Industry Updates

YBR Smarter Money outperforms peer products over all periods

Yellow Brick Road Holdings (ASX: YBR) is pleased to announce that Morningstar’s 30 June 2014 data show that the YBR Smarter Money Fund (Smarter Money) has convincingly outperformed competing cash and active cash products over every measurable period since its inception in February 2012. “The latest Morningstar results highlight that Smarter Money’s post-fee returns have

Insync’s Global Titans Fund has been accepted onto CFS’s FirstWrap

Insync’s fund offers ‘growth with protection’ for investors going offshore by utilising equity derivatives to dynamically protect investors in downturns. Insync have a proven strategy of generating consistent returns with lower volatility than the general market. The Fund has demonstrated the benefits of the downside protection strategy since it was launched in 2009. “We are

New PJC inquiry could provide the missing pieces in the professionalism puzzle

There is growing optimism that the latest Parliamentary Joint Committee (PJC) inquiry – into professional, educational and ethical standards in financial planning – can provide the final pieces in the puzzle and create an environment for financial planning to flourish as a profession The inquiry – The Parliamentary Joint Committee (PJC) on Corporations and Financial

Australian regulation of financial advice lags in protecting investors but there is a fast catch-up

Prompted by the recent criticisms of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission’s (ASIC) management of regulation and the Commonwealth Bank’s questionable treatment of investors, Paul Resnik examines why Australian regulation of financial advice lags in protecting investors, and proposes a fast way to catch up. It’s useful to ask why the Australian community has lost so

Lonsec: Infrastructure outperforms long term forecasts

Investment in listed infrastructure funds has continued to grow over the past year, buoyed by strong long term performance, increasing investor awareness and a preference for defensive equities in the face of conflicting macro themes, according to a report by investment research house Lonsec Research (Lonsec). Lonsec’s Infrastructure Securities Sector Review rated 15 funds and

CBA mandates CFP certification for all senior planners from 2017

All senior financial planners working for Commonwealth Financial Planning (CFPL) will need to hold Certified Financial Planner accreditation by 30 June, 2017, as part of the group’s move to boost educational standards across its wealth management division. The bank’s latest statement follows its announcement last week that all CFPL financial planners will be required to

Forced separation of product from advice ‘wouldn’t worry us’: Murray

Formally separating product from advice and forcing vertically integrated businesses to divest either their product or advice businesses is “one remedy” to addressing conflicts and tension in the provision of financial advice, according to the chair of the Financial System Inquiry, David Murray. Murray said that despite the implications for vertically integrated businesses, the inquiry

No easy ride for CBA advisers, say associations

There will be no relaxing of entry conditions for Commonwealth Bank’s network of financial advisers to join their respective industry or professional associations, according to the heads of the Association of Financial Advisers (AFA) and Financial Planning Association (FPA). Both associations support the move announced by CBA late last week, when Professional Planner became aware

Life Insurance Risk Market Inflows up 13.2% over year to March 2014

Life Insurance Risk Market Inflows up 13.2% over the year from $11.7bn to $13.2bn. Premium Inflows increased 13.2%.  Among the medium to large sized companies MetLife (97.1%), TAL (36.3%), AIA Australia (18.0%), BT / Westpac (17.9%), National Australia / MLC (8.9%) and CommInsure (7.4%) recorded the highest growth. Year on year overall Sales were up

Research houses and platforms follow strong investor interest in QV Equities Limited

Investors Mutual’s listed investment company QV Equities (ASX: QVE) has gained strong interest from advisers and investors since its offer period opened on Monday 14 July. Some of Australia’s leading platforms including BT, Colonial First State, MLC and Macquarie have all announced QVE’s inclusion in their platform offerings. The platform inclusions in many leading dealer

Morningstar announces Australian Superannuation Survey to 30 June 2014

Morningstar today published results of the Morningstar® Australian Superannuation Survey, providing comprehensive coverage of the performance of Australian-offered retirement savings vehicles to 30 June 2014. The Survey includes both commercial for-profit and industry superannuation options. Morningstar classifies funds according to a proprietary classification system created to facilitate meaningful peer-relative comparisons. Key findings Superannuation funds produced

Deal with minor parties sees FoFA regulations allowed, with more to come

The Senate yesterday voted 34-31 against disallowing regulations to the Future of Financial Advice (FoFA) legislation, after an 11th-hour deal struck with the Palmer United Party (PUP) and the Motoring Enthusiasts Party (MEP) that will see the government introduce additional regulations within 90 days. The Finance Minister, Senator Mathias Cormann, told the Senate that the

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