Dream run may be over as credit faces headwinds

Original article by David Rogers
The Australian – Page: 28 : 11-Jul-18

The S&P/ASX 200 failed to reach a new 10-year high on 10 July, with the banking sector leading the market lower. Jonathan Mott of UBS notes that the Australian market had significantly outperformed its global peers between early April and early July, although this had followed a sharp fall in the March quarter. Meanwhile, a number of factors may weigh on the local bourse in the lead-up to the August reporting season, including the potential for the US-China trade war to escalate.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, BANK OF QUEENSLAND LIMITED – ASX BOQ, SUNCORP BANK, AMP BANK LIMITED, PEPPER GROUP LIMITED, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

AMP warns planners on risky advice

Original article by Alice Uribe
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 10-Jul-18

AMP appears reluctant to retain self-employed financial planners under its operating licence, as it continues to be impacted by the "fee for no service" scandal. AMP is understood to have given some self-employed planners just months to find a new operating licence. Meanwhile, the Australian Securities & Investments Commission has confirmed that plans to continue its investigation of AMP over the fees scandal.

CORPORATES
AMP LIMITED – ASX AMP, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, HILLROSS FINANCIAL SERVICES LIMITED, IPAC FINANCIAL CARE LIMITED, CHARTER FINANCIAL PLANNING LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC PROSECUTIONS, ADVISER SOLUTIONS PTY LTD, CONNECT FINANCIAL SERVICES BROKERS

Strategists offer their wisdom on ASX outlook for 2018-19

Original article by Sarah Turner
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 : 2-Jul-18

The S&P/ASX 200 gained 8.6 per cent during 2017-18, ending the financial year at 6,194 points. The energy sector rose 37 per cent and the material sector added 24 per cent. Equities strategists are generally upbeat about the outlook for commodity prices and the resources sector in 2018-19, although some are bearish about bank stocks. Meanwhile, Chris Nicol of Morgan Stanley expects the S&P/ASX 200 to be trading at 5,950 points at the end of 2018-19, while Tony Brennan of Citigroup has a target of 6,650 points.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, MORGAN STANLEY AUSTRALIA LIMITED, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, JP MORGAN AUSTRALIA LIMITED, GOLDMAN SACHS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, CSL LIMITED – ASX CSL, TREASURY WINE ESTATES LIMITED – ASX TWE, ARISTOCRAT LEISURE LIMITED – ASX ALL, THE A2 MILK COMPANY LIMITED – ASX A2M, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ

Banks to stick with advice charges

Original article by Anthony Klan
The Australian – Page: 8 : 29-Jun-18

Westpac-owned BT recently stated that it will abolish so-called "grandfathered" advice charges for customers with legacy investment products. AMP, National Australia Bank, ANZ, and the Commonwealth Bank have indicated that they will still impose the charges. The Productivity Commission noted in a recent report that around 630,000 superannuation accounts are subject to trailing commissions, with such charges having a detrimental impact on their balances.

CORPORATES
WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, BT FINANCIAL GROUP PTY LTD, AMP LIMITED – ASX AMP, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION

ASX sails to 8pc return with BHP leading the pack

Original article by Vesna Poljak
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 29 : 29-Jun-18

Australia’s benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index has posted a gain of 8.6 per cent prior to dividends so far in 2017-18, after rising 9.3 per cent in 2016-17. BHP Billiton, CSL and Macquarie Group have been the biggest contributors to the local market’s gains in the current financial year. Citigroup has forecast that the ASX 200 will rise to 6,500 points in 2018-19, while the consensus of analysts is for earnings-per-share growth of eight per cent in 2018-19.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, CSL LIMITED – ASX CSL, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, AMP LIMITED – ASX AMP, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, XERO LIMITED – ASX XRO, WISETECH GLOBAL LIMITED – ASX WTC, AFTERPAY TOUCH GROUP LIMITED – ASX APT, ALTIUM LIMITED – ASX ALU, APPEN LIMITED – ASX APX, BLOOMBERG LP, STANDARD AND POOR’S 500 INDEX, WILSON ASSET MANAGEMENT, ATLAS FUNDS MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, BIS OXFORD ECONOMICS PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MISCONDUCT IN THE BANKING, SUPERANNUATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY

Remarkable rebound as June changes its tune

Original article by David Rogers
The Australian – Page: 29 : 22-Jun-18

Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 has gained nearly three per cent since the start of 2018 and nine per cent so far in 2017-18. However, the market typically posts strong gains in the second half of June, after the tax-loss selling and profit warning season has run its course and bank stocks rebound from initial falls after trading ex-dividend. Meanwhile, bank dividend payments traditionally boost the local market in July, although factors such as the potential for a US-China trade war remain a risk to Australian equities.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, AMP CAPITAL INVESTORS LIMITED, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, BLOOMBERG LP, CSL LIMITED – ASX CSL, ARISTOCRAT LEISURE LIMITED – ASX ALL, TREASURY WINE ESTATES LIMITED – ASX TWE, QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED – ASX QAN, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, RAMSAY HEALTH CARE LIMITED – ASX RHC, UNITED STATES. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

Investors run for cover amid trade tension

Original article by David Rogers
The Australian – Page: 19 & 28 : 20-Jun-18

The Australian dollar has fallen to a 13-month low amid renewed concerns about a US-China trade war. The local bourse eased slightly on 19 June but Asian markets fell sharply, with China’s Shanghai Composite Index and Shenzhen Composite Index shedding 3.8 per cent and 5.7 per cent respectively. A move by US President Donald Trump to look at imposing tariffs on more Chinese products prompted China to warn that it would respond in kind, and Louis Kuijis of Oxford Economics says such a move would affect economic growth in China, the US and globally.

CORPORATES
SHANGHAI COMPOSITE INDEX, SHENZHEN COMPOSITE INDEX, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, OXFORD ECONOMICS LIMITED, OANDA AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, HANG SENG INDEX, KOSPI INDEX, NIKKEI 225 INDEX, NASDAQ, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA

Top financial advisers rush for the exits

Original article by James Kirby
The Australian – Page: 19 : 13-Jun-18

The second annual list of Australia’s Top Fifty Financial Advisers shows that 29 are no longer affiliated with a financial services group such as a bank or insurance company. The growing trend for financial advisers to become non-aligned has coincided with the banking royal commission and moves by some of the major banks to retreat from the wealth management sector. The list is compiled by "The Australian" in partnership with financial magazine "Barron’s".

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MISCONDUCT IN THE BANKING, SUPERANNUATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY, AMP LIMITED – ASX AMP, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC

Markets take cautious view of historic talks

Original article by David Rogers
The Australian – Page: 19 & 28 : 13-Jun-18

The summit meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has had relatively little impact on global financial markets. Royal Bank of Canada’s Sue Trinh says the upcoming release of key economic data in the US and Australia will be a greater focus for financial markets in the near-term, noting that the two leaders differ on just what "complete denuclearisation" on the Korean peninsula will entail. Meanwhile, the US Federal Reserve is tipped to tighten monetary policy at its monthly meeting.

CORPORATES
UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, ROYAL BANK OF CANADA, UNITED STATES. FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, EUROPEAN CENTRAL BANK, BANK OF JAPAN, KOSPI INDEX, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX

Two banks warn of big payouts if grandfathered deal ends

Original article by Joanna Mather
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 18 : 28-May-18

Certain commissions paid to financial advisers were banned as part of the Future of Financial Advice reforms in 2013. However, other types of commissions were "grandfathered". Michael Wright of Westpac subsidiary BT Financial Group has told the banking royal commission that grandfathered commissions should also be banned, but the ANZ Bank and AMP disagree. They have suggested that the federal government might have to pay compensation to advisers if grandfathered commissions were banned, while they have also suggested that a ban could be in breach of the Constitution.

CORPORATES
BT FINANCIAL GROUP PTY LTD, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MISCONDUCT IN THE BANKING, SUPERANNUATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, AMP LIMITED – ASX AMP, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY