Financial Standard

Wollongong adviser wins Gwen Fletcher Memorial Award

KARREN VERGARA   SWA Financial Planning's Nathan Purnell has won the latest Gwen Fletcher Memorial Award.

Freshwater Wealth launches

KARREN VERGARA   A former Viridian Advisory financial adviser has stepped out to launch a new venture, Freshwater Wealth, which caters to high-net-worth individuals.

Brookfield bids for majority stake in Neoen

ANDREW MCKEAN   Brookfield and its institutional partners have lobbed a bid to acquire a 53% majority stake in French renewable energy company Neoen.

ANZ dumps remaining stake in AmBank

ANDREW MCKEAN   ANZ has offloaded its remaining stake in AMMB Holdings (AmBank) in a bid to "simplify the bank."

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).

Interest rate relief unlikely 'this side of Christmas'

ELIZA BAVIN   The latest inflation data has done little to quell fears that Australians are in for more interest rate pain for longer.

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.

ASIC tells super funds to 'step it up'

ELIZA BAVIN   ASIC commissioner Simone Constant delivered a stern warning to super fund trustees.

Forged documents see former adviser banned

JAMIE WILLIAMSON   A former Capstone Financial Planning adviser who forged clients' signatures to steal from them is now permanently banned.

Vision Super chair departs

JAMIE WILLIAMSON   Lisa Darmanin, Vision Super's chair for almost three years, has stepped down to become a Senator for Victoria.

VFMC hires client portfolio design head

KARREN VERGARA   Victoria Funds Management Corporation (VFMC) named a new head of client portfolio design who joined this week.

Early release of super scammers cop prison time

KARREN VERGARA   Three people will go to prison after pleading guilty to defrauding the COVID-19 early release of superannuation scheme for $103,500.

Super funds slash external mandates by 54%

KARREN VERGARA   The number of investment managers winning institutional mandates has tanked 54% in less than two years as superannuation funds ramp up the in-house management of assets, Rainmaker Information research reveals.

Preqin launches new term intelligence tool

ELIZA BAVIN   The new tool aims to help fund managers get clarity when reviewing Limited Partner Agreement terms.

BT Panorama launches first-of-its-kind private market managed account

ANDREW MCKEAN   BT has launched the Drummond Private Markets Separately Managed Account (SMA) on the BT Panorama platform, offering high-net-worth (HNW) clients access to a portfolio of private equity, private debt, and real assets.

Geopolitical risks push APAC family office allocations locally

KARREN VERGARA   Geopolitical risks are dictating how family offices in the Asia Pacific invest as more intend to shift asset allocations to their home regions, according to UBS.

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.