Markets may have priced in a ‘soft landing’ but investors should follow safety guidelines and buckle up for a bumpy approach this year regardless, according to Salt Funds Management chief economist, Bevan Graham. Graham said while Salt still rates an economic soft landing, especially in the US, as the base case for 2024, the ride… [Read More…]
Investment News
Actuaries back pension retention (and why KiwiSaver won’t fill the generation gap)
Younger generations of New Zealanders are likely to be more reliant on a universal state-funded pension than current retirees despite rising KiwiSaver balances, according to a new report. The paper, published by retirement specialists in the NZ Society of Actuaries (NZSA) last week, backs the status quo on government pension rules given intergenerational saving trends…. [Read More…]
Indexing reaches US fund majority as passive flows steal the show
Passive investing hit a major milestone last year as indexed fund assets outweighed active counterparts in the US for the first time by the end of the December quarter. Morningstar data shows passive funds in the trend-setting US market managed almost US$13.3 trillion as at December 31 last year, compared to more than US$13.2 trillion… [Read More…]
Fintech loses flavour
Investor appetite for financial technology firms waned in 2023, ending a venture capital binge that saw valuations and deal-flow surge over the previous couple of years. Specialist researcher, Pitchbook, notes in a just-published annual review of the sector that after “growing at a feverish pace for the past two years, fintech appears to be returning… [Read More…]
Robeco finds 10 signs of life for value
Value lives. Dutch quantitative investment specialist, Robeco, says the stock market factor remains in good health, refuting long-reported rumuors of its death, or comatose state. According to the new Robeco analysis, value – or the ‘enhanced value’ approach championed by the manager – has “delivered attractive long-term returns”. “Despite its solid long-term track record, the… [Read More…]
FirstCape looms as Jarden renames numbers
Jarden has relabelled three numeric stand-in NZ companies following the wealth management merger agreed with the National Australia Bank (NAB) and Pacific Equity Partners (PEP) last month. Previously known as Jarden One, Two and Three, the space-saving corporate entities have been recast under various wealth and/or asset management titles as a formal restructure looms. Under… [Read More…]
FNZ sues US subsidiary execs
FNZ is embroiled in a messy legal spat with the founders of a fixed income fintech firm it bought last year for more than US$80 million to fast-track the platform’s US growth plans. According to New York court documents filed on in December 2023, FNZ is suing YieldX founder, Adam Green and Shlomo (Steve) Gross,… [Read More…]
Ohlsson shifts from Amplifi to Avanti; BlackRock makes executive moves; Morningstar creates Sustainalytics lead research role
Former Amplifi chief executive, Fred Ohlsson, has resurfaced as group chief of Avanti Finance. Ohlsson ended an almost two-year stint with the Mint Asset Management-backed Amplifi this month. The former ANZ senior executive replaces veteran chief, Mark Mountcastle, atop the long-standing consumer finance company. Avanti was founded in 1989 by Glenn Hawkins, who remains as… [Read More…]
Supply-side jitters: how global trends will shake up the NZ funds market
After contemplating the future of the NZ advice industry, Clayton Coplestone, Heathcote Investment Partners founder, wraps up with a think-piece on prospects for the local funds sector… The global wealth management industry has entered an intense phase of uncertainty around markets and investor preferences with profound implications for NZ funds managers. In this shook-up… [Read More…]
Betashares charts record year for ETFs
Australian exchange-traded funds (ETFs) trounced unlisted counterparts for net inflows during 2023 in a banner year for the sector, according to new data from Betashares. The Betashares report shows the Australian ETF market clocked up solid, if not spectacular, net inflows of A$15 billion for the 12 months to the end of December compared to… [Read More…]