Investment News

In a pre-emptive strike last week, the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) has put banks on notice over any potential back-sliding on previous staff incentive scheme promises. The open letter to banks from Clare Bolingford, FMA executive director regulatory delivery, includes a friendly request for the institutions to confirm that all inappropriate sales incentives have been… [Read More…]

The NZ Superannuation Fund (NZS) has trumped its international peers for the second time in three years, according to the latest annual performance study by niche research firm, Global SWF. NZS topped the Global SWF analysis of all sovereign wealth fund investment performance with a 10-year annualised return of 12.1 per cent to the end… [Read More…]

The Australian financial regulator has warned investment firms of a looming crackdown on product design and distribution obligations (DDO) compliance following a review that found the industry struggling with the rules more than 18 months after the regime came into force. Almost 20 issuers have been pinged by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC)… [Read More…]

Carbon exposure levels in institutional investor portfolios totaling US37 trillion reached a four-year high in March 2023 as rising energy company valuations swamped any emission-control downsides, a new State Street study reveals. According to the just-released ‘State Street S&P Global Institutional Investor Carbon Indicator’ annual report, the total emissions exposure of portfolio companies captured by… [Read More…]

The global energy system is changing at a rapid pace but it’s too early to pick winners, according to environmental, social and governance (ESG) research specialist, Calvert. And despite a tough 2022, true ESG will prevail. “We’ve changed the global energy system before,” says John Streur, chair of Calvert Research and Management. “We started the… [Read More…]

Long-time NZ Superannuation Fund (NZS) chief, Matt Whineray, will step down by the end of this year. In a statement this morning, NZS chair, Catherine Drayton, confirmed Whineray would leave the now $60 billion sovereign wealth fund after 15 years with the organisation and five years in the top job. “In his five years as… [Read More…]

The post-Vanguard Simplicity has officially rolled out its tax-effective German-built global investment products, showcasing seven new funds while knocking a further basis point (bp) off fees. Simplicity also ratcheted up the allocation to NZ private assets, including mortgages and direct property, to 10 per cent from the previous 7.5 per cent across all its diversified… [Read More…]

The A$250 billion Australian government Future Fund has renewed its active vows to combat rising market risks after ditching outsourced stock-pickers six years ago. In the latest Future Fund portfolio update, chief executive, Raphael Arndt, says investors need to “explore new ways to deliver sustainable, long-term returns” as the decades-long run of benign market conditions… [Read More…]

Boutique professional indemnity (PI) insurance firm, Quadrant, is looking to expand its adviser client base after a successful soft-launch last year. Tony Vidler, Quadrant director, said the PI offer – assembled by Hutchison Rodway broker, Phil Mitchell, and backed by QBE – attracted about 135 financial advice providers (FAP) clients through word-of-mouth after going live… [Read More…]

Long-term asset class returns have been marked down after the ‘difficult’ 2022 but the latest Melville Jessup Weaver (MJW) investment survey reports the old-fashioned risk relationship between bonds and equities remains in working order. Ben Trollip, MJW principal, says in the NZ quarterly investment market survey that the relative return status of bonds and shares… [Read More…]