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Financial Planning

Lonsec advice pays off: Mercer

MICHAEL HOBBS  |  FRIDAY, 25 JAN 2008
A series of Mercer multi-manager funds have been upgraded from 'recommended' to 'highly recommended' by Lonsec after the Mercer team went back to the drawing board to adopt some of the researcher's feedback.

Water fund washes onto BT wraps

RUTH LIEW  |  FRIDAY, 25 JAN 2008
Liontamer's KBC Global Water Fund has been added to the BT wrap, heralding the next step of the fund's Australian footprint in the water-investment sector.

Bank downgraded in $8.2b scam

RUTH LIEW  |  FRIDAY, 25 JAN 2008
One of Europe's biggest banks, France's Societe Generale (SG), is left fighting for its reputation following $8.2 billion in losses from fraudulent dealings, a crisis which won't help its wealth management arm already under pressure in the current markets.

New take on old fee debate

MICHAEL HOBBS, MICHELLE BALTAZAR  |  FRIDAY, 25 JAN 2008
A better alignment of interest between planners and their clients could be achieved through performance-based fees - similar to those charged by fund managers - but not all planners are convinced.

Max Super reloads for 2008

MICHAEL HOBBS  |  THURSDAY, 24 JAN 2008
Online super fund max Super has revised its business model with a shift in focus towards corporate super with a revamped website due in the coming weeks.

Oil rich city pours $17.1b in SRI

MICHAEL HOBBS  |  THURSDAY, 24 JAN 2008
The government of Abu Dhabi is set to become a world leader of alternative energy after investing $17.1 billion in sustainable future energy projects across North Africa and the Middle East.

CFS engages Innovest for ESG research

RUTH LIEW  |  THURSDAY, 24 JAN 2008
Colonial First State Global Asset Management (CFS GAM) has recruited the services of third party research providers, Innovest Strategic Value Advisers, in the next phase of its ongoing integration of environment, social and governance (ESG) risk assessment ...

US titans fall, Australia will rise

RUTH LIEW  |  WEDNESDAY, 23 JAN 2008
How the mighty have fallen. From Merrill Lynch to JPMorgan Chase, the world's investment banking stalwarts have all shed blood from the US sub-prime scalping - but Australian fund managers are weathering the storm.

NAB FP switches to fee for advice

MICHAEL HOBBS  |  WEDNESDAY, 23 JAN 2008
After more than four years of providing financial planning using both the commission and fee-for-advice payment models, NAB Financial Planning's 400-strong network will only charge fee-for-advice only to new clients starting this year.

Market plunge drives record margin calls

WWW.THESHEET.COM  |  WEDNESDAY, 23 JAN 2008
Margin lenders CommSec and St George Bank made record numbers of margin calls on Monday night and after yesterday's All Ordinaries 409 point drubbing, with another record in the making last night.