Financial Standard

4D Infrastructure moves to Perennial

VINNY VUCAGO  |    4:17PM   4D Infrastructure will not be joining the other Bennelong Funds Management affiliates that have been sold off to Antipodes Partners and will instead move to Perennial Partners.

MDS drags Treasury to assess FSC levy proposal

RIDDHIMA TALWANI  |    12:35PM   My Dealer Services (MDS) has called on Treasury to assess the Financial Services Council's (FSC) latest proposal to lift levies paid by licensees to ASIC, which it describes as an "attack" on small licensees.

Antipodes Partners acquires Bennelong FM

RIDDHIMA TALWANI  |    12:43PM   Antipodes Partners will acquire Bennelong Funds Management from Bangarra Group, which includes investment affiliates Quay Global Investors, Bennelong Australian Equity Partners and Skerryvore Asset Management.

ETF Shares offers new currency hedged ETFs

MATTHEW WAI  |    12:36PM   ETF Shares has launched two new currency hedged ETFs aiming to reduce the impact of currency movements when investing in US technology companies.

Australian life insurers lag global peers: Capgemini

MATTHEW WAI   A new survey from Capgemini found that Australian life insurers are stowed behind the global average when it comes to member engagement and educational efforts.

AIA Australia rolls out TPD CORE

KARREN VERGARA   AIA Australia has launched TPD CORE, a new retail product that charges lower premiums and provides clearer claim assessment criteria for total and permanent disability (TPD).

ART leads retirement product race, others wrestle with covenant

KARREN VERGARA  |    11:46AM   Superannuation funds continue to grapple with their Retirement Income Covenant obligations, underscored by Australian Retirement Trust (ART) being the only fund from a sample that has successfully brought two products to market.

Russell launches retirement solution

VINNY VUCAGO   Russell Investments has launched retirement solutions comprising two managed portfolios and a retirement calculator, aimed at helping advisers manage the competing liquidity and growth needs of Australians entering retirement.

ECB hikes rates, economists expect RBA might be next

RIDDHIMA TALWANI   The European Central Bank (ECB) has raised the interest rates on the deposit facility by 25 basis points to 2.5%, in a bid to stabilise inflation at its 2% target in the medium term, as conflicts in the Middle East continue to generate inflation pressures.

Labor moves to kill non-compete clauses in productivity push

RIDDHIMA TALWANI   The Labor government has put forward a draft bill to ban non-compete clauses for employees whose earnings are equal to or less than the high-income threshold, in a bid to promote productivity and competition in the broader economy.

Australian Fiduciaries auditor suspended for three years

RIDDHIMA TALWANI  |    12:19PM   Queensland-based Australian Fiduciaries' auditor Cameron Bradley, formerly a partner of PKF Brisbane Audit, has been suspended for three years by the Companies Auditors Disciplinary Board (CADB) until 30 June 2028.

Regulatory reform omnibus bill passage trims CSLR levy disallowance period, payouts

KARREN VERGARA   The passage of Regulatory Reform Omnibus Bill 2026 overnight will amend how levies are collected under the Compensation Scheme of Last Resort (CSLR) and pay compensation to eligible victims more quickly.

UniSuper hires former TesltraSuper's head of retirement

MATTHEW WAI  |    12:45PM   The super fund has appointed a former TelstraSuper executive to lead its advice strategy, research governance and technical frameworks.

Mirvac names new funds management chief

VINNY VUCAGO  |    11:56AM   Mirvac has appointed a new chief executive for its funds management business as the property group continues to build out its investment platform and capital partnerships.

Super turns a safety-net retirement into a comfortable one: ASFA

RIDDHIMA TALWANI   A comfortable retirement for a couple who own their own home now costs $1513 a week, according to the latest Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) Retirement Standard, which found that super remains key to comfortable retirement.

Trust emerges as key drivers of super fund loyalty

VINNY VUCAGO   Superannuation fund members are becoming more purposeful in their interactions with funds, while trust has emerged as the clearest driver of loyalty and advocacy, according to new CoreData research.

Asset managers turn to outsourcing, AI: Survey

VINNY VUCAGO  |    12:32PM   Global asset managers are sharpening their focus on core capabilities, increasing their use of outsourcing and tightening cost controls as they pursue more disciplined growth, according to a new Northern Trust survey.

Automic Group launches full-service fund admin, custody platform

MATTHEW WAI   Automic Group has launched its enhanced fund administration and custody platform to deliver an automated and scalable operating model for fund managers, supported by Northern Trust.

Mining, property fuel Aussie billionaires' wealth

KARREN VERGARA   Australian billionaires' riches are highly concentrated in mining, financial services, technology and property, accounting for 0.7% of the total US$15.1 trillion in global wealth studied by the 2026 Billionaire Census.

HNWIs demand outperforming, mission-driven endowment funds

KARREN VERGARA   High-net-worth investors' (HNWIs) increasing demand for philanthropy vehicles with robust governance, a clear mission and can outperform in equal measure is helping fuel the rise of endowment funds such as the Aspect Impact Fund.