The Academy Summer Seminar 2013 featured three sessions: Making sense of the noise; Making sense of macroeconomic data; and, measurement and mis-measurement of risk.

The Academy Spring Seminar 2012 featured four sessions: Believe it or not; Improving decision-making under uncertainty; Diversification - where it works (and where it doesn't); and The changing of the Chinese guard.

In 1994, Nelson Mandela was elected President of South Africa. His capacity for forgiveness and sense of humility is a shining example for all humanity.

After years of talking with clients coming to his firm from other advisers, one adviser compiled a list of reasons they left. I suspect these practices are widespread.

I continue to be positive on the broader global economic backdrop - but buckle up and prepare for some turbulence over the next few months.

This recent research paper challenges the usual risk parity approach to asset allocation.

We asked delegates from the recent PortfolioConstruction Forum Symposium 2013 in Auckland for their key takeouts from the jam-packed, two-day program.

New research suggests that advisers should stop telling Gen X and Gen Y clients to save more now and, instead, simply help them to save more tomorrow.

Investment is often compromised by the quest for easy answers to difficult and involved issues. Risk is one.

When the GFC started, governments increased spending and hoped for multiplier effects. Six years on, it appears the critics have been right all along.

Increasingly, financial advisers operating in the investment space are reassessing their fee structures. Strategi has identified some remuneration trends.

When all the risks are plain to see, investors understandably become cautious. But often, the very best time to buy is when the risks are well and truly known.

Everyone knows what alpha is - right? Yet even experienced practitioners fall into the trap of talking about alpha as being purely outperformance.

The reaction of bond and equity markets in May highlights the almost impossible balancing act faced by the US Fed now the amount of monetary stimulus is so extreme.

As the US economy continues to recover from the GFC, the US Fed faces an almost impossible balancing act. Closer to home, the RBNZ faces an almost impossible balancing act of its own.

This paper may provide the missing theoretical basis to why risk parity works - a key step forward to it being accepted as a valid approach to asset allocation.

This is one of those times when investors should not expect to complacently buy what has worked well recently and achieve good returns.

Symposium facilitates debate on the three pillars of portfolio construction – markets, strategies and investing. Established in 2011, it is THE New Zealand investment conference of the year.

The Institute of Financial Advisers presented its highest honour, the Outstanding Contribution to the Profession Award, at its annual conference last week.

Last week I spoke to an adviser about how he turns one of his favourite recreational activity into new clients. It's simple and has paid big dividends.