Markets

Gold’s crown is a little tainted by its recent price retracement, which has taken the yellow metal roughly back to where it was a year ago. Instead, Bitcoin has smashed the ball out of the park. Why is there such a difference between these two? At an elementary level, both assets play to the concern…

The 12th edition of the Managed Accounts Report, a joint effort between State Street Global Advisers and Investment Trends, was released this week, with the results offering powerful insights into a fast-evolving financial planning industry. The diverse, but high-growth, sector spans everything from separately managed accounts, to individually managed and managed discretionary accounts, which according to the Institute…

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…

A lot has changed over the past few months – successful COVID-19 vaccines have been deployed, President Joe Biden announced his plan to tackle climate change, “unprecedented” fiscal stimulus legislation was passed in the US, and steps towards reopening the global economy continue to unfold. These factors have driven a more-than-doubling of five-year US Treasury…

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…

Recently crowned with the Fixed Interest Manager of the Year award by Morningstar, its third such win in four years, Western Asset Management is on the front food when it comes to global government bond markets. The conditions, despite heightened volatility, offer a rare opportunity for active management. According to Anthony Francis, investment dealer at…

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…

Environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations are becoming an increasingly important discussion point for advisers and investors alike. This was evidenced by the substantial turnout at the Inside Network’s inaugural ESG Masterclass last week. Rarely does a week go by without another product being issued, or scandal occur. The sector remains difficult to navigate, with…

Stylistic investing, or the concept of separating companies into arbitrary buckets due to their perceived growth, value or defensive characteristics, tends to dominate discussions these days. Fundamental research and the many rules of thumb applied by investors were founded in a very different world, where “cigar butt” companies (so named by Warren Buffett, who likened…

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…

Individual investors in Australia are increasingly optimistic about the future for their own portfolios and the world in general – significantly more so than others in the region, according to a survey by PIMCO. The ‘PIMCO APAC Investor Sentiment Survey Q4 2020’ shows a surge in optimism compared with the same questions being asked for…