News broke this week that one of Vanguard’s popular ESG or Environment, Social and Governance-focused strategies may not have been as true to label as one would expect. According to reports and the group’s website, the benchmark index tracked by the fund did not measure up to the name. Holding 4,500 individual fixed income securities,…
According to US$3.3 trillion ($4.3 trillion) asset manager, Fidelity International, companies with strong ESG characteristics outperformed in 2020, and should be expected to continue delivering strong returns into the future. That said, significant work lies ahead as the global economy moves towards a more ‘sustainable’ footing with asset managers central to this process. “Engagement” has…
The innovative wealth management platform is recognised as Australia’s Best Platform Overall by Investment Trends, and its managed portfolio solution recognised as the Best Platform Managed Accounts Functionality – a title the platform has held close to its chest for the last five years. The Investment Trends Competitive Analysis and Benchmarking report “measures platform functionality across a…
This week Yarra Capital announced the acquisition of Nikko Asset Management’s Australian business, named Nikko AM, in a deal that will see the combined group hit A$20 billion in assets under management. The combined multi-asset manager will become one of the largest independently owned fixed income and equities managers in the country. This transaction, set…
Channel Capital this week announced its expansion into the massive US asset management market, partnering with respected industry leader, Des Mac Intyre, formerly CEO of the US$600 billion ($770 billion) Mellon Investments Corporation. Since its founding in 2013, Channel Capital has grown into a A$16 billion asset manager, incubating investment talent while providing important back-office,…
The Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) was established in 1 November 2018, combining the Financial Ombudsman Service, Credit and Investments Ombudsman (CIO) and Superannuation Complains Tribunal (SCT) into a more efficient and well resourced group. Covering most aspects of the financial services industry, the data was naturally tilted towards complaints against the banking sector and…
According to Martin Currie chief investment officer Reece Birtles, the timing “could not be better for ‘value’ stocks.” This is a theme reiterated by the likes of Andrew Clifford of Platinum Asset Management this week, who described markets as being gripped with “speculative mania in high-growth stocks” in a world that has “gone crazy.” Birtles’…
Barwon Investment Partners this week announced that their long-standing Healthcare Property Fund had received a ‘recommended’ rating from independent research house Zenith Investment Partners. The group, named after the Barwon River in Sydney and founded in 2006, has built a niche assisting wholesale and institutional investors and now manages over AU$1.5 billion in assets. The…
The search for diversification has forced financial advisers to look far and wide as they seek non-correlated opportunities to fortify client portfolios. Among the most popular asset class in recent months have been emerging market equities, primarily those focused on China and Asia. As is typically the case, equity markets get all the attention and…
Revolution Asset Management, a specialist private debt manager under the Channel Capital stable, has announced new appointments to its investment team to meet growing demand from institutional and wholesale clients. Lucie Bielczykova and Steve Sutinen will be joining the growing firm as assistant portfolio manager and portfolio manager respectively. Established in 2017, Revolution has grown…
