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Financial Planning

Start saving for education early: Lifeplan

With the total cost of education almost on par with the cost of an average suburban home, Lifeplan Funds Management has launched an education savings fund designed to help parents avoid future school expenses headaches.

Industry dealing well with underinsurance: CommInsure

CHRIS NICHOLLS  |  FRIDAY, 13 JUL 2007
The local insurance industry is doing a 'good' or 'exceptional' job of addressing the issue of underinsurance, according to around 50 per cent of CommInsure's largest life risk insurance clients.

Alpha-beta separation boosts indexing

CHRIS NICHOLLS  |  FRIDAY, 13 JUL 2007
The rise of alpha-beta separation and fee-for-service advice is driving new inflows into index funds, according to Susan Darroch, head of structured products at State Street Global Advisors.

Macq steaks $700m fund

Macquarie predicts Australia's livestock businesses will benefit from the growing world consumption of red meat and has set up a fund that will target $700 million of acquisition opportunities in the sector.

Macq banks on appetite for gearing into super

HAMISH MADDEN  |  WEDNESDAY, 11 JUL 2007
Macquarie has seen healthy inflows into its Managed Fund Instalments thanks to investor appetite for gearing into super.

Clean, green profit machines

New figures show that clean technology companies trumped the Australian sharemarket in the performance stakes over the last financial year with one outperforming stock returning more than 1,000 per cent over the period.

Boomers care more for environment than super

Baby boomers, often referred to as the "Me Generation", are actually more concerned with environmental issues than their superannuation, according to a poll by the National Seniors Association (NSA).

AFS nails down Salisbury Group stake

HAMISH MADDEN  |  MONDAY, 9 JUL 2007
AFS Group has finalised its 50 per cent acquisition of The Salisbury Group.

BankWest throws a barbie

As if high interest bearing savings accounts and low rate loans weren't good enough, BankWest organised a free sausage sizzle at a local bank branch opening to attract new customers.

NZ investors hooked on high yield

A survey of New Zealand investors has found that 72 per cent rated interest rates as the most important factor when choosing an investment product and were less concerned about the stability of the financial institution selling them.