Maged Girgis, partner at Minter Ellison, points out the growing likelihood of legal challenge for trustee directors that ignore analysis and evidence of global warming in their investment decisions, but he says any decision to include or exclude carbon-intensive assets must be one that involves, analysis, deliberation and information gathering. Recently there has been an … Read more
Growing capacity to invest, cheaper valuations than equities and low interest rates were all cited as tail winds for listed infrastructure at an IMCA lunchtime seminar in Sydney on Friday. The key challenge to this rosy picture for the asset class at the seminar was a difference of opinion on how far interest rates would … Read more
Global investors’ hunt for return has become so keen that Australian bonds have in recent months seen high correlations with changes in yields on German bunds, according to UBS Global Asset Management. After making headlines for negative yields in March, German bund yields rallied in April and Australian bonds yields followed suit despite domestic economic … Read more
Statistical analysis of the Budget changes to super show the Government has cut back on overall fairness to all Australians in terms of tax concessions. Ton Garcia, chief executive of the Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees explains why. Last month this column examined the issue of fairness – or to be more precise – … Read more
Changing liquidity premiums and a long time horizon allow the NZ$29 billion sovereign wealth fund, New Zealand Super Fund, to access new investment opportunities. Liquidity premiums are appearing in niches because of the changing activities of the banking sector, essentially in areas where investment banks, brokers and hedge funds were actively involved pre-GFC. “One of … Read more
Superannuation funds’ asset management costs are destined to fall on average to around 40-50 basis points, predicts Chris Cuffe. The chair of UniSuper speaking at the Frontier Advisors Conference in Melbourne on Tuesday saw the removal of default status for industry funds as one of the key drivers of lower management expense ratios (MERs). Cuffe … Read more
Indian companies in cyclical sectors are trading at a huge discount to valuations and will be some of the largest beneficiaries of the Modi effect, according to HSBC Global Asset Management. Reforms from prime minister Narendra Modi have passed government subsidies to individuals’ bank accounts rather than intermediaries, leading to greater bank account use … Read more
A new breed of passive manager that conducts greater engagement with companies to create long term value is set to emerge as the scope for large investors to gain access to skilled managers decreases. The US$ 4.77 trillion fund manager BlackRock has already started down this path in the belief that long term financial and … Read more
Large superannuation funds’ hiring spree of leading consultants has continued with the appointment of Andrew Baker of Tria to AustralianSuper. Over the past 18 months, Richard Weatherhead and Thierry Bareau have left Rice Warner to work on the group insurance offering of AustralianSuper, while Guy McAliece has left KPMG to join First State Super in … Read more
Data management is becoming a “battleground” for the group insurance industry as funds and insurers seek to create new, more personalised and sustainable products, according to Robert Nunez, head of industry funds at CommInsure. The changes are a response to the soaring insurance premiums and the corresponding pressure from APRA on insurers and trustees to … Read more
Jeffrey Leckstein, head of Australia at Bloomberg, explains how technology is improving transparency for investors but also how regulators are using it for accountability. As global growth converges towards a slower speed, more funds in Australia are utilising derivatives to achieve investment objectives and manage exposures, leaving trustees and boards increasingly concerned about the associated risks. Many … Read more
The right to corporate responsibility and the right to privacy for the consumer could join the four foundational consumer rights in law and policy globally. Addressing a room filled with some of the best from the superannuation sector Jenni Mack, founder of consumer advocacy group the Superannuation Consumers Centre, said fund members will increasingly demand … Read more
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In-depth interviews with leaders, experts and visionaries in the institutional investment community
Updates on the latest industry policy developments and regulation
The challenges and innovations of custody, technology and operational due diligence
Investment Magazine provides in-depth, monthly analysis of trends and developments for all the businesses in which superannuation funds engage‚ including asset allocation, investment manager selection, custody and fund accounting, member administration, group insurance and compliance.
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