Markets

“If you ask 100 engineers how much steel and concrete are required to build a bridge, and 99 engineers say x amount of steel and y amount of concrete, and one engineer – just one – says half of x and half of y, I think there’s probably more chance of falling pregnant via wind…

“I believe that ESG is, at its core, a feel-good scam that is enriching consultants, measurement services and fund managers, while doing closer to nothing for the businesses and investors it claims to help.” All over the world, jaws are dropping at that statement, which could hardly be more incendiary for many people in the…

The passive vs. active debate remains alive and well, particularly in the larger company universe, where being different to the index is quite a challenge, and in many cases, a career risk. The consistent standout among the quarterly passive vs. active reports, however, has been the Australian smaller company sector. Globally recognised as companies valued…

Global smaller companies, defined broadly as those valued anywhere between $300 million and $5 billion, are offering one of the most compelling valuation opportunities in 20 years, says Simon Wood of Ausbil Investment Management. Speaking at The Inside Network’s leading Equities and Growth Assets forum this month, Wood highlighted the unique opportunity set and its…

Magellan Financial Group (ASX:MFG) has remained in the headlines on a near daily basis, with continued uncertainty around the return of CIO and Founder Hamish Douglass. With outflows in recent months exceeding $20 billion, which is more than most fund managers in Australia hope to manage, naturally the attention has been heavily focused on the…

Industry-leading finance data and research consultancy bfinance this week released the results of its “snap” What are investors thinking now? study and survey. Completed amid the geopolitical and market upheaval in March 2022, the survey of 418 institutional investors across 39 countries offers a real-time insight into what they were concerned about. First and foremost…

ETF Securities and 21Shares have confirmed the launch of Australia’s first Bitcoin and Ethereum exchange-traded funds (ETFs), allowing local investors to invest in both cryptocurrencies. According to a press announcement from ETF Securities, the leading ETF provider will launch two funds offering simple and cost-effective access to cryptocurrency investments. They are: ETFS 21Shares Bitcoin ETF…

‘A thief in the night’ was the title of Stephen Hayes’ session at last weeks’ Equities and Growth Assets Symposium hosted by The Inside Network. Tasked with confronting the most significant and pressing issue facing investors and asset allocators around the world, Hayes managed to summarise it quite simple ‘pricing power’ is what really matters….

“Where all men think alike, no one thinks very much.” – Walter Lippman This quote was the premise of one of Australia’s longest-standing investment managers, Paul Moore, when presenting at the industry-leading Inside Network Equities and Growth Assets Symposium this month. Commenting on the seemingly never-ending and ubiquitous “groupthink” that pervades investment markets, he suggests…

We spoke with Stephen Coltman, Investment Manager within the Alternatives team at abrdn on the growing importance of portfolio hedging amid growing uncertainty and investor unrest. During times of falling equity markets, rising volatility and elevated drawdowns, Coltman is tasked with delivering positive returns. Speaking about his strategy and overlay, he says, “It’s really designed…

Australian investors’ appetite for equities dropped in the first quarter of 2022, especially for international shares which have dropped more than Australian shares. Following record inflows to managed equity funds in 2021, the value of inflows between January and March 2022 plunged to $1.2 billion, falling from a quarterly average of $3.8 billion last year,…

Magellan’s investment in fast growing fintech FinClear is becoming more prescient by the day, with the company this week announcing they will shortly be rolling out a share registry dedicated to private companies. In 2021, the group took over third party clearing house Pershing, which took their technology-driven platform to adminstering some $130 billion in…