Financial Standard

June adviser exam registers 72% pass rate

KARREN VERGARA   ASIC reported a 71.7% pass rate in the latest round of financial adviser exam results.

ASIC ceases a further 26 authorisations after review

MATTHEW WAI   ASIC has completed the review on the FAR relating to compliance with the qualifications standard that took effect on 1 January 2026, as adviser numbers plummeted below 15,000 entering the new financial year.

Global concentration risks to reorient investors: JBWere

RIDDHIMA TALWANI   A rising concentration risk across global and local equities is reorienting investors to income stocks and fixed income exposure, JBWere said.

VanEck switches to AI-powered index

MATTHEW WAI   The ETF issuer is making a switch to one of its ETFs, telling Financial Standard the ETF will be Australia's first to use artificial intelligence (AI) to select international stocks, while confirming several new products will be available in the near future.

Final report into Life Code makes 85 recommendations

MATTHEW WAI   The final report of an independent review of the Life Insurance Code of Practice has been finalised, proposing some 85 recommendations across aspects of mental health, customer vulnerability, claims handling, and sales practices.

Treasury releases adverse genetic test results ban draft regulation

KARREN VERGARA   Treasury is seeking feedback on draft regulations that ban the use of adverse genetic test results in life insurance, which come into effect on October 8.

Lack of awareness impacts retirement satisfaction: TAL

MATTHEW WAI   New research indicates that although around 90% of retirees selecting pension accounts or lifetime income streams were satisfied with their decision, less than two in five (38%) pre-retirees understood how those products work.

Investment performance will not help smaller balances: Research

MATTHEW WAI   Recent research from Monash University demonstrated retirees will require a balance above $400,000 to achieve sustainable retirement without investment-related constraints.

Inflation cools, RBA facing 'uncomfortable trade-off'

ELIZA BAVIN   While inflation has cooled, it remains stubbornly above the Reserve Bank's target range, putting the central bank in a tricky position, experts say.

Vale Alan Greenspan

ELIZA BAVIN   The American economist and former chair of the Federal Reserve passed away at 100 years old.

ASIC cancels AFSL of Capital Guard over fake bond sale

ELIZA BAVIN   ASIC has cancelled the AFSL of Capital Guard after finding it had engaged in dishonest conduct, including the selling of a fake bond.

ASIC makes first move since putting private credit on notice

MATTHEW WAI   The market watchdog has made interim stop orders against two products operated by Stratfund, suspecting deficiencies in the target market determinations for both products.

Natixis IM appoints head of wholesale distribution

VINNY VUCAGO   Natixis Investment Managers (Natixis IM) Australia has appointed former Yarra Capital Management executive Rommel Hacopian as head of wholesale distribution.

Perpetual shuffles Aussie equities team amid departure

KARREN VERGARA   Perpetual has named a new research lead as its deputy head of equities exits the fund manager later this year.

Retirement confidence slides in Australia

VINNY VUCAGO   Australians are feeling less confident about retirement, with retiree confidence and pre-retirement preparedness falling sharply over the past six months.

ART, AustralianSuper deliver strong FY26 returns

VINNY VUCAGO   Australian Retirement Trust (ART) and AustralianSuper have reported solid investment returns, with both funds crediting diversified portfolios and strong global equity markets for the performance despite heightened geopolitical uncertainty.

Stablecoins a key to instant access to global credit markets

MATTHEW WAI   As the world enters a digital age, digital assets like stablecoins are not only opening doors for assets like private credit funds that were exclusive to institutional investors, but also a debt universe that is no longer limited to the domestic market, experts told Financial Standard.

Generation Life confirms personal information leaked in cyber incident

MATTHEW WAI   Generation Life has provided an update regarding a cyber incident that took place in April, confirming information of a "limited number" of individuals has been impacted.

Australia welcomes 25k to millionaires' club: UBS

KARREN VERGARA   Australia's club of millionaires jumped by 25,000 last year thanks to booming property values and fat superannuation balances, according to the lasts UBS Global Wealth Report.

Family office succession takes back seat to investments

KARREN VERGARA   While family offices have investment strategies down pat, the state of their succession plans paint another story, which reports suggest could undermine a seamless transfer of a vast amount of wealth.