Global equities hit confidence high


Despite recent global events, Australian fund managers are favouring international shares over Australian equities for the first time in over two years, according to a survey by Russell Investments.
The quarterly Investment Manager Outlook survey found that factors in Libya, Japan, China and Europe have not stopped Australian managers from holding increased confidence in a strong global recovery.
Russell portfolio manager Scott Bennett said the outlook could be attributed to managers seeing signs of recovery in Europe, along with stronger growth in the United States.
“The strong Aussie dollar is making offshore assets appear cheap at current valuations and with all signs pointing to a recovery in developed international economies, managers are seeing increasing opportunities offshore,” Bennett said.
But while managers have not overseas factors dent their confidence towards international equities, they are mindful of possible factors that will impact on returns.
Topping the managers’ list of events to watch is the sustainability of China’s growth, with the risk of a slowdown being a significant point to watch for Australian investors.
Recommended for you
The alternative investment manager has signalled its intentions to repackage an existing fund into a second private equity vehicle, targeting both listed and unlisted opportunities.
The acquisition of Mason Stevens by Adamantem Capital has reached completion, as the wealth platform looks to increase investment into its services for Australian wealth practices.
Platinum Asset Management and VanEck have both announced name changes to multiple of their ETFs to clarify their complexity.
Active ETFs are gaining traction in Asia-Pacific as wealth managers seek to blend the low-cost fees of passive with active management.