Financial Standard

PrimaryMarkets launches new financial adviser channel

ANDREW MCKEAN   PrimaryMarkets has launched a new channel aimed at making alternative investments more accessible to financial advisers and their clients.

ASIC issues experienced pathway guidance

KARREN VERGARA   ASIC has released new guidance for financial advisers who could potentially qualify as experienced providers and skip further education and training.

Australian Ethical snaps up asset manager

ANDREW MCKEAN   Australian Ethical has struck a deal to acquire Altius Asset Management, the sustainable fixed income business of Australian Unity, a move that will see its funds under management (FUM) swell by $2 billion.

Major themes to watch in the ETF space

ELIZA BAVIN   Speaking at the inaugural Future Investing Forum, experts shared their thoughts on what to expect from the ETF market over the next 12 months.

ClearView closes ClearChoice Super Rollover, launches trauma options

KARREN VERGARA   ClearView has made changes to its ClearChoice product series, including the launch of trauma options, and is closing its ClearChoice Super Rollover product.

Aussies underestimate life insurance's importance: Investment Trends

ANDREW MCKEAN   There is a gap in perception among Australians of life insurance as a crucial component of financial stability, according to an Investment Trends Consumer Insurance Needs report.

SMSFs' use of advisers plummets: Research

ANDREW MCKEAN   The number of self-managed super funds (SMSFs) using advisers has reached a new low, with the proportion of SMSFs using advisers falling to 23% from 27% in the past 12 months, according to a Vanguard/Investment Trends report.

Proposed super tax obfuscates legacy pensions rules: SMSFA

KARREN VERGARA   The proposed 30% tax on large superannuation balances must clarify the confusion surrounding legacy pensions and reserves, and how they should be calculated, according to the SMSF Association (SMSFA).

Financial services workers eye earlier retirement

KARREN VERGARA   Men and women who work in financial services intend to retire earlier compared to the average worker, new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reveals.

RBA hints another rate rise could be on the cards

ELIZA BAVIN   The Reserve Bank board confirmed it considered hiking interest rates in May.

UK forewarns Australia on wholesale test changes

KARREN VERGARA   After recently backflipping on changing its high-net-worth investor (HNWI) tests, the UK serves as a cautionary tale for Australia as it mulls overhauling its own wholesale investor thresholds.

ASIC cancels Everest Asset Management's AFSL

KARREN VERGARA   ASIC has canned the AFS Licence (AFSL) of the asset management firm linked to a massive money-laundering operations.

TCorp reorganises investment team

JAMIE WILLIAMSON   In pursuit of a new operating structure and "simpler portfolio environment", TCorp has created four new investment roles and will farewell its head of portfolio construction and head of portfolio delivery.

Jim Lamborn retires from JANA

JAMIE WILLIAMSON   Jim Lamborn has retired from the asset consultant after more than two decades on its leadership team.

Equip Super awards custody mandate

KARREN VERGARA   Equip Super has selected a new custodian and back-office administrator to replace NAB Asset Servicing.

Super funds to solve the housing crisis?

ANDREW MCKEAN   Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) chief executive Mary Delahunty said at the Australian Shareholders' Association Conference yesterday that addressing the supply side of the housing crisis requires an infusion of private capital.

The rising role and risks of generative AI

ANDREW MCKEAN   Generative AI, a rapidly advancing form of deep learning that mimics human output, also raises concerns about the verifiability of its results, UTS industry professor - emerging technology Nicholas Davis says.

Iress breach extends to OneVue business

JAMIE WILLIAMSON   Iress has confirmed the breach it was victim to over the weekend was worse than first thought, having spread to the recently offloaded OneVue business.

Family offices up active management, eye generative AI: UBS

ANDREW MCKEAN   Family offices are increasingly turning to active management or manager selection to diversify portfolios, according to the latest UBS Global Family Office Report.

Succession planning troubles family offices: J.P. Morgan

KARREN VERGARA   Global family offices remain deeply concerned about how to prepare the next generation to inherit a vast fortune as almost 30% do not have a structured approach to help them, a new study from J.P. Morgan reveals.