Understanding active performance, particularly in equities, is darn hard. At its most simple you have a product, which makes a return, and you compare that return with a benchmark index. What is left over you call alpha. Read more

Investments held within managed accounts can include direct domestic and increasingly international equities, directly held fixed interest securities, listed investment companies (LICs), model port- folios, managed funds including exchange-traded products ... Read more

Sometimes a story flickers on your screen for an instant. You might pay attention. You might not. Read more

Far from the public spotlight most skirmishes in the Australian funds management industry go unremarked. One such skirmish is occurring right now. Read more

It's no secret Australians have a fascination with property, and not just residential property. Read more

Over three years the Colonial First State Global Health & Biotechnology Fund was the top performer in the international equities space, returning 20.1% pa after fees to August 2017. Over five years the returns have been even greater - 26.4% pa. Read more

An interesting email crossed my desk the other day. It was from VanEck, one of the up-and-coming manufacturers of exchange-traded funds in the Australian market. Read more

Napoleon Bonaparte might well have been discussing investment managers. It's an old truism that funds management performance is a mix of luck and skill, we just don't know which part is luck and which part skill. Read more

With enhanced disclosures required under RG 97 the level of fees being charged to investors in managed investment vehicles becomes more important than ever. Read more