The tide is coming in for inflation – but that doesn’t mean there won’t be significant volatility along the way. Investors need to figure out which parts of the economy will catch fire first. “Views on the direction of inflation can be quite fascinating, but only ‘quite’ since no one really knows what they are…
ASIC’s investigation into potential “insider trading” at a number of superannuation funds appears to be approaching its end – but the issue seems far from settled. Accusations of “insider trading” at some of Australia’s largest super funds were first made by Liberal MP Tim Wilson, who accused unnamed executives and employees of switching from investment…
Cash is still trash for hedge fund legend Ray Dalio, who believes the world is entering a new paradigm characterized by internal and external conflict that will only intensify in the years ahead. Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates and one of those polymath billionaire investors who frequently turn their attention to issues beyond pure finance,…
After a hellish close to 2021 that saw the departure of one of Magellan’s largest institutional clients, the pressure will be on for Hamish Douglass to do what he says he won’t: prioritise the short-term. The closing months of 2021 were likely the harshest of Hamish Douglass’s public career. Criticisms of Magellan’s underperformance since the…
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has sidestepped the Senate to push through controversial reforms to proxy advice, casting the future of the Australian Council of Superannuation Investors (ACSI) into doubt. The reforms were pushed through using regulations powers in late December, at a time of year when much of the financial press is winding down and after…
No amount of hard data or compelling evidence is going to stop people who want to use their super to buy a home. And super funds might have to help out after all. The idea of using superannuation for housing has a simple allure that has seen it revived several times in the thirty-odd years…
The Morrison Government wants to present a small target on superannuation at next year’s election. But Labor has big ideas for the sector that could be impossible to match. Superannuation might well be the Liberal Party’s Moby Dick. It’s a popular policy inextricably tied to Labor and the union movement, and while they can barely…
Perhaps it’s too early to be talking about legacy. But Alexis George’s decision to take the reins at AMP rested squarely on just that. Most other executives of Alexis George’s calibre might be happy to rest on their laurels after a career as distinguished as hers. But speaking at the Women in Super (WIS) Sydney…
Big and traditional managers are encroaching further on the space of alternative managers, gauging by winners and finalists at the sector’s annual awards on Friday night. The Australian Alternative Investment Awards, held in conjunction with the Hedge Funds Rock charity night at the Sydney Hilton, December 10, represented a welcome live, and lively, event for…
Investor concerns about the pandemic are fading. All eyes are now on the burgeoning threat of cyber-attacks, and what they mean for financial system stability. The Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation (DTCC) risk barometer was launched in 2013, and provides a handy insight into what’s worrying investors in any given year. And after two years…
