Active and passive funds are not mutually exclusive
Mark Oliver, head of retail at BlackRock Australia, says that in the ongoing debate about active versus passive funds, investors who continue to think in terms of one or the other may miss out on the benefits of strategies that bring together both approaches. “As investors and advisers focus on building portfolios that are optimized
October 14, 2014
Exponential growth recorded across Zenith’s real return category
Zenith has announced the results of its ‘Real Return’ category, the final of three to be released as part of its 2014 Multi-Asset Review. In total 11 funds received a rating including 6 new offerings. One rating was reinstated and a further rating remains ‘pending’ as at the time of this release. Senior Investment Analyst,
October 14, 2014
State Street Global Advisors Brings the SPDR S&P 500® to the ASX
State Street Global Advisors (SSgA), the asset management business of State Street Corporation (NYSE: STT) today launched the SPDR S&P 500 ETF on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX). SPDR S&P 500 ETF (ASX: SPY) aims to provide investment results corresponding to the price and yield performance of the S&P 500 Index. With more than US$172
October 13, 2014
Federation Alliance appoints acting CEO
Platform provider Federation Alliance has appointed Alan Kenny as its acting chief executive officer, based in Sydney. The role has been created as a result of Federation Alliance’s strong growth since it was founded last year. The business was launched through a partnership with Australian Unity to provide a comprehensive investment administration platform for financial
October 13, 2014
Lazard voted best Infrastructure Fund 2014 by Zenith
The Lazard Global Listed Infrastructure Fund has been awarded ‘Best Infrastructure Fund 2014’ in this year’s Professional Planner Zenith Fund Awards. The Lazard team were praised for the success of the infrastructure opportunities provided by their ‘preferred’ universe based on securities that possess the characteristics of higher revenue certainty and lower volatility. Susan Roberts, CEO,
October 13, 2014
PM CAPITAL appoints new names for key funds
Boutique equity and income manager, PM CAPITAL, has renamed its three equity funds to better communicate the funds’ investment strategies to investors. In summary: PM CAPITAL Absolute Performance Fund will become PM CAPITAL Global Companies Fund PM CAPITAL Emerging Asia Fund will become PM CAPITAL Asian Companies Fund PM CAPITAL Australian Opportunities will become PM
October 13, 2014
Market Vectors to launch MSCI World ex Australia Quality ETF
Market Vectors ETFs, the exchange traded fund (ETF) business of US-based investment manager Van Eck Global, today announced that it is planning to launch a new international equities ETF on the ASX. The ETF will seek to track the MSCI World ex Australia Quality Index which selects international companies on the basis of three key
October 13, 2014
Line-up of industry experts to spotlight Australia’s best superannuation funds
Conexus Financial, the publisher of Professional Planner and Investment Magazine will again recognise outstanding achievement in the Australian superannuation industry when it hosts the third Superannuation Fund Awards evening in Sydney in May next year. The Conexus Financial Super Fund Awards fund awards have evolved to embrace input from of a number of key industry
October 13, 2014
AFA believes ASIC risk advice report sample was too small
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission’s (ASIC) report into non-complying life insurance advice is not representative of the industry, says the head of the Association of Financial Advisers (AFA). “I think it’s a stretch to say that it’s representative of all risk advice, but it is still disappointing to see failure rates at the level
October 13, 2014
The real future of financial planning is bright light and fresh air – if we want it
Professional Planner was a media partner to the AMP University Challenge 2014, and attended the announcement of this year’s prizes announcement, for the five finalists, last Thursday evening. There were nine kids – I use the term advisedly – in the running for the top prize. Two were competing as individuals and there were three
October 13, 2014
What dreams are made of: unleashing the power of imagination in leadership
Leadership once used to be all about performance-related analytical hard skills, but in an environment where everybody can access the same knowledge, things like imagination, intuition and empathy are taking on an increasingly important role. Lecturer for the Macquarie Graduate School of Management (MGSM) Female Leadership Course, Silvia Damiano, has taught and worked in business schools
October 13, 2014
Top fund managers recognised in the
Professional Planner|Zenith Fund Awards
The winners of the Professional Planner|Zenith Fund Awards 2014 – including the prestigious Fund Manager of the Year and the Distributor of the Year – were announced this afternoon at a luncheon at the Ivy Ballroom in Sydney, attended by more than 300 of the industry’s leading participants and VIP guests. Top honours went to
October 10, 2014
