Equities

Emerging markets, including China and India, have been among the most popular destinations for investors in recent months, with many attracted to their diversification benefits. There remains a common misconception that these countries are still the “manufacturer for the world,” but the companies that now inhabit these countries, in many cases, have surpassed their developed…

Evergreen Consultants has teamed with Generation Life for the launch of an ESG-orientated multi-manager investment bond, believed to be an industry first. The bond follows a model portfolio developed by Evergreen, called the Responsible Growth Model. The research and ratings firm says the model was created to provide advisers and investors with a long-term portfolio…

Australian investors put more money into traditional equity funds in February and March than they did in the whole of 2019, prior to the impact of covid-19. A new index shows Australians also had more conviction. According to figures from Calastone, which passes about 95 per cent of all fund flows, mostly from platforms, to…

May is shaping up to be one of the most important months for dividend-focused Australian investors, with bank reporting season beginning on May 3, with Westpac’s interim result. The unexpected strength of the sector was brought to light this week after two of the three main ratings agencies upgraded their views on the sector, on…

Similar to the Australian Investor’s Association in Australia, the AAII or American Association of Individual Investors, is a significant source of information for self-directed investors of all types. Running a series of events and with a huge following, the association is well positioned to measure the pulse of the industry. According to their latest Asset…

Stephen Bruce is a director, portfolio manager and head of research at Perennial Value. He joined as an equities analyst in April 2000 and was promoted to the role of research coordination/senior equities analyst and assumed the role of deputy portfolio manager for the Perennial Value Shares for Income Trust in 2006. In 2011, he…

The United States’ re-signing of the Paris Climate Agreement under President Biden, combined with a strengthening commitment on carbon emission targets from China, “sets the stage for a globally coordinated move away from fossil fuels.” That’s the expectation according to Ganesh Suntharam, chief investment officer of Redpoint Investment Management. Putting the ESG trend to the…

Factor manager Research Affiliates appears to be charging in where value managers are still nervous to tread, with a big call on the state of global markets and where the main opportunity lies – UK equities. Mike Aked, Research Affiliates’ director of research for Australia, said last week (March 17) that the firm had identified…

Europe’s largest asset manager, with EUR$1.4 trillion ($2.2 trillion) in investor funds, Amundi Asset Management, recently weighed into the cryptocurrency phenomenon, releasing a ‘Blue Paper’ on the topic. It offers a unique insight from a traditional fund manager on what is a clearly non-traditional asset class. From the outset the authors, deputy CIO Vincent Mortier…

Second quarter off to strong start, AMP’s CEO departs, Boral announces buyback The ASX200 (ASX:XJO) finished the week and commenced the new quarter on a strong note, finishing 0.5% higher with both IT, up 2.3%, and materials, 1.3%, contributing. It was a day for stock specific news with the worst kept secret in finance being confirmed, AMP’s CEO Francesco…

The US$500 billion ($649 billion) investment conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A) is the latest group to come under pressure for its climate change and diversity disclosures. Its response and the growing pressure offers a unique insight into the increasingly complex web that is ESG investing, and how these issues are best applied by both companies…

While it may be only short term, the Government’s stimulus measures over the past 12 months have helped Australia’s listed companies to their best half-yearly reporting season in ten years. In its latest report on the state of the companies following their shareholder reports for the six months to December, equities manager Martin Currie Australia…