Equities

Markets are poised for more damage after a remarkable bull run, and Orbis Australia believes now is the time when contrarianism will prove its worth. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness,” famously wrote Charles Dickens in “A…

Speaking at the Inside Network’s Equities and Growth Assets Symposium, the only conference dedicated to this important asset class, co-portfolio manager of the Franklin Global Growth Fund, Francyne Mu said the time was right for investors to start “flipping the script and look beyond the usual suspects” in resetting their equity allocations.   No surprise…

With media news and headlines dominated by the deepening crisis in Ukraine, this year’s interim earnings season was dealt an additional driver. All in all, though, it was a relatively good reporting season, with companies cashed-up and the majority recording a profit, with about 67 per cent of companies lifting profits. According to specialist equities…

As the world emerges from the pandemic, economies around the world have re-opened, albeit with record levels of fiscal and monetary stimulus, higher production costs and a global supply chain that has been pushed to its limits. It’s no surprise that inflation expectations are the highest in almost a decade. Inflation should build steadily over…

Authors Chuck Royce, Chairman, Portfolio Manager, Royce Investment Partners Chris Clark, Chief Executive Officer, Co-Chief Investment Officer, Royce Investment Partners, Francis Gannon, Co-Chief Investment Officer, Managing Director, Royce Investment Partners, Royce Investment Partners 2021 was a year of decelerating optimism for many small-cap investors as performance momentum slowed as the weeks passed by between April…

Leading Australian ethical and sustainable fund manager Australian Ethical this week offered its views on the fast-developing crisis in Ukraine. “The invasion of Ukraine is a shocking and frightening event, and we can only stand with solidarity and in awe of the resilience and determination of the people of Ukraine,” said the investment team, while…

As the amount of capital available to them soars and equity markets grow more volatile, companies increasingly don’t want to go public – and don’t need to. The number of publicly-listed companies on US exchanges has roughly halved from 8,000 to 4,000 in the last 20 years, according to Liberty Street Advisors. And while part…

Investment research firm Morningstar announced the winners of their 2022 Fund Manager of the Year this week. Last year the big names included Hyperion Asset Management, First Sentier Investors and Franklin Templeton. This year was saw a suite of different names take out the top awards with a decided tilt towards low-cost, passive strategies. In…

The oldest asset class in the world, direct property, is experiencing somewhat of a renaissance amid a surge in inflation and the pursuit of lower-risk income streams. This was part of the discussion at The Inside Network’s Alternatives Symposium, held in Melbourne last week. The sector has evolved quickly in recent years, with Invesco’s Ashley…

Insignia Financial (ASX:IFL), previously known as IOOF, delivered a solid profit result last week, reporting a 79 per cent increase, hitting $117.9 million for the half. The company remains a rare, outside of the industry fund sector, vertically integrated financial services business, with operations spanning platforms, asset management and most importantly financial advice. It has…

The reopening of borders to international travellers in February was naturally cheered as a return to some level of “normality.” Tourism and hospitality operators who were able to hold on now stand to benefit from both a surge in customers by also the potential to attract new staff. Australia has been more reliant than most…

The smart money appears to be snapping-up Chinese onshore stocks despite the recent debt-ridden Evergrande crisis and its potential to affect markets. Investor interest in China strengthened during the fourth quarter of last year, with the main inflows coming from institutional investors rather than retail. It hasn’t been easy for Australian investors looking to buy…