Why we need to focus on fund research to fix capitalism’s ills October 24, 2017 “We have met the enemy and he is us.” — Walt Kelly We blame capitalism for most of our modern ills, from climate change to phones that die every two years. Yet we rarely bother to read the sales pitch our accountant, banker, or adviser gives us for the funds to invest our hard-earned money [...]
‘Be alert but not alarmed’ – why is information security so difficult? October 18, 2017 A few months ago, I saw a terrifying warning when I logged into my personal email account. It read: “Government-backed attackers may be trying to steal your password,” and boy, did it get my attention. Apparently, a number of people have received these warnings since 2012, and the summary advice on what to do about [...]
Nobel Laureate Richard H. Thaler on the end of behavioural finance October 11, 2017 Richard H. Thaler, the US economist who elevated the word ‘nudge’ to a political catchphrase, can now add ‘Nobel laureate’ to his impressive biography. In a statement, the Royal Swedish Academy said that Thaler, who won the 2017 prize in economics for his contributions to behavioural economics, “has incorporated psychologically realistic assumptions into analyses of economic [...]
How robo-advisers have changed the industry, and how they haven’t October 9, 2017 If you’re in the business of advising investment clients, Randy Cass, CFA, has some advice: You will become obsolete unless you figure out how to add value beyond client portfolio maintenance. Cass is the founder of Nest Wealth, an independent digital wealth platform that is now the largest robo-adviser in Canada, and he sees [...]
How does factor investing stack up? A historical overview October 3, 2017 Interest in ‘factor investing’ reached an all-time high in May according to Google Trends. As a result, fund management companies and investment banks released a flood of smart beta and risk premia products. Investors should consider the market outlook for these products since factors can have significant multi-year drawdowns just like the equity markets. [...]
The changing face of careers: How to plan for an un-retirement September 27, 2017 Trish Wheaton, former global managing partner of one of the world’s largest communications groups, is grateful that she could work for 30 years in advertising — an industry notorious for employing youthful ‘mad men’. While she wasn’t surprised when told that her time was up at age 65, she also wasn’t ready for a [...]
How to foster trust and create value in the investment industry September 20, 2017 The “Future State of the Investment Profession” study by CFA Institute explores evolving states of trust and their interdependence with demonstrating and creating value. To get a better understanding of what it means for investment professionals to provide value and how that relates to building trust and improving investor outcomes, we discussed these topics [...]
Monday dread? Maybe it’s time to reassess your career goals September 18, 2017 Are you feeling stuck in your current career path? Facing seemingly insurmountable obstacles you no longer want to tackle? Feeling trapped in a dead-end position or just plain bored to tears? You are definitely not alone. If you’ve been pushing hard but your career is stuck in neutral, it’s probably time for a change. [...]
What happens to the markets if America goes to war? August 31, 2017 The stock market hates uncertainty, and there is plenty of uncertainty with respect to the tensions over the latest round of North Korean missile tests. This post, originally published 13 September 2013, focused on the violence in the Middle East, specifically Syria, and the potential that the United States could enter the conflict and [...]
How does ‘Purposeful Capitalism’ influence risk management? August 23, 2017 Purposeful Capitalism describes an evolution of capitalism wherein the investment industry becomes more professional, ethical, and client-centric. The scenario detailed in the Future State of the Investment Profession study examines ways in which organisations may evolve with greater focus placed on transforming culture; the integration of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors; and their [...]
