Cut+Paste At an Institute of Managed Account Providers (IMAP) hosted webinar on Wednesday, Tony McDonald, Director of T&C Consulting, explained the six big questions confronting both advice practices and licensees when looking at the best way of deciding on a managed accounts program. “Any adviser or Licensee thinking about implementing managed accounts must decide from the … Read more
Leading Australian research house Lonsec today released its 2014/15 Global Property Securities Sector Review, highlighting strong diversification and returns benefits for investors and a broadening opportunity set across products. Lonsec’s review of the global property securities sector encompassed 23 funds covering 21 global property securities funds and 2 Asian-focused global property securities funds. The report … Read more
The proposed new tax system for managed investment trusts (MITs) will modernise the tax rules for eligible MITs and increase certainty for both MITs and their investors. The new rules will enhance the international competitiveness of Australian managed funds and promote the greater export of Australia’s funds management expertise. The exposure draft legislation has been … Read more
Mortgage Choice has criticised a recent report authored by John Trowbridge, stating its recommendations play purely into the hands of insurance manufacturers. Last week, Mr Trowbridge made it clear in his report as chairman of the Life Insurance and Advice Working Group that financial adviser remuneration should be limited to a 20 per cent level … Read more
Should investors worry about the possibility that the Federal Reserve might raise interest rates this year? How about the negative economic consequences of the rally in the U.S. dollar? “Hawkish” Fed mistakes? Well, the Fed can’t keep its grip on markets forever, and it doesn’t want to, either. Indeed, the era of “Yellenomics” rooted in … Read more
Some Fintech businesses may be unwittingly providing financial services without an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL) or Australian Credit Licence (ACL), putting themselves in breach of the law and setting themselves up as an ASIC target early on their growth path, according to The Fold Legal (The Fold). Managing director of The Fold, Claire Wivell … Read more
AdviserLogic has added more features to its software solution; a bulk Record of Advice (RoA) solution and enhanced functionality for its risk comparison system, RiskLogic. AdviserLogic head of product development, Daniel Gara said the bulk RoA solution enables the software to detect when clients’ portfolio asset allocations have drifted away from strategic asset allocations. Advisers … Read more
This is the text of an opinion piece by the Assistant Treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, first published in the Australian Financial Review and released publicly by the Assistant Treasurer on April 8, 2015. Life insurance is a large and vital segment of Australia’s financial services sector. There are 28 life insurance companies writing more than $44 billion … Read more
S&P Dow Jones Indices has been the de facto scorekeeper of the ongoing active versus passive debate since the first publication of the U.S. SPIVA Scorecard in 2002. Over the years, we have built on our decade of experience publishing the report by expanding scorecard coverage into Australia, Canada, Europe, India, Japan, and Latin America. … Read more
AMP Capital today announced Kylie O’Connor has been appointed Fund Manager of the AMP Capital Diversified Property Fund (ADPF). Ms O’Connor will be responsible for delivering the strategy, growth and investment performance of the A$4.2 billion fund. Reporting to AMP Capital Head of Property Funds Management Chris Judd, Ms O’Connor replaces incumbent Fund Manager Louise … Read more
Xpress Super, a low cost self-managed super fund (SMSF) Administrator today announced the addition of market leading online trading platforms Bell Direct, CommSec and Open Markets as preferred online trading partners for its self-directed investor base. Olivia Long CEO SuperGuardian, Xpress Super said that Xpress Super has been overwhelmed by the demand by true DIY … Read more
Sophisticated investors aged 60 and over are among the fastest growing adopters of robo advice globally and Australia’s mammoth self-managed superannuation fund market will be the next frontier for robo advice, according to a new report released by financial services consultancy FinDigital and robo advice newcomer Ignition Wealth. The 2015 Automated Investment Advisers Global Market … Read more