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Adviser Resources

Market Insights

Markets Trek Higher on Approach to Peak Inflation

November 17, 2023
Stocks continued their strong November rally this week, as hopes grew that inflation has peaked and the Fed is nearing the end of its rate hiking cycle. The S&P 500 rose 1.9% on Tuesday following the cooler than expected US CPI print, bringing its gains for the month so far to 7%.
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Australian Dollar Slides on Divergent RBA and Fed Policy Messaging

November 10, 2023
Most markets were up slightly this week as the US tech stocks led the way for most of the week before falling back overnight as Jerome Powell struck a more hawkish tone, implying that while rates in the US may be near their peak they might have to stay there for a while longer.
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October's Financial Flux: A Precursor to Change in Investor Fortunes

November 3, 2023
During October, global markets experienced a downturn amidst inflation worries and the threat of rising interest rates, leading to a 2.7% fall in global equities and a 3.8% drop in Australian stocks, with tech sectors and major companies like Nvidia and Tesla taking notable hits. Despite the gloom, the materials sector saw gains, and gold shone brightly as a safe haven, appreciating by 7.3%.
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Stocks Stumble, Bonds Steady as Growth Fears Loom

October 27, 2023
Equity markets declined over the past week, with the S&P/ASX 300 down -3.3% and the MSCI World Ex Australia index falling 2.7% in local terms, but only -0.9% in Australian Dollar terms for the unhedged Australian investor. Most of the falls happened overnight as a higher-than-expected GDP number put upward pressure on short-term rates.
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Rising Rates Rattle Stocks as Geopolitical Risks Emerge

October 20, 2023
This week rates have headed resolutely upwards, and stocks have not liked it much with most markets heading steadily downwards throughout the week.
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Riding the Market Rollercoaster

October 13, 2023
If we had written this commentary early in the week as intended, we would have said that markets were still on the back foot, as they were down another few percent. However, having got to the end of this week things have improved quite a bit and most markets are now actually up a few percent, with China leading the way.
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Bad news equals good news

June 6, 2022
In recent years professional investors have got increasingly used to the fact that good news is bad news for markets because higher interest rates are likely to be necessary, and of course vice-versa. However, last week the effect was stronger than ever and stocks rallied mid-week amidst reports of widespread lay-offs and expectations of a weak US jobs report.
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‘Buy the dip’ opportunism start surfacing

May 30, 2022
The US market finally market caught a bid last week. Early in the week the market was down few percent after an earnings miss by ad dependent social media platform Snap (of Snapchat fame) combined with weak guidance raised more doubts about the economy and economic resilience of tech companies.
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US momentarily dips into official bear market territory

May 23, 2022
The seventh negative week in a row for the US sent it briefly into official bear market territory before it recovered slightly late on Friday. The world’s largest stocks (Apple, Microsoft Amazon and Google) are all down 25%.
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Global markets have become extremely US centric

May 16, 2022
Markets have been resting while the US sleeps and gyrating when US markets open. Most of the world market is listed in the US but the difference in volatility between the US has become ever more pronounced in recent weeks.
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Daily Volatility as high as mid-march 2020 levels

May 9, 2022
The US S&P 500 was down for the 5th week in a row last week but only by 0.6%, a margin that belied what was in fact an incredibly volatile week. The Nasdaq was up by over 5% on Wednesday only to fall by even more on Thursday.
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Highest inflation print in Australia since 2000

May 2, 2022
The Nasdaq finished the week with another 4% fall on Friday, closing down 13% for the month and more than 20% year to date. The wider US market was also down sharply and is now down 9% and 13% for the month and year to date respectively.
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Andrew Hunt's visit to New York and some key implications for global markets

September 1, 2023
Last week Andrew visited the InvestSense offices and shared his observations and findings from his visit to the United States, specifically New York.
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Equities turbulent but resilient as interest rates rise

March 1, 2023
Last week the S&P 500 traded in a 3% range, having done a 2% round trip on Thursday, followed by a 3% fall on Friday after the inflation data release and then another almost 2% round trip yesterday. Emerging markets were the worst performing, down 4% for the week. Taking a step back though, most equity markets haven’t given back that much of their gains from January, while Europe and the Nasdaq remain up 10% for the year.
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Strong start to the year continues despite recession concerns

January 24, 2023
As the world’s elite gathered in a snowless Davos, markets focused on much more immediate concerns, starting with the continuing wave of layoffs in corporate America. Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet (Google’s parent company), Salesforce and Goldman Sachs, among others, took turns to announce staff cuts. It would appear boardrooms and CEOs are lending some credence to the possibility of a recession in 2023.
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Inflation - Flash Update

September 14, 2022
In light of the recent inflation data coming out of the US, we dive in to why the market is so upset about a 0.1% increase in prices, and what this means from an Australian investor's perspective.
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Recession fears build, yet equity markets end the week higher

June 27, 2022
Fears of a US recession later this year gathered pace last week and the US equity market jumped by almost 7% and the Nasdaq was up some 9%.
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Bad news equals good news

June 6, 2022
In recent years professional investors have got increasingly used to the fact that good news is bad news for markets because higher interest rates are likely to be necessary, and of course vice-versa. However, last week the effect was stronger than ever and stocks rallied mid-week amidst reports of widespread lay-offs and expectations of a weak US jobs report.
Read More

Better World makes a difference with investment in renewables

January 4, 2023
There are many direct assets and funds that contribute positively to climate action within the InvestSense Better World Portfolios. Meridian Energy is one of the stand-out direct assets in the portfolio with a climate energy focus.
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Carbon credits and investing – is it the outcome we expect?

November 21, 2022
ETFs that invest in carbon credits are now available. Why should we assume that their price will go up over time? And does buying a carbon credit ETF actually contribute positively to emissions reduction? Will it actually generate the outcome investors are expecting? This article explores the issues around investing in carbon credits.
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Helping your clients assess the climate impact of their Portfolio

November 15, 2021
Nathan Fradley explains how the ethosesg technology can help you assess and design an ethical portfolio that aligns to an investor’s personal values.
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How Mark Lewin saved 13 hours a week with Managed Accounts

November 28, 2022
Mark Lewin was a financial planner, but is now the Director of Back Office Heros. In his planning business he gained significant efficiencies by recommending and implementing managed accounts for his clients. He tells us how...
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Bad news equals good news

June 6, 2022
In recent years professional investors have got increasingly used to the fact that good news is bad news for markets because higher interest rates are likely to be necessary, and of course vice-versa. However, last week the effect was stronger than ever and stocks rallied mid-week amidst reports of widespread lay-offs and expectations of a weak US jobs report.
Read More

‘Buy the dip’ opportunism start surfacing

May 30, 2022
The US market finally market caught a bid last week. Early in the week the market was down few percent after an earnings miss by ad dependent social media platform Snap (of Snapchat fame) combined with weak guidance raised more doubts about the economy and economic resilience of tech companies.
Read More

US momentarily dips into official bear market territory

May 23, 2022
The seventh negative week in a row for the US sent it briefly into official bear market territory before it recovered slightly late on Friday. The world’s largest stocks (Apple, Microsoft Amazon and Google) are all down 25%.
Read More

Adviser Brochures

Why Diversification Is Important | 2024 Update

Economic Scenario overview

Summary of the economic scenarios to be discussed at the Portfolio Construction Forum August 2023

InvestSense Better World Portfolios on Mason Stevens

A range of ethically managed diversified managed accounts

Investsense podcast

InvestSense Podcast

On our Podcast we regularly discuss and share information regarding current market conditions, investment solutions and industry trends.

If you want to stay up to date and get the latest industry news and updates, don't miss out on our Podcasts.

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Black and white image of a headphone representing the InvestSense podcast.
Image of a headphone representing the InvestSense podcast.
Never a smooth ride in the investment landscape

Turning points are always messy and if that is what we are experiencing last weeks data was typically noisy.

China wobbles and US tech down, while value is resilient

Last week markets continued in general to be on the back foot, particularly China, while global cyclicals remained strong.

Dissecting Economic Consensus: Preparing for the Portfolio Strategies Conference

In an in-depth exploration of global economic trends, we move past the mainstream consensus to unearth distinct and divergent viewpoints, with a keen focus on recent economic indicators from powerhouses like the US and China. As the Portfolio Strategies Conference looms on the horizon, our objective remains to decipher and anticipate these fluctuations and shifts. We're positioned at the cusp of an era characterized by not only unparalleled market volatility but also rapidly evolving economic paradigms. This assessment seeks to provide a comprehensive understanding of these changes and their potential implications for investors and strategists alike.

Investor Resources

Investor Insights

Better World Case Study - Brambles

February 6, 2023
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Better World makes a difference with investment in renewables

January 4, 2023
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Highest inflation print in Australia since 2000

May 2, 2022
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Rising rates and slowing growth, can't have one without the other

April 26, 2022
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A quiet week with some swelling volatility

April 19, 2022
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All eyes on the Ukraine and Russia border

February 24, 2022
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Investor Brochures

Market & Portfolio Update September 2023

Update on the markets and the portfolios for the InvestSense flagship Portfolios for the September quarter 2023

Better World case study - Accountable Institutions

Flyer on some of the companies that focus on corporate governance and benefits for employees in the Better World Portfolios

Better World Case Study - Healthcare

Flyer on the healthcare companies that are making a difference in the Better World portfolios

faqs

Explore some common questions asked by investors and advisers...

Why do InvestSense Portfolios have CPI+ objectives?

Investors should consider what they want to achieve for their investments in relation to 'real' returns - the returns in excess of inflation. Portfolios with CPI+ objectives aim to provide investors with a guide to what they can expect in real terms from their investment options.
Read More

What is a Managed Account?

A Managed Account is an investment portfolio managed by professional fund managers. It is a structure that allows the manager to make changes to the portfolio in line with market conditions.
Read More

What are the benefits of Managed Accounts?

Managed accounts offer a variety of benefits to both advisers and investors alike. Managed accounts provide access to professionally managed and structured portfolios designed to deliver returns in line with a client's risk tolerance and investment goals.
Read More

How do I convert my clients’ portfolios to Managed Accounts?

Switching into Managed Accounts can be daunting, but the value delivered by these accounts make it well worth the effort and reduces client management over time. With a project based approach, you can effectively migrate clients from existing portfolios into our Managed Accounts.
Read More

What is the InvestSense investment process?

We believe that an investment approach should always be focused on delivering value for our clients and investors. Our process is based on three pillars which include being valuation driven, forward looking and transparent.
Read More

What valuation methodology do InvestSense use?

We believe in following a value based investment approach based on our risk management framework and our forward looking valuation approach.
Read More

What is a Managed Account?

August 2, 2024
A Managed Account is an investment portfolio managed by professional fund managers. It is a structure that allows the manager to make changes to the portfolio in line with market conditions.
Read More

What are the benefits of Managed Accounts?

August 2, 2024
Managed accounts offer a variety of benefits to both advisers and investors alike. Managed accounts provide access to professionally managed and structured portfolios designed to deliver returns in line with a client's risk tolerance and investment goals.
Read More

How do I convert my clients’ portfolios to Managed Accounts?

August 2, 2024
Switching into Managed Accounts can be daunting, but the value delivered by these accounts make it well worth the effort and reduces client management over time. With a project based approach, you can effectively migrate clients from existing portfolios into our Managed Accounts.
Read More

Why do InvestSense Portfolios have CPI+ objectives?

September 23, 2024
Investors should consider what they want to achieve for their investments in relation to 'real' returns - the returns in excess of inflation. Portfolios with CPI+ objectives aim to provide investors with a guide to what they can expect in real terms from their investment options.
Read More

What is the InvestSense investment process?

August 2, 2024
We believe that an investment approach should always be focused on delivering value for our clients and investors. Our process is based on three pillars which include being valuation driven, forward looking and transparent.
Read More

What valuation methodology do InvestSense use?

August 2, 2024
We believe in following a value based investment approach based on our risk management framework and our forward looking valuation approach.
Read More

What filters are used in the InvestSense ethical investment process?

August 2, 2024
InvestSense makes a number of considerations when assessing whether an asset is suitable for inclusion in our Better World Portfolios. The focus for all selection criteria is to exclude assets that may have a negative impact on people or planet and to ensure that sustainability and ethical management are at the forefront.
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Do the InvestSense Better World funds invest in Renewable Energy?

August 2, 2024
Better World investments Portfolios have a focus on ethically aware investment opportunities which does include alternative energy solutions such as renewable energy. All investments consider whether a company is focused on creating positive change and contributing towards a more sustainable future.
Read More

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