ARTICLES

During the last 30-40 year investment period, investors have been spoilt by an unusually favourable period for investments and asset prices. Following the high inflation and low growth period of the 1970s – when stocks and bonds did very poorly – inflation pressures finally subsided as did high interest rates. Furthermore, we had a massive period of peaceful prosperity and globalisation, enabling lower prices and greater economic efficiency. This created excellent conditions for most asset classes to flourish and with it growth orientated static Strategic Asset Allocation (SAA) portfolios and low-cost index funds.

The idea that we should invest to meet our needs and goals is basic common sense. However, somewhat surprisingly, that is not what most players within the investment industry do.

Financial advisers can sometimes struggle to communicate the total value of advice to prospective clients - particularly in the face of concerted campaigns around industry super, index funds and emerging low-cost Robo advisers. However, a new report by Russel Investments has made it easier for advisers to create a clear, credible and attractive client value proposition that they can use to promote their business.

A thriving financial advice business looks very different today than it did only a few years ago. Increasingly stringent regulations and higher client expectations have left traditional advice firms struggling to make headway - with thousands exiting the industry. Interestingly, advisers prepared to adopt a modern financial planner business model are quickly filling the void and boosting their profitability at the same time.

The COVID-19 pandemic has upended world economies, bringing with it sweeping changes in the way money is managed. Strategies that worked well to generate wealth in the past are likely to bring disappointing results in the years ahead, making it vital for financial advisers to adjust how they approach portfolio management.

Being in lockdown can bring feelings of uncertainty and despondency, but taking advantage of the imposed downtime to work on your advice business may help instil hope and position your firm for a brighter future once the pandemic is behind us.

A large portion of the financial advice sector is struggling under mounting compliance and governance demands, prompting some to leave the industry. While the old way of doing business is becoming less and less profitable amid higher regulatory costs, some advice firms are taking advantage of the regulatory reforms to find better solutions for their business and gain a unique competitive advantage.

Today's extraordinarily challenging market conditions have heightened investor uncertainty. High inflation is set to remain for the foreseeable future, following a downward trend over the last three decades. Central banks forecast that tightened monetary policy will result in sustained elevated interest rates. These shifts have dramatic implications for traditional asset classes, impacting portfolio risk management.

Managed discretionary accounts (MDA) address two critical issues facing financial advice firms; the rising costs and inefficiencies caused by increased compliance requirements and changing client expectations for better transparency and investment performance. 

These aren’t normal times. All asset prices are inflated, and not just by a little bit. Arguably we are living through one of the biggest bubbles in asset prices of all time given the massive government support required to keep the bubble inflated with massively inflated valuations during such lacklustre economic conditions. At the same time, there is an indelible belief in passive and quasi-passive investing.