Australian investors looking to increase allocation to active management
Australian investors want to increase their allocation to active management over the next 12 months, according to a new survey from Franklin Templeton Investments. The research, conducted with a sample size of over 100 attendees at Franklin Templeton’s recent Asia Pacific Investor Forum, concluded that Australian investors and their advisers are paying more attention to
April 14, 2015
Market Vectors ETFs added to CFS FirstWrap platform
Market Vectors ETFs, the exchange traded fund business of Van Eck Global, is pleased to announce that four of its funds are now available via Colonial First State’s FirstWrap Super & Pension platform. Market Vectors Australian Equal Weight ETF (ASX code: MVW), Market Vectors MSCI World ex Australia Quality ETF (ASX code: QUAL), Marker Vectors
April 13, 2015
New research shows financial planning practices turning to graduates for growth
New research has revealed that financial planning graduates will form a nucleus of an emerging financial planning profession, with almost two-thirds of small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) financial planning practices saying they will seek graduates to fill growth positions in the coming five years. The Business of Advice research, conducted by Griffith University in collaboration
April 13, 2015
Trowbridge recommendations could halve the size of the risk advice sector
The value of risk focused financial planning practices would plummet if the Trowbridge report’s remuneration recommendations are implemented, according to business brokers. “If Trowbridge’s recommendations were all implemented in the next 12 months, within two years, half the life agents would leave,” says John Birt, principal, Radar Results. Birt has conducted his own analysis among
April 13, 2015
Lessons from the grave: How institutional ownership spelled the end for Genesys
Banking analysts value financial institutions by valuing their component businesses. The problem is that some of those businesses are fundamentally different to the institution’s core business, yet analysts apply a similar approach across all those businesses. It is this lack of understanding of what drives dealer groups that led to the downfall of Genesys. The majority
April 13, 2015
Advisers’ usage of ETFs the highest on record, says Betashares & Investment Trends report
The number of investors in exchange traded funds (ETFs) has surged dramatically over the past year to over 146,000, according to the findings of the BetaShares/Investment Trends ETF Report released today. Investor numbers have increased 46% in the 12 months to October 2014, up from 103,000 in the previous corresponding period, the fastest growth seen
April 10, 2015
IMAP announces that managed accounts now exceed $13 billion
IMAP, the Institute of Managed Account Providers, today announced that the total held in Managed Account services now exceed $13 billion. “As part of the material for the Dealer Roundtable we held this week, IMAP asked the principal Managed Accounts providers to provide essential details about their service including the FUM held in managed account
April 10, 2015
How a smart managed account offer has the power to drive financial planning profit and practice valuation
Establishing a managed account service can substantially increase the value of a financial planning practice, but establishing one isn’t for the faint-hearted, and going about it the wrong way can backfire severely, according to Tony McDonald, a director of T&C Consulting. McDonald told an Institute of Managed Account Providers (IMAP) seminar and webinar in Sydney this week that
April 10, 2015
Shock, outrage and denial at Trowbridge but where are the alternatives?
Shock, outrage and a measure of denial have greeted John Trowbridge’s recommendations put forth in his report to the Life Insurance and Advice Working Group (LIAWG). Risk advisers seem to be united in their rejection of the report’s findings, along with the Association of Financial Advisers (AFA), which joined the Financial Services Council (FSC) in forming
April 10, 2015
NAB Wealth on the lookout for a second financial planning licensee head after GPL chief quits
The general manager of National Australia Bank-owned licensee Godfrey Pembroke, Sean Allen, has left the company just weeks after another senior executive, Fiona Navarro, departed as the head of Apogee Financial Planning. Allen left Godfrey Pembroke before Easter, after more than two years in the job, to pursue other opportunities outside MLC. Navarro left Apogee on
April 10, 2015
IN FOCUS: Cooking up a storm with a new recipe for retirement income solutions
Creating the optimal retirement solution for a client is a complex juggling act of trading off goals and objectives and matching them to the implementation options, or products, available. A resounding message from the 2015 Post Retirement Conference, held in March by Conexus Financial, the publisher of Professional Planner, is that there is still no
April 09, 2015
McDonald lays out the six “Must Dos” when considering Managed Accounts
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
April 09, 2015

