Markets

The 2023 EY Global Wealth Management Research Report showed 37 per cent of Australian investors think managing their wealth has become more complex in the past two years, with nearly half reporting they are looking for more financial advice across investment services.

The listed property group formed by former star UBS banker David Di Pilla has gone from a standing start in 2015 to a retail and commercial investment force, with its latest acquisition pushing funds under management to $7.5 billion.

After posting a 16.6 per cent average annual return since 2014 and 31.8 per cent in FY20/21, the Cyan 3G Fund lost 35.8 per cent in FY21/22. So how does it feel, as a fund manager, when things head south in dramatic fashion? The fund’s co-founder, Dean Fergie, speaks to The Inside Network’s James Dunn.

The current economic cycle is too changeable to set any portfolio to autopilot, according to Mason Stevens’ Jacqueline Fernley. Counterpoints to conviction are needed, and the devil’s advocate should be your friend.

The ethical money manager says Lendlease failed to provide information required to independently assess the impact of its planned development in Mt Gilead, an area deemed critical to the survival of a resident koala colony.

Value stocks have been big outperformers over the past three years, especially those in the cheapest part of the market, says Schroders’ Simon Adler. To avoid value traps, it’s key to do one’s research.

Diversification is invaluable, and this is especially apparent during times of disruption and uncertainty. Exposure to infrastructure assets can help investors take advantage of the current volatility, but keeping asset correlation in mind is key.

Basing an investment strategy on the goldilocks investment markets of the last 35 years gives rise to considerable risk, writes Michael Block, and now might be the time to get out of growth assets.

Although more Australian companies are paying dividends in 2023, many have reduced payouts, with the year-to-date total slightly behind 2022’s figures, according to CommSec research. The big miners are leading the cuts, while energy producers are lifting dividends to reflect record high gas prices.

Large language models like ChatGPT are part of a long technology continuum driven by Moore’s law, the observation that transistor capacity doubles every two years. To get in on AI’s surging growth, says Munro Partners’ Nick Griffin, investors should focus on the big – and not-so-big – names already poised to come out on top in the “race to shrink”.

The clean-energy transition represents a huge opportunity for investors to earn good returns from investments that have a positive environmental impact – and ethical investors in Australia have particularly good cause for optimism, according to Australian Ethical.

Despite increased volatility emanating from the banking sector, tech stocks have been supported by falling bond yields on fears the global economy could slip into recession this year, with big-name companies leading the gains.