Financial advisers ready to drop cash



A vast majority of financial advisers surveyed by Zurich are looking to re-balance their clients' portfolios to hold less cash in the next 12 months.
Almost all would switch to growth assets, predominantly Australian shares, followed by international shares and direct equities.
"As the market goes through its cycle, it is likely the dependence on cash will eventually diminish," said Patric Noble, senior investment strategist at Zurich Investments.
"How long that cycle will be depends on timing, something we all acknowledge is notoriously hard to do," he added.
Confidence in the market, both their own and their clients', would be the catalyst to moving out of cash, with almost all advisers predicting the Australian market returns will be positive, but in the single digits.
The results of the survey, which included responses from 200 advisers, were released to promote Zurich Investments' Equity Income Fund, which Noble said gained exposure to shares "without riding the highs and lows of the market sentiment".
Recommended for you
The shift in scale and consolidation has led to substantial growth in large privately owned licensees, which have tipped past 20 per cent of advisers for the first time to make up 28.3 per cent of the industry.
ETF providers Betashares and BlackRock are reporting increased flows for currency hedged vehicles, but an adviser has warned on the potential tax implications of changing currency.
Bravura chair Matthew Quinn is to step down later this year, following the exit of CEO Andrew Russell, while its future priority is digital advice in Australia.
Financial advice has an important role to play in navigating family discussions around inheritance, according to CFS, with younger generations expecting a windfall of more than $500,000 while older ones try to meet their retirement needs.