Australia is looking at enshrining the term "financial planner/adviser" into law. New Zealand is already a step ahead. We look at the titles advisers are using, what the law allows, and what advisers may call themselves in the future.

Global growth cannot tell you the best countries to invest in - but if 2011-2020 continues broadly as assumed, ERP is unlikely to stay at its current high.

Whenever clients are thinking about putting money that would have been invested into paying back their mortgage, they may be disadvantaging themselves.

Gold has traditionally been seen as a safe haven to provide insurance to portfolios - but on 11 April its price began to free fall. Why? And does gold have a place in portfolios?

Are low volatility equity funds something investors should be including in their portfolios? There are a range of issues to consider.

With interest rates at historic lows, and likelyrate rises ahead, what are the implications for building the fixed income part of portfolios?

With 440,000 pre-registered to buy Mighty River Power, we asked some advisers about their view on the role of direct equities in investor's portfolios.

Is the bull market over for gold? I doubt it. The next phase could be quite explosive, particularly for the gold mining stocks.

In terms of raw value and potential upside, Japanese equities offer one of the more compelling opportunities.

Signs of a cyclical re-acceleration are emerging, but the upswing in China's economy is not firing on all cylinders.

A few weeks ago, a small contingent of Kiwi advisers travelled to Sydney to join around 500 practitioners for the annual PortfolioConstruction Forum Markets Summit. We asked the Kiwi delegates how what they heard is shaping the way they construct portfolios.

Stephen discusses the rise of income investing and the advantages of global equities for income seeking investors. As a global energy specialist, he discusses the US shale energy revolution and industrial renaissance, before concluding with insights on the eurozone, and why it remains a significant and underappreciated threat to a global recovery.

Adrian will discuss global fundraising and the secondary market including secondary market supply/demand, the market participants, key challenges, market catalysts and how to gain easier access to this much misunderstood asset class.

This time Italy's political crisis really matters - and not just to Italy. For the troubled Eurozone, this means its crisis is not only back but worse than before.

The spotlight shone on the outlook for Australian equities in a 3-D world (deleveraging, demographics and (liquidity) damns - and the portfolio construction implications.

Australia's national income per person is the 5th-highest in the world. But the drivers of success are deteriorating.

The catalyst for improved sentiment for commodity-based equities will be a return of confidence and more stable political and economic environment.

Amidst the volatility and doomsday talk in China, Asia ex-Japan equities ended up as the best performing region in 2012. For 2013, the outlook for Asia continues to be positive.

World Investor New Zealand magazine gives the appearance of serious quality. What's interesting is what's not said as much as what IS said. Transparency and disclosure should be as stringent for investment publications as for investment advisers.

In a first, an AFA has had his license cancelled by the FMA just weeks after it was granted, and while the FMA and the SFO are still only investigating a complaint against him. Not even David Ross has had his license completely revoked by the FMA. financialalert asked some industry insiders what the case means for other AFAs.