Federal election boosts planner sentiment
The election of a Coalition Government has led to a significant improvement in financial planner sentiment, according to the latest data released by Wealth Insights.
The data, the result of a survey of around 300 financial planners in the fortnight immediately following the Federal Election, has seen a startling turnaround in sentiment, which in the months running up to the poll had plumbed depths close to those witnessed during the dark days of the global financial crisis (GFC).
Commenting on the results, Wealth Insights managing director Vanessa McMahon said the result was undeniably linked to the outcome of the Federal Election — and the expectation that a Coalition Government would be altering what were perceived to be some of the worst elements of the Future of Financial Advice changes.
She said the result had been that the Wealth Insights Adviser Sentiment Index had risen to 55 points — the highest level it had reached since before the GFC.
McMahon said planner positivity had been reflected in other elements of her company's research, with business expectations moving back into more positive territory.
She said the business outlook was the best it had been in five years, with over two-thirds of advisers expecting their businesses to be better off over the next 12 months.
As well, McMahon said that two-thirds of the advisers surveyed expected above-average returns on a typical portfolio over the next 12 months.
Recommended for you
The FSCP has announced its latest verdict, suspending an adviser’s registration for failing to comply with his obligations when providing advice to three clients.
Having sold Madison to Infocus earlier this year, Clime has now set up a new financial advice licensee with eight advisers.
With licensees such as Insignia looking to AI for advice efficiencies, they are being urged to write clear AI policies as soon as possible to prevent a “Wild West” of providers being used by their practices.
Iress has revealed the number of clients per adviser that top advice firms serve, as well as how many client meetings they conduct each week.