Christmas has come early for the bank’s shareholders with the decision to slightly increase the 2024 dividend – despite a single-digit decline in the net profit and cash earnings.
Beating the market benchmark is never easy, with 72 per cent of Australian actively managed global equity general funds trailing the S&P World Index in the six months to June 30, 2024. Domestic equity funds performed slightly better, albeit against a significantly lower bar set by the S&P/ASX 200 Index.
Robotics are set to change the game
The late Stephen Hawkins once warned humanity about robotics and artificial intelligence. AI could take off on its own and re-design itself. He said “the development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race.”
He wasn’t alone with his concerns, Elon Musk, tech entrepreneur of Tesla and Space X, also warned that AI is “our biggest existential threat.” Terminator, I Robot, The Matrix – these science fiction movies also paint a miserable picture. However, according to Wyatt Newman, professor of engineering at Case Western Reserve University and advisor at ROBO Global, mainstream media have painted the wrong picture. Robotics of the future will actually make life easier for humanity, creating more room for optimism than despair.
Despite the pessimistic views, robots have solved many of the world problems and technology is a long way from developing the algorithms needed to achieve full artificial intelligence. Mr Newman says, “In space exploration, robots are being developed by NASA to fix satellites and refuel ships. As robots can function perfectly in outer space (unlike humans) space exploration is likely to remain an area of key development in this field.”
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Medicine and healthcare are areas where robots can play a larger role. For example, innovative solutions like surgical robots and smart wheelchairs can revolutionise the healthcare space.
“Robots have been used in surgery for over a decade, made famous by companies like Intuitive Surgical. But new technology is improving medical robots, allowing them to perform more complex procedures. Among the improvements is a ‘sense of touch’, which allows robots to behave more like surgeons.
For the millennial generation, the eSports, virtual reality, augmented reality, avatars, buying and selling goods over the internet… it’s all part of the metaverse. And this space is growing exponentially. Mr Newman says, “And finally, to support a deeper metaverse – and especially its video gaming component, which is believed to be one of the biggest growth areas within the metaverse – microchip technology needs continuous development. And microchip advances also support AI. Nvidia, which cut its teeth creating graphics cards for video game consoles, now provides the standard microchips for AI systems.”
Kanish Chugh, Head of Distribution, ETF Securities adds: “The ETFS ROBO Global Robotics and Automation ETF (ASX Code: ROBO) offers investors exposure to the robotics, automation and artificial intelligence (RAAI) revolution. ROBO identifies the best-in-class robotics companies around the world. For investors today, ROBO may be used as a tool to express long-term strategic or short-term tactical views on the growing trend for robotics, automation and artificial intelligence. It can also aid portfolio diversification via investment in emerging industries that are largely not present in the Australian market.”
| ROBO – Top Portfolio Holdings | ||
| Rank | Holdings | % |
| 1 | Azenta Inc | 1.80% |
| 2 | iRobot Corp | 1.80% |
| 3 | Fanuc Corp | 1.70% |
| 4 | Intuitive Surgic | 1.70% |
| 5 | Kardex Holdi-Reg | 1.70% |
| 6 | Harmonic Drive | 1.70% |
| 7 | IPG Photonics | 1.70% |
| 8 | Airtac | 1.70% |
| 9 | Servicenow Inc | 1.60% |
| 10 | Cognex Corp | 1.60% |
