Natixis Investment Managers has highlighted the top five questions that Australian financial advisers are hearing from their clients amid increasing economic uncertainty and volatility.

AFCA has urged financial advice firms that when recommending a product to clients where it receives any benefits, advisers must go beyond merely disclosing conflicts of interest.

As fund managers are urged to diversify their product ranges, they are finding a faster way to do this is via an acquisition of existing firms but experts say it is not without potential culture clashes.

Women still account for less than one-quarter of Australia’s financial advice profession, with only two firms with more than 100 advisers having 30 per cent female advisers.

Ninety One has launched a global equities Global Franchise Fund to wholesale investors in Australia and envisages expanding the wholesale range in the future.

MUFG Pension and Market Services has expanded its partnership with proxy voting and investor communication platform Proxymity into the Australian market, following success in the UK.

Questions have been raised regarding the viability of the current Australian Financial Services licensing regime, and the role that licensees have to play in monitoring and supporting the profession.

Almost 30 staff at AMP could be affected by changes to its marketing and communications team, Money Management understands, as it makes two senior hires.

Superannuation fund Cbus has announced it will offer a financial advice offering for its members and their partners called Advice Essentials Plus.

ASIC’s relief measures enabling advisers to rely on website disclosure information instead of providing a Financial Services Guide has been welcomed by the industry association.