Fund Manager News

Greg Fleming - Head of Investment Strategy, New Zealand Greg talks through the heavy impacts of the Coronavirus on markets over the past month as investors moved into panic phase. There is opportunity being presented with a variety of over-valued asset classes returning to better entry levels, assuming the current crisis can be contained. Market Watch April…

Senior Analyst Frances Sweetman and Portfolio Manager Mark Riggall answered the top questions we’re being asked regarding the financial impact of Coronavirus and how we’re actively positioning our funds through this turbulent environment.

We’re writing to let you know that we have made some changes to the way we apply buy/sell spreads to some of our funds. With the outbreak of COVID-19 and subsequent lock-down, volatility in investment markets has increased dramatically. This has been the case particularly in bond markets where trading costs have risen significantly. When…

Events surrounding the pandemic continue to evolve fast and furious. Yesterday morning, on March 23, the Federal Reserve (Fed) announced a range of new actions, dramatic in terms of both initiative and scale. However, the nature of the economic crisis would suggest a lot more will come before this is over. Events surrounding the pandemic…

The US forces stationed in the Philippines in 1942, faced an impossible task. The Japanese Imperial army had taken control of most of South East Asia and there would be no more relief supplies. General MacArthur focused his remaining troops into the Bataan Peninsula where they fought for their life for three months, to distract…

" … Our central case is that global growth begins to recover in the second half of the year as the virus outbreak fades … " - Andrew Pease, Global Head of Investment Strategy "Events, dear boy, events" was how former British prime minister Harold Macmillan described the unpredictability of politics, and the same can…

22 Mar 2020 - Joe Davis, Vanguard global chief economist In only a few months, COVID-19 has spread around the world. The extreme measures being taken to protect us, to combat the disease's spread, should be positive for public health. But such a step necessarily involves a trade-off. In appropriately prioritizing human health, we in…

24th March - Greg Fleming, Head of Investment Strategy “ … Probability is the only mathematical tool available to help map the unknown and the uncontrollable. It is fortunate that this tool, while tricky, is extraordinarily powerful and convenient for those who are able to deploy it. (Benoit Mandelbrot, the founder of fractal theory) … “…

17th March - Wayne Gentle - Chief Investment Officer & Head of Australian Investments We appreciate many of you will be feeling unsettled by the current and unfolding situation impacting our lives and the world’s financial markets. We want to keep you informed of this fast-moving situation which is receiving a very high level of…

23rd March 2020 - Daniel Mead Investment Research Manager - Wellington The implications of a global pandemic are far reaching. What started as a virus outbreak and tragic loss of life quickly morphed into a Chinese supply shock, then rapidly became a global demand shock sharply impacting consumer spending habits. The flow on effect is now hitting businesses…

23rd March 2020 - Carrick Lucas - Portfolio Manager Wellington The RBNZ today announced it would purchase up to NZ$30bn of NZ Government bonds over the next 12 months as part of a  “Large Scale Asset Purchase Programme” (LSAP) – also known as quantitative easing (or QE). This follows similar actions by central banks across the globe in…

InvestNow News - 20th Mar - Russell Investments - Market Update 16th March At 8am this morning, the RBNZ cut the overnight cash rate to 0.25% (from 1%) and the US Fed cut rates to 0% and introduced a QE5 (Quantitative Easing) package of US$500 billion in Treasuries and $200 billion in Mortgage-Backed Securities. For…