Financial Standard

CountPlus takes stake in WSC Group

ANDREW MCKEAN   CountPlus has acquired a 32.75% interest in financial advice practice WSC Group.

That's a wrap for the BT Wrap

CASSANDRA BALDINI   BT's 25-year-old Wrap has seen its last June 30, with its user interface no longer available and all clients moved across to Panorama.

Knight Frank, SCA Property Group in strategic partnership

CHLOE WALKER   The three-year partnership will see Knight Frank deliver property services, facilities management and financial accounting across SCA Property Group's entire shopping centre portfolio.

ETF Securities launches fixed income options

CHLOE WALKER   ETF Securities is expanding its product range with the launch of a US Treasury Bond fund and a USD high-yield corporate bond fund.

TWUSUPER adds fee to combat cross subsidisation

JAMIE WILLIAMSON   The super fund will begin charging insured members an administration fee to make costs fairer for those without insurance.

MLC Life enhances income product range

ANDREW MCKEAN   MLC Life Insurance has made improvements to its Income Assure and Income Assure+ products following adviser feedback.

Luxury collectables break records

CHLOE WALKER   Millions of dollars of Rolex watches, Louis Vuitton and Hermes handbags, high-end shoes, jewellery, and other opulent items broke records recently at Lloyds Auctions, in one of the biggest luxury designer auctions ever.

SMSF client education a concern: Report

JAMIE WILLIAMSON   SMSF advisers are calling for more educational content as concerns around client education mount, according to a new report.

Inflation a greater danger than recession: Powell

ANDREW MCKEAN   Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell flagged that the US Federal Reserve had to raise rates rapidly to mitigate higher inflation, even if that increased recession risks.

Australia home to high proportion of women billionaires

CHLOE WALKER   Australia has ranked third in the world for the highest proportion of female billionaires, according to Forbes' 36th annual billionaire list.

ASIC releases guidance on super, retirement calculators

ANDREW MCKEAN   ASIC has released guidance for superannuation calculators and retirement estimates, while also updating relief around how super funds can provide retirement estimates to members.

ASIC bans Melbourne adviser

CHLOE WALKER   The corporate regulator has dealt out a three-year ban to David Noel Ruthenberg of Venture Advisory Consulting.

Frank Casarotti gives his notice

JAMIE WILLIAMSON   The long serving Magellan sales lead will retire at the end of 2023, capping more than 40 years in the industry.

BlackRock appoints head of iShares, index investment

CASSANDRA BALDINI   BlackRock has named Jason Collins as its head of iShares and index investments for the Australian and New Zealand region, effective immediately.

Median MySuper returns of -2.8% expected

JAMIE WILLIAMSON   Single strategy, default MySuper options are likely to deliver the fourth worst result in 35 years for the financial year just gone.

Australian Catholic Super, UniSuper sign SFT deed

JAMIE WILLIAMSON   Australian Catholic Superannuation and Retirement Fund and UniSuper will merge before the end of the year.

The big case for big data

CHLOE WALKER   Big data should be a natural pathway for the superannuation fund industry, according to investment strategy experts.

Padua launches new adviser tool

CASSANDRA BALDINI   Padua Solutions has launched a new robo advice generation tool for financial advisors aiming to help significantly cut down turnaround times, lower the cost of advice, and improve client engagement.

Australia home to high proportion of women billionaires

CHLOE WALKER   Australia has ranked third in the world for the highest proportion of female billionaires, according to Forbes' 36th annual billionaire list.

Wendy Whiteley makes $100m contribution to NSW

CHLOE WALKER   Wendy Whiteley's collection of her late husband Brett Whiteley's artworks will be donated posthumously to the Art Gallery of NSW in an extraordinary cultural gift to the people of NSW.