Financial Standard

Vietnam joins FTSE Russell emerging market index

VINNY VUCAGO   Vietnam has officially joined the FTSE Russell Global Equity Index Series, marking a new phase for its capital market as it moves from frontier to Secondary Emerging Market status.

FAAA flags gaps in discretionary trusts tax reforms, deficient framework

KARREN VERGARA   Under the proposed minimum tax on discretionary trust reforms, the Financial Advice Association Australia (FAAA) highlighted concerns over trustees potentially being forced to make "major and largely irreversible decisions" before the rules and guidance have been finalised.

JPMAM, QIA join forces in $28bn partnership

MATTHEW WAI   J.P. Morgan Asset Management has signed an MoU with Qatar's sovereign wealth fund Qatar Investment Authority to establish a $28 billion partnership to support ongoing investments initiatives, as well as financing opportunities to certain sectors in the US.

ASX to launch overnight repo funding rate

MATTHEW WAI   The ASX is bringing to life a new interest rate benchmark next week to accommodate the strong growth in the domestic repo market, alongside the continuous reliance on existing rates for funding, lending, derivatives and risk management among institutional investors.

Australian life insurers lag global peers: Capgemini

MATTHEW WAI   A new survey from Capgemini found that Australian life insurers are stowed behind the global average when it comes to member engagement and educational efforts.

AIA Australia rolls out TPD CORE

KARREN VERGARA   AIA Australia has launched TPD CORE, a new retail product that charges lower premiums and provides clearer claim assessment criteria for total and permanent disability (TPD).

ART leads retirement product race, others wrestle with covenant

KARREN VERGARA   Superannuation funds continue to grapple with their Retirement Income Covenant obligations, underscored by Australian Retirement Trust (ART) being the only fund from a sample that has successfully brought two products to market.

Russell launches retirement solution

VINNY VUCAGO   Russell Investments has launched retirement solutions comprising two managed portfolios and a retirement calculator, aimed at helping advisers manage the competing liquidity and growth needs of Australians entering retirement.

Intergenerational Report looks to AI to buoy productivity slump

KARREN VERGARA   Australia's economy will continue to stagnate over the next 40 years, growing at just 2% annually, according to the latest Intergenerational Report (IGR), which points to the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution to buoy sagging productivity.

Fed's rate hike exacerbates Australia's outlook

MATTHEW WAI   The Federal Reserve has lifted its interest rate for the first time in more than three years, contributing to the ongoing adversity the global economy is facing, especially in Australia.

'Beyond warnings': ASIC to come down heavy on private credit

RIDDHIMA TALWANI   The corporate regulator has urged the private credit sector to uplift standards, noting participants should prepare for enforcement action if they fail to do so.

Mulino opens CSLR special levy consultation

ELIZA BAVIN   Minister for financial services Daniel Mulino has launched a consultation into the CSLR seeking feedback around the distributions of the 2026-27 special levy.

Dexus chief financial officer steps down

RIDDHIMA TALWANI   Dexus chief financial officer Keir Barnes will move to the ASX, ending a seven-year stint with the real estate investment manager.

Hamilton Wealth mandates arcpoint OCIO

VINNY VUCAGO   Hamilton Wealth Partners has appointed arcpoint OCIO as its outsourced chief investment office as the specialist family wealth advisory firm seeks to strengthen its investment governance and support the needs of its growing client base.

Equity Trustees pushes bidders for better price

RIDDHIMA TALWANI   Equity Trustees' parent company EQT Holdings' board confirmed it is engaging with its two bidders - TPG Global and BGH Capital - and has pushed for an improved offer from both.

Australian Ethical, Bloomberg join ASFA

VINNY VUCAGO   Stakeholders in the superannuation industry are becoming increasingly diverse despite continued consolidation among funds, with the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) expanding its membership to include organisations spanning responsible investment, technology, banking and workplace health.

AI overtakes superfunds for investor education

VINNY VUCAGO   Artificial intelligence (AI) has overtaken superannuation funds as a source of investment information among younger, highly knowledgeable Australian investors, according to new research from Global X.

New digital asset trading platform targets HNWs, instos

VINNY VUCAGO   CloudTech Group has launched a digital asset trading platform in Australia giving institutional, high-net-worth and individual investors access to aggregated liquidity, institutional-grade pricing and advanced trading tools.

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.