Legislation

It’s been a busy few years for the financial advice industry and its regulators, including the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). Yet if the past week is anything to go by, things are only likely to be get busier in 2021. November has seen a series of announcements, submissions and potentially wide-ranging changes to…

There were no recommendations in the Retirement Income Review final report, and nor did there need to be. In the highly charged political environment around super, there was sufficient evidence for the Government to do what it wants. Michael Callaghan, the chair, and his two panelists, Carolyn Kay and Deborah Ralston, deliver more than 600…

It’s been a while since “value investing” made sense: the style has suffered a dreadful stretch of performance since the 2008 financial crisis. The ‘Warren Buffett’ mantra of buying low (cheap) and selling high has seen value-oriented managers underperform the market year after year. But that’s not to say value investing is dead, it’s just…

Australia has slipped from third place in the world rankings for adequacy, sustainability and integrity of our super system to fourth place, being leap-frogged by new entrant Israel. The impact of COVID-19 has cost almost all systems, particularly those which allowed access to savings or relaxed contributions rules. The Mercer CFA Institute 12th annual global…

If you are looking for one word to describe 2020, ‘volatility’ would seem to fit the bill. Every aspect of our lives, whether it be financially, socially, or work, has been like a roller-coaster ride. Into lockdown, out of lockdown. Often isolated from family or close friends. And then coping with investment markets that have…

Hamish Douglass, the CIO of Magellan Financial Group, who oversees the largest Australian-owned global funds manager and is the current darling of both the wholesale and retail investor sectors, is relatively sanguine about the possible market impact of the US election, but a bit more worried about COVID-19. Douglass, also Magellan’s co-founder, with Chris Mackay,…

2020 marks the fifth anniversary of the establishment of the United Nations’ special development goals, or SDGs. The UN created 17 SDGs to address the global challenges society and corporates face, such as those related to poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice. The SDGs were designed as a blueprint to achieve a…

Integrity Life secured $43 million in their recent series B round of funding. There was a strong interest in the raise, that took place before and during COVID-19. Given the instability of the global economy, this significant investment is being viewed by the market as further endorsement of the importance of Integrity’s digital-led positioning. The…

What is the Difference Between Traditional Fixed Interest and Insurance-Linked Securities Bonds? with Chin Liu – Amundi Pioneer

Governance is the pillar of environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles that investors have been actively considering for the longest period of time. This is not surprising, as in some ways, it could be said that governance is probably the most important aspect of ESG. An organisation’s board’s role is to appoint the CEO and…

The $52 billion health sector focused industry fund HESTA announced the appointment of Alan Sheen as head of portfolio management this week. Sheen comes direct from the private sector, leaving the absolute-return firm he founded, Dalton Street Capital, to add further depth and support HESTA’s ambitious growth plans. Sheen will report directly to CIO Sonya…

The possibility for government to increase superannuation taxes in response to the ballooningbudget deficit caused by COVID-19 could severely hurt member balances at retirement, according to a research note by the global implementation specialist manager Parametric. Raewyn Williams, head of research (Australia) and analyst Josh McKenzie, in a short paper titled“Will retirees pay the price…