Analysis

Renewable energy is, arguably, the hottest asset sub-class of the moment. Some fund managers, such as Aquila Capital, have a long history in the renewables area and can point to many nuances which investors should consider. Unlike some other hot asset sub-classes, renewable energy is here to stay. Renewable energy is an investment theme for…

Even before last week’s political strife in the UK over Brexit, big global investors were concerned about the growing systemic risks, according to the latest international risk survey by DTCC, the post-trade infrastructure provider. The slower-than-expected negotiating progress between the UK and European Union and the ongoing uncertainty of the outcome has positioned Brexit as…

by Jonathan Shaw* Building informed member engagement is more crucial than ever if funds want to retain and attract members. Engagement is a balancing act. Just enough and super fund members make better retirement decisions. Too much and they can easily derail their retirement plans. Walking this line is no easy path according to the…

In the property sector, the introduction of ESG principles has, to date, largely been confined to the design and redevelopment of ‘green buildings’. But a handful of fund managers has sought to integrate ESG in all aspects of their work. Property, more than most asset classes, is all about the long term, which is about…

James Swanson, the chief investment strategist at MFS Institutional Advisors, who has been with the firm for 33 years, is, like all of us of a certain age, contemplating retirement. His reflections on the world of investments show how, as the saying goes: the more things change, the more they stay the same. In his…

The sixth annual survey by the global multi-affiliate manager Legg Mason paints an interesting new picture of the way individual investors – both advised and unadvised – are approaching their investment portfolios. There appear to be big changes on the way. The results of the global survey of 16,810 investors across 17 countries, including Australia,…

by Greg Bright* RBC Investor & Treasury Services posed an interesting question to fund managers last week: “Is data creepy or cool?” The answer, probably, is: “both”. An eclectic group of fund managers gathered in Sydney and had their say on data, its collection and its management. And, an interesting further question is: ‘who owns…

With the ubiquity of MySuper default options, many funds have attempted to provide a more tailored retirement solution to members through the adoption of so-called ‘lifecycle’ strategies. But, a new paper by Frontier Advisors, warns that members may retire with less as a result. The paper, co-authored by David Carruthers, a principal consultant and head…

State Street Global Advisors is releasing two interesting papers this week on the outlook for global bonds and currencies. The common theme is: the past is behind us and the future will be different. Here is the firm’s advice for investors of all shapes and sizes in an increasingly difficult environment. Bonds and currencies tend…

It is often said that momentum, as an investment style, adds value on average over time. And the stats say that is true. In fact, compared with other styles, such as value – the grand-daddy of all styles – it works right up until the time it doesn’t work. Here’s how quants use it. According…

Market conditions and changing investor preferences are creating new challenges for hedge fund managers’ capital raising ambitions, allowing alternatives funds to gain favour with investors, according to EY’s annual alternative funds survey, ‘Global Alternative Fund Survey – At the Tipping Point: Disruption’. The 12th annual survey (formerly the EY Global Hedge Fund Survey) found that 20…

In the largest asset owner survey it has conducted, consulting and manager search firm bfinance uncovered that the trend to alternative, and more ‘costly’ – in terms of fees – strategies has, overall, saved money for big pension and super funds. The survey of 485 fiduciary investors, including 37 from Australia and New Zealand, spoke…