Financial Standard

Former Income AM director launches fixed income advisory

MATTHEW WAI   A former Income Asset Management executive director has launched Ancora Fixed Income Advisory for high-net-worth clients targeting the defensive asset class.

FAAA says super trustees should stump up for CSLR

RIDDHIMA TALWANI   The Financial Advice Association Australia (FAAA) has called on Treasury to cut the Compensation Scheme of Last Resort (CSLR) special levy on the advice sector to zero and for superannuation trustees to stump up for the scheme.

Natixis IM secures Singapore equity market mandate

VINNY VUCAGO  |    12:28PM   Natixis Investment Managers (Natixis IM) has been appointed by Singapore's central bank under a $7.3 billion (S$6.5bn) programme aimed at deepening the country's equities market and attracting broader investor participation.

IFM looks offshore for renewable lending opportunities

RIDDHIMA TALWANI  |    12:16PM   Australia is losing out to the global market and increasingly to Asia when it comes to renewables lending from one of the country's biggest fund managers, with IFM Investors executive director and co-head of APAC diversified credit Hiran Wanigasekera saying the risk-return trade-off is simply better offshore.

Genetic testing ban takes effect for life insurance

VINNY VUCAGO   Australians can access genetic testing without risking discrimination in life insurance under a new ban that took effect on October 8, with the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) also updating its rules to handle complaints involving adverse genetic test results.

Life CCC spots 10.6k breaches in FY26

MATTHEW WAI   The Life Code Compliance Committee has published its FY26 annual report, which saw over 10,600 breaches by insurers with close to 30,000 customers affected.

AMP Super launches new app

VINNY VUCAGO   AMP Super has launched a new app aimed at helping members better understand their retirement position, plan for the future and manage income.

AMP, CFS and Vision Super get the Epic Retirement Tick

RIDDHIMA TALWANI   Three super funds, AMP Super, CFS FirstChoice and Vision Super, have joined the line-up of funds that have received the Epic Retirement Tick from Chant West and the Epic Retirement Institute.

Lowe slams government spending

ELIZA BAVIN   Former RBA governor Philip Lowe has slammed government spending, public policy and overregulation revealing his thoughts on the current state of the economy.

Interest rates at highest level in 15 years

MATTHEW WAI   The monetary policy board of the Reserve Bank of Australia unanimously agreed to increase the interest rate by 25 basis points to 4.6%, the highest level since 2011.

ASIC seeks 10-year extension of CFD protections

VINNY VUCAGO  |    12:06PM   ASIC is proposing to extend its product intervention order governing contracts for difference (CFDs) until 2037, while tightening protections to address risks posed by increasingly varied ways of settling the complex, leveraged products.

Former Western AM investment chief to receive final judgement

MATTHEW WAI  |    11:39AM   The Securities and Exchange Commission has moved for a final judgement against the former co-chief investment officer of Western Asset Management, which could result in $147 million (US$103m) returned to harmed investors.

Mason Stevens farewells managing director

MATTHEW WAI  |    12:04PM   Mason Stevens managing director, global investment service has wrapped up his seven-year tenure at the company.

Acenda Life appoints chief commercial officer

RIDDHIMA TALWANI  |    11:57AM   Acenda Life has appointed its group chief people and culture officer Ross Miller as the new chief commercial officer.

Super payments doubled since July 1: ASFA

RIDDHIMA TALWANI  |    12:01PM   Four months into Payday Super, the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) said the policy is working as intended, with the number of payments going into Australian workers' super accounts each month having more than doubled since July 1.

Two in three Aussies support super top-up for carers

RIDDHIMA TALWANI   Two in three Australians support a government-funded superannuation top-up for people who take time out of paid work to care for children or other family members, according to new research.

Finura brings AI engineering in house with merger

MATTHEW WAI   Finura Group has merged with a software engineering business to bring artificial intelligence agent technology and sovereign cloud services in house.

AI overtakes superfunds for investor education

VINNY VUCAGO   Artificial intelligence (AI) has overtaken superannuation funds as a source of investment information among younger, highly knowledgeable Australian investors, according to new research from Global X.

Australia's family offices surpass $323bn in assets

RIDDHIMA TALWANI   Family offices in Australia have surpassed $323 billion in assets, according to data from Rainmaker Information.

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.