Financial Standard

SIAA calls for fresh talent amid advice demand

VINNY VUCAGO   Stockbroking and investment advice firms need to broaden their approach to attracting and retaining talent as the profession prepares for a major shift in clients and wealth, according to a new report from the Stockbrokers and Investment Advisers Association (SIAA).

FEATURE | Digital advice | Interlocking the pieces

MATTHEW WAI   Digital advice has become a core offering for wealth managers, yet it confuses many and implementation and use remain fragmented. Before it can achieve aspirations of scale, experts are urging for a better, unified understanding of the offering.

Investors price more risk into listed private credit trusts: Morningstar

RIDDHIMA TALWANI   Investors are pricing in more risk for listed private credit vehicles, which are structured as listed investment trusts (LITs), with some trusts trading at a discount of 25% of their net asset value (NAV), according to Morningstar.

GQG outflows worsen, ousted from ASX200

MATTHEW WAI   GQG Partners' continued slump in performance continues as net outflows for funds under management (FUM) stood at US$4.3 billion in August alone, and worse, the firm has been bumped out of the ASX200 index.

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).

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.

Half of Australians lack retirement plan: Vanguard

KARREN VERGARA   Nearly half of working-age Australians approaching retirement do not have a retirement plan, raising concerns about long-term financial preparedness and confidence, according to Vanguard.

ECB hikes rates, economists expect RBA might be next

RIDDHIMA TALWANI   The European Central Bank (ECB) has raised the interest rates on the deposit facility by 25 basis points to 2.5%, in a bid to stabilise inflation at its 2% target in the medium term, as conflicts in the Middle East continue to generate inflation pressures.

Labor moves to kill non-compete clauses in productivity push

RIDDHIMA TALWANI   The Labor government has put forward a draft bill to ban non-compete clauses for employees whose earnings are equal to or less than the high-income threshold, in a bid to promote productivity and competition in the broader economy.

Former adviser charged further on dishonest conduct

RIDDHIMA TALWANI   Former financial adviser and the sole director of Professional Wealth Management, Donald Cuthbertson, has been slapped with 24 offences in the Federal Court of Australia.

Treasury floats innovative businesses CGT concession draft laws

KARREN VERGARA   Treasury has released draft legislation on a capital gains tax (CGT) concession for start-ups and small businesses, embedding several amendments that have been lauded as a "substantial win" by an industry body.

First Super appoints new chief executive

KARREN VERGARA   First Super has appointed a new chief executive who was part of LUCRF Super's leadership team for 18 years.

End of an era as Bowater leaves Frontier

MICHELLE BALTAZAR   Industry veteran Kim Bowater is leaving Frontier Advisors after 24 years, marking the departure of one of the asset consultant's most senior figures.

Trust emerges as key drivers of super fund loyalty

VINNY VUCAGO   Superannuation fund members are becoming more purposeful in their interactions with funds, while trust has emerged as the clearest driver of loyalty and advocacy, according to new CoreData research.

Three super funds fined for misleading investment options

KARREN VERGARA   Three industry superannuation funds - Australian Retirement Trust (ART), TelstraSuper and Australian Food Super - have been pinged by ASIC for misleading members about their investment options' asset allocation and performance objectives.

Openmarkets taps $22tn tokenised market

MATTHEW WAI   Openmarkets Group and Ondo Finance will bring the latter's institutional-grade tokenised financial products to eligible Australian investors, developing new products tailored to the local market.

First-mover costs stifle digital finance: report

MATTHEW WAI   Despite Australia boasting the technology and institutional capabilities for digital finance, several factors, including high barriers to first-movers, are derailing growth.

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.

HNWIs demand outperforming, mission-driven endowment funds

KARREN VERGARA   High-net-worth investors' (HNWIs) increasing demand for philanthropy vehicles with robust governance, a clear mission and can outperform in equal measure is helping fuel the rise of endowment funds such as the Aspect Impact Fund.