Fund Manager News

Strong returns continue through August It’s not often in your career such large outperformance is possible, let alone achieved. However, August will go down as a one of our best months on record, with all funds in positive territory and two funds achieving over a 10% return. Notable mention is to the Australasian Growth 2…

Health and safety are being prioritised in response to COVID-19 Companies are broadly improving gender diversity and pay gap disclosure There is a rising alignment with climate change reporting framework Many of New Zealand’s largest listed companies reported their financial results, as well as their sustainability initiatives, for the year and we observed some key themes this…

There are two concerns with expecting a recovery that sees activity and labour markets return to where they were prior to the onset of the virus. The first is the risk of a viral resurgence. This is already playing out to some extent in the United States and Australia, delaying re-opening efforts and likely leading…

International equity markets continued their surge higher last week. The benchmark U.S. S&P 500 index climbed 3.3% for the week and reached an all-time high. The weekly gain meant that the U.S. market has risen eight out of the last nine weeks. Markets in Europe were broadly higher as well. Closer to home, the NZX…

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It was a record-setting week for some major equity indices with the S&P 500 hitting a new all-time high near 3400, topping its mid-February high. Meanwhile, the NASDAQ 100 kept moving higher, recording its fourth-consecutive winning week, making yet another new all-time high. In New Zealand, the NZX 50 regained some of its recent losses,…

While a second Auckland lockdown is unlikely to have a major effect on financial markets it is a reminder that COVID-19 may be with us for some time. Rolling lockdowns over an extended period cannot be ruled out. This means being more selective than ever in the New Zealand companies we favour. Owning a portfolio…

MARKET COMMENTARY Markets remain resilient, even though uncertainty is widespread. Amazingly, the US market which was down a third in March/April, has vaulted back, reaching new highs in August. This has been the fastest bear market and subsequent correction for the S&P 500 market index on record. On the positive side, global corporate earnings have…

As the globally recognised benchmark for the consideration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues, the United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) provides the best practices to challenge investors around the world to incorporate these factors in their investment decision making. Russell Investments is pleased to announce that in 2020, the PRI awarded our…

With less than 100 days until the US Presidential election, Democratic challenger and former Vice-President Joe Biden is leading nationwide polls. Three months is a long time in politics, and if we learnt one thing from 2016 it is to never rule Trump out, but for now Biden is favourite to win. A common perception…

Committing capital to combatting climate change via private markets The threat of continued climate change presents very real financial risks to investment portfolios, both in regard to existing assets as well as future investments. Opportunities exist today - and the investable universe continues to expand - to commit capital in private markets on a global…

For equity investors, active ownership is the use of shareholder rights to advocate for good corporate governance and to improve the long-term value of a company. Corporate engagement is a direct dialogue between an investor and the company in which the asset owner or market practitioners are invested. Active ownership often utilises engagement to seek…