Latest News

Investment managers embracing AI: Mercer

ANDREW MCKEAN
According to a report by Mercer, nine out of 10 investment managers are either using or planning to use artificial intelligence (AI) in their investment strategies or asset class research.

Infrastructure a foundational portfolio asset class: IFM Investors

ANDREW MCKEAN
Infrastructure should be considered as an equally vital asset class for institutional investors as traditional asset classes, according to the latest annual IFM Investors Infrastructure Outlook.

HMC Capital acquires asset manager

ELIZA BAVIN
HMC Capital acquired the asset manager in a $43 million deal.

BlackRock's Fink signals a tough road ahead for future retirees

ANDREW MCKEAN
In his annual letter to investors, BlackRock chair and chief executive Larry Fink said providing people a secure, well-earned retirement is much more challenging now that it was 30 years ago, and it will be "much harder" in the future.

Latest White Papers

Good governance is gold

CHRIS WEST   When the term 'governance' is mentioned, the first reaction is normally one that brings up the dread of another set of overburdensome compliance obligations. However, governance and compliance are very different things. Good investment governance at its core is about how to make good investment decisions.

Royal Commission recommendations and managed discretionary accounts

SAMANTHA CARROLL   The managed account services industry was given much to ponder by Commissioner Hayne in the final report. The major talking point for the industry is undoubtedly the fact that the vertical integration model was left untouched.

Six key themes: Insight into macroeconomic trends and market shifts

JONATHAN HUBBARD, BENOIT ANNE, BRAD RUTAN   As 2024 progresses, there are several key themes that will likely influence the macroeconomic and capital markets environment. Last year, US economic growth rebounded and inflation waned, while Europe and several emerging markets countries struggled to reignite healthy growth.

Why the best stories often don't make good investments

CLYDE ROSSOUW   A handful of global companies have provided outsized returns this year, creating both risks and opportunities. Sometimes, the best businesses don't make the best investment cases.

Human-centred automation

SHANE REID   A must for firms in the financial sector.

Managed accounts and technology: Bringing personalisation and scale to advisers

BILL HORTZ   Will the future of investment portfolios increasingly be built, not on mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs), but on customised managed accounts?

IMAs and SMAs meet the demands of SMSF trustees for direct international equities portfolios

HUGH MACNALLY   Individually managed accounts (IMAs) and separately managed accounts (SMAs) enable trustees of SMSFs to access direct international and domestic equity portfolios with greater control and transparency compared to the traditional managed fund options, however the differences between and benefits of IMAs ...

Tailored SMSF and managed account solutions

MULTIPORT PTY LTD   Multiport is a leading provider of self-managed super and managed account administration, reporting and compliance services. We are dedicated to providing the highest level of service for a transparent and competitive fee.

A tale of three countries

PHILIP PARKER   Are you a history buff? Here is a rundown of how managed accounts evolved in the US and the UK - and how the sector is developing locally.

Unpacking managed account fees

MARTIN KOFOED   While the benefits of the managed account structure for investors and advisers are clear, their fee structure, however, tends to be less so.

Managed discretionary accounts in 2021

ASSURED SUPPORT   This paper reproduces a Q&A session conducted by Assured Support between its managing director, Sean Graham, and Peter Turbach, partner at MDA Guru. It captures these two leading industry practitioners' respective views on the present state of managed discretionary accounts (MDAs).

Making comparisons across managed accounts: Why regulatory guidance is required

ANNIKA BRADLEY   If managed accounts hold the key to portfolio personalisation, let's take a look at some of the challenges advisers might face when trying to make meaningful comparisons across performance returns and fees.

Managed account fees: Understanding the true cost of client outcomes

MATTHEW VAN DIJK   At face value, cost comparisons seem straightforward, however, they can exclude material factors that will detrimentally affect your client.

Two roads to a single destination

TOBY POTTER   The amount invested through managed accounts is growing strongly but as a method of investing, managed accounts are still not well understood. The differences between types of managed accounts are often blurred and this is compounded by a prolific use of jargon.

Managed accounts: Boldly go where no one has gone before

ADAM ROWLEY   Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its continuing mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilisations, to boldly go where no one has gone before.

Survive the squeeze

KEN BLOOMFIELD   A managed account can minimise the "value leakage" for the client and allow financial advisers to assume a greater role in portfolio management in the long term.