investing. After the announcement, in May 2007, Sydney’s ‘Daily Telegraph’ tabloid led…
The ASX is not Wall Street. A lot of the recent discussion about a style rotation, at long last, putting the value back in value investing, has focussed on the behaviour of US and global markets. A clearer focus on Australia offers a more nuanced, and relevant, analysis. According to a blog posted last week…
Parametric Portfolio Associates has promoted Whitlam Zhang to fill the research role formerly held by Raewyn Williams, who resigned late last year. He becomes manager research and strategy for Australia and New Zealand. In the role, Zhang reports to both Chris Briant, the Australia and New Zealand head of Parametric’s parent Eaton Vance, and Paul…
The gap between fund flows for ESG-focused funds and their regular equity, multi-asset and bond counterparts in emerging markets widened further in the past six months, according to figures from Informa Financial Intelligence, a global data provider. Informa’s EPFR (Emerging Portfolio Fund Research) database for emerging markets (EM) flows, shows that while the fund flows…
Asia Pacific will lead the other major regions for growth in assets under management over the next five years, according to study by PwC. Asia Pacific growth will outpace that in Europe and North America in both best and worst-case scenarios. The study, ‘The Power to Shape the Future – Asset and Wealth Management Revolution,’…
The United Nations’ Principles for Responsible Investment has elevated the importance of human rights and other social issues, including labour rights, in its latest three-year policy strategy. But climate change remains the number one issue for the organisation in the coming years. PRI, which was formed in 2006 and is the only global organisation addressing…
