Financial Standard

Sequoia profits tank as advisers flee

ELIZA BAVIN  |    12:28PM   Sequoia's Q1 revenue dropped close to 60% while also recording a profit loss. Despite this former chief executive Garry Crole took home more than $400k.

Ironbark expands advice footprint with acquisition

MATTHEW WAI   Ironbark Financial Group has acquired a Victoria-based multi-disciplinary firm that specialises in assisting small to medium sized businesses, integrating the practice into its Ironbark Advice brand.

Australian dividend distributions rebound in Q3

MATTHEW WAI  |    12:26PM   Australia saw a significant rebound in dividend distributions in the quarter to September 30, with the recovery attributable to BHP and the broader mining sector.

Briefcase upgrades adviser portfolio reporting

VINNY VUCAGO  |    11:57AM   Investment technology provider Briefcase has upgraded its platform with new performance attribution and tax reporting capabilities.

Life insurers urged to act earlier on claims

VINNY VUCAGO   Life insurers are being urged to request information earlier and improve communication with customers to prevent avoidable delays in claims decisions, following an industry review that found repeated gaps in the handling of longer-running claims.

TPD claims drive insurance disputes

VINNY VUCAGO   Australia's life insurers continue to accept most claims, but total and permanent disability (TPD) and disability income insurance claims remain the main sources of disputes and delays, according to the latest data from APRA and ASIC.

Guaranteed income gives retirees 'licence to spend': JPMAM

RIDDHIMA TALWANI   Retirees with a higher share of guaranteed income spend 44% more, according to J.P. Morgan Asset Management (JPMAM) portfolio manager and head of target date strategies Daniel Oldroyd.

Rent stress threatens retirement security

VINNY VUCAGO   Declining home ownership is deepening Australia's housing divide, with lower-income households facing growing rental stress and potentially entering retirement with significantly less wealth, according to the Actuaries Institute.

RBA delivers another hike in split decision

ELIZA BAVIN  |    12:32PM   The Reserve Bank of Australia delivered its fifth interest rate hike this year, but the monetary board was split in its decision.

Lagarde to leave ECB

VINNY VUCAGO   The European Central Bank (ECB) is preparing for a leadership change early next year, with its president Christine Lagarde set to depart before the end of her current term.

ASIC raises red flags on prediction markets

KARREN VERGARA   ASIC chair Sarah Court has warned retail investors to be wary of "highly speculative" prediction markets, likening them to betting.

ASIC consults on market operator financial resources requirements

RIDDHIMA TALWANI   ASIC is consulting on proposals for clearer guidance on financial resources requirements for licensed market operators in Australia.

State Street names new APAC investment lead

RIDDHIMA TALWANI  |    12:09PM   State Street Investment Management (SSIM) has named a new senior managing director and head of investments for Asia Pacific, nabbing Amundi's head of investments for Asia.

Aequitas hires from Vanguard again

MATTHEW WAI  |    11:42AM   Aequitas Investment Partners has named a head of asset consulting, joining from Vanguard Australia.

CSC relaunches Vets Hub

RIDDHIMA TALWANI  |    12:00PM   Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation (CSC) has relaunched its online platform, Vets Hub, helping Australian Defence Force (ADF) members.

ART gathers govt, business leaders to close super gap

RIDDHIMA TALWANI  |    11:56AM   The Australian Retirement Trust (ART) is working with the government and business leaders to address the gender superannuation gap.

Human judgement remains key to AI advantage: GBAM

VINNY VUCAGO  |    12:19PM   Artificial intelligence (AI) is unlikely to provide asset managers with a lasting competitive edge on its own, with the Group of Boutique Asset Managers (GBAM) arguing its value will depend on personal judgment and expertise applied alongside the technology.

FBI accuses North Korea of $9bn Binance crypto heist

MATTHEW WAI   North Korea has been accused of being the culprit behind the $9 billion (US$6.3bn) cryptocurrency heist from global digital asset platform Binance that took place last week.

Australia's family offices surpass $323bn in assets

RIDDHIMA TALWANI   Family offices in Australia have surpassed $323 billion in assets, according to data from Rainmaker Information.

Mining, property fuel Aussie billionaires' wealth

KARREN VERGARA   Australian billionaires' riches are highly concentrated in mining, financial services, technology and property, accounting for 0.7% of the total US$15.1 trillion in global wealth studied by the 2026 Billionaire Census.