financial services

Hedge Funds

Finance companies back in favour

BlackRock has identified finance companies as the strongest sector bet in a global equities market artificially inflated by quantitative easing. Ewan Cameron Watt, chief investment strategist of the BlackRock Investment Institute, who met with investors in Australia over the past few days, has flagged the impending rise in US interest rates as boosting profit margins, […]
David RowleyAugust 3, 2015
Investment Strategy

Financial services role split in cabinet reshuffle

The government’s decision to rejig the financial services and superannuation portfolio handled by Bill Shorten has been criticised by the opposition, which claims breaking up the role downgrades its importance. In a recent cabinet reshuffle, Chris Bowen was confirmed as treasurer with David Bradbury named assistant treasurer and, among other portfolios, “minister assisting for financial […]
Andrew StarkeJuly 1, 2013
CMSF

Fear and complexity key to disengagement

Disengagement in superannuation funds is caused by members’ fear of loss, confusion over decision making, and embarrassment at small savings levels, a behavioural economist told delegates. The findings came from interviews with 1500 super fund members carried out by market research firm, the Leading Edge. It found 67 per cent had no interaction with their […]
David RowleyMarch 20, 2013
Investment Strategy

Northern Trust leverages Future Fund expertise

In 1993 Northern Trust’s Steven Fradkin was looking for office space in Sydney. He liked the potential growth of Australia’s mandated-pension-fund market, but wasn’t certain that custodians could meet the demands of Australian tax and foreign investment-fund reporting in a quality way. “The market has always been attractive,” says Fradkin. “It is a more complex […]
I & T NewsMay 8, 2012