Editorial

Suncorp Group announces profit despite natural disasters

Suncorp Group has announced a $389 million NPAT for the six months to 31 December 2011, with general insurance contributing $162 million despite the impact of natural dis...

Editorial

WHK transformation sees profit hit

WHK has taken a first half profit hit amid volatile markets and a business transformation, but is optimistic about the outlook....

Editorial

Challenger's 'excellent' half-year result

The times suit Challenger as annuities growth translates into record half-year result....

Editorial

Understanding risk in asset allocation: cash, bonds and equities

Elizabeth Moran looks at the broad risk-and-return characteristics of three investment classes: cash, bonds and equities in the Australian market between October 1989 and...

Editorial

FOFA's missing pieces

Although the process involving the upcoming FOFA reforms commenced a few years ago, the reforms package still looks like an unsolved jigsaw puzzle, writes Pam Roberts....

Editorial

Superannuation fiddling rubs industry the wrong way

The recent announcement by Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan that he had convened a Superannuation Roundtable seems to thoroughly misunderstand the consequences that go with c...

Editorial

Why the outlook for markets has changed

In his market forecast for 2012, Ron Bewley has a stronger sense of positive outcomes in the next 12 months....

Editorial

Financial services loses its appetite for recruitment

The financial services industry is slowly losing its recruitment drive as economic and regulatory uncertainties linger. However, while some find it difficult to grow, oth...

Editorial

Independent financial planners can weather the storm

An almost inevitable consequence of the Commonwealth Bank's acquisition of Count Financial is that some of Count's financial planners have signalled they feel uncomfortab...

Editorial

Superannuation reform requires more than just words

The Government may be talking the talk with respect to simplifying superannuation, but according to Liz Westover its actions on excess concessional contributions suggest ...

Editorial

FOFA flaws laid bare by PJC

It became apparent during the Parliamentary Joint Committee hearings held to review the Future of Financial Advice (FOFA) bills that the legislation requires significant ...

Editorial

Is FOFA an unbridgeable divide?

Mike Taylor reports that the likelihood of a bipartisan report and meaningful amendments emerging from the Parliamentary Joint Committee reviewing the FOFA bills is becom...