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By Harry Tan* (pictured) The recent volatility in financial markets, both in China and globally, has obscured the enormous changes in China’s commercial real estate markets. Investors should position themselves for the globalisation of the reminmbi within their alternatives portfolio. Here are the opportunities… and risks. ‘Made in China’ is a phrase that describes much…

(pictured: Pauline Vamos and Warren Chant at last year’s Awards) Pauline Vamos, who last week announced her intention to retire from the chief executive spot at ASFA in June, will be the master of ceremonies at this year’s Chant West Super Fund Awards, to be held in Sydney on May 4. Vamos has been at…

(pictured: Teresa Heitsenrether) Major trends among big super funds, such as the management of more assets inhouse and building up products and services for members in retirement, are presenting opportunities and challenges for securities services companies. J.P. Morgan’s Teresa Heitsenrether discusses some of those trends. Heitsenrether, the New York-based managing director and global head of Custody…

(pictured: Olga Bitel) The “financialisation” of commodities over the past 10 years, especially energy, has led to a high correlation between the performance of banking stocks and the oil price. As the oil price tumbled, so did banking stocks. But nothing has fundamentally changed about the world to cause the global market selloff of the past…

(pictured: Doug Morrow) Sustainalytics, a global research and ratings firm focusing on ESG and corporate governance, has produced a list of the ‘top 10 stocks to watch’ – including Australia’s Origin Energy – following the Paris climate change conference. Sustainalytics is the world’s biggest firm of its type and is set to open an office in…

(pictured: David Aylward) Tribeca Investment Partners has appointed Chris Daily, who has been with the firm for about five years, as chief investment officer as part of an “infrastructure” building program as the $2 billion boutique looks to expand its investment offerings. David Aylward, the long-standing managing director and head of the firm’s small-cap fund, said…

(pictured: Warren Chant) Continued low investment returns from an expanding asset pool – likely to double in size over the next five years – are two of the dominant themes behind the selection of winners among super funds at this year’s Chant West Super Fund Awards, to be held in Sydney on May 4. Warren…

(pictured: Guy Rundle) LGIAsuper, the $9.5 billion Queensland local government fund, has appointed Parametric to implement a tax-managed ‘centralised portfolio management’ (CPM) program over more than a third of its portfolio. The tax-managed CPM program involves assets of about $3.5 billion, and is expected to be implemented by the end of April. It is Parametric Australia’s…

(pictured: Jeff Middleswart) Australian investors mainly want to hear about US growth prospects when they talk to US-based global managers at the moment, according to Ranger International’s Jeff Middleswart, who was on one of his frequent visits to Australia last week. And while those prospects are still good, they do not look quite as bright…

The Australian exchange-traded product (ETP) market grew assets under management by over 40 per cent while product numbers were up almost a third in 2015, according to a new Morningstar report. ETPs include exchange-traded funds (ETFs) as well as less common listed product types that don’t fall under the fund category. The study says the…

(pictured: Jon Shaw) Moneysoft, an online money management and budgeting platform, is widening its marketing effort to include big super funds which are looking to enhance the member engagement tools on their websites. The fintech company launched to advisors in July 2014 after a soft launch two years earlier with consumers. It last week announced it…

The marketing function at asset management companies is moving from one of sales and distribution support to actively engaging clients and targeting investors, according to an international survey of digital marketing trends in funds management. The survey, by New York-based funds management marketing firm Kurtosys, which produces various online marketing tools, shows content marketing has…