News

Mainstream, the listed global funds, registry and super admin company, has secured a five-year contract with Pendal, the also-listed former Westpac global funds management subsidiary. The deal, when consummated, will push Mainstream over the $200 billion mark for funds under administration. It has taken Pendal several years to unwind its multifarious operational relationships with its…

by Simon Swanson* There is a unique 12-18-month window of opportunity for the Australian government to issue long-term debt to support the economy during the COVID-19 crisis and invest for the future. Even before the crisis, there was a solid case for the Australian Government to issue long-term debt to invest in Australia’s future. There…

GQG Partners, the US-based global manager formed by Rajiv Jain and colleagues in 2016, has raced away to A$47 billion in assets under management in total, about A$3.6 billion of which is sourced from 30 client funds in Australia and New Zealand. It now has a four-person office in Sydney under local head Laird Abernethy….

The Australian Government will ban commissions on listed investment company (LIC) sales in a move likely to dim the prospects for the ASX-listed vehicles, also, across the Tasman. Australian LICs are often marketed in New Zealand, usually through brokers. In a decision handed down last week, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg confirmed sales commissions on LICs and…

ASX-listed financial software firm Bravura is poised to roll-out an Australian-built digital advice system for the New Zealand market. Kylie Bryant, the newly appointed Bravura NZ country head, said the group was adapting the Midwinter digital financial planning suite for that market in anticipation of growing demand in the sector. “FSLAA [the Financial Services Legislation…

by Greg Bright It was a different experience for everyone at this year’s Chant West Awards function, held, via ‘live feed’ on YouTube last Thursday, May 14. To a large extent, the message was more important this year than ever before. Now is the time the big super funds are, as they should be, standing…

As part of its investor pathway of building new solutions, Martin Currie has announced the launch of the Martin Currie Australia ‘Sustainable Equity’ strategy. The strategy is designed to provide higher returns than the index over the long term, while considering – and positively influencing – the sustainability practices of the companies it invests in….

Quantum is an Australian medical device fund which draws on a global network of key medical leaders with a lot of experience in developing medical devices, including an artificial heart. The fund is close to finalising its first raising. It is the insights from the group of medical opinion leaders that will lead to the…

by Greg Bright They’ve been talking about it for a long while, but this time it’s looking serious. Value investing is coming back, after a decade of, mostly, underperformance, thanks to the big market correction around the world and even bigger economic slump, due to COVID-19. A webinar based in the US last week, on…

AMP Capital has delayed by a month the payment of applications for redemptions from two of its wholesale property trusts for applications received since March 16. And the redemption amounts to be paid will be staggered over the next year. AMP Capital announced to unit holders last week an update to the redemption requests for…

The annual MAX Awards, the sales and marketing awards for the funds management industry, will go ahead via live stream video on June 11, complete with an entertaining presenter, comedian Jean Kittson. The 105 finalists across 21 categories were announced last week. The Awards are ‘people’s choice’ style, with all industry participants eligible to vote….

by Wietske Blees* If investment risk professionals spent 2019 preparing for volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous markets, 2020 is proving to be the year in which that ‘VUCA’ environment has materialised. In these “unprecedented” times, how well equipped are risk models to help navigate volatility and predict a reliable distribution of possible future returns? Strictly…