AustralianSuper

Institutional investors get it. So do some financial advisers. But for most SMSFs, sovereign and corporate debt is the forgotten asset class – despite the defensive benefits it can deliver.

That old saying, you reap what you sow, is very apt when it comes to retirement, with an AustralianSuper study revealing that those taking a keen interest in their superannuation in the accumulation phase being more positive about their golden years.

To fill Australia’s financial advice gap and empower better financial and retirement outcomes for millions, the government’s plan will create a “new class of advisers” from the institutional ranks to provide simple advice to customers. Industry groups have applauded the move.

Switching to a sustainable pension fund is one of the most effective ways to reduce a person’s carbon footprint, with no performance tradeoff required. As the need for climate solutions grows more urgent, the momentum for environmentally friendly investment options in Australia’s $3.5 trillion super sector is gathering pace.

Retail investors now have several ways to access private equity investment and its potential of resilient returns, particularly after a recession. But experts say investors should be aware this asset class also comes with some risk.

Overseas, Australia’s biggest super fund is a small fish in a massive pond. To achieve the scale it wants it will have to dive deeper into the private markets, meeting stiff competition from its North American peers along the way.

AustralianSuper chief investment officer and deputy chief executive, Mark Delaney, says bonds provide a diversification benefit but not as much as in the past because now yields are so low. Speaking at a Bloomberg investment webinar last week, Delaney said: “We will be looking for other sources of diversification. Those might include unlisted assets, currency…

The superannuation industry is deeply divided over whether the government’s decision to change the super early release rules is really in the interest of the super fund members.

The measure allows Australians to apply via myGov for access of up to $10,000 of their superannuation from April this year and an additional $10,000 from July 1 2020 for another three months.