Markets Summit is THE investment markets scene setter of the year. The program features 20+ leading investment thinkers from around the world - geopolitical specialists, economists, market/asset class experts, and investment strategists - debating their best ideas on the key drivers of and medium-term outlook for the markets in the context of the theme - Changing gears? - and the implications for portfolios.

While economics studies how humans allocate scarce resources, and psychology studies the human mind and behavior, there is a gap at the intersection between the two – an emerging new body of knowledge dubbed, "Finology".

Finology Summit 2018 will help you better understand the preferences, needs and objectives of individual investors, to further improve the way you relate with them and help them achieve their goals. The program features an exceptional and eclectic international faculty of behavioural finance, behavioural economics, and psychology experts covering various aspects of finology with particular focus on the implementation challenges, tools and opportunities faced by practitioners.

The general uptrend in the broader equity market seems set to continue given economic data globally remains robust and central banks very accommodating. Given divergent risks, investors should focus more than ever on uncovering sources of idiosyncratic alpha, rather than relying on momentum or passive beta.

Every generation or so, things (in the economics world) break. We're probably at or close to one of those once-in-a-generation moments. Watching monetary indicators is key.

There are five areas where the early effects of technological change on the world economy are believed to be investible today.

The Conexus Financial Chair Forum (29 January 2018) has been assessed and accredited by Portfolio Construction Forum for Forum CE hours. Delegates must confirm their attendance in order to receive CE acceditation.

The holy grail is to find active managers who can add value. The combined insights of these two papers suggest avoiding large managed funds, especially those under the control of managers who run a concurrent SMA.

This week in Fodder: Farrelly's forecasts for 2018; Rogoff on markets and politics; Bird on fund manager performance; Minney on income layering; and, the place for impact investing in portfolios

It is the time of the year when those in the forecasting business like to lay out our expectations for the coming year. Here are mine...

Income layering is a goals-based approach to building an investment portfolio that is likely to be beneficial to a wide range of retirees - especially those worried about how to sustain spending in the later stages of retirement.

In Fodder: Woody Brock - a warning about bitcoin; Mohammed El-Erian - investors wish list for 2018; Nouriel Roubini - Trump a plutocrat in populist clothes; Prof Ron Bird - 3 new behavioural finance papers; Jonathan Howie - What makes a quality ETF

Three recent research papers continue to grow our understanding of how behavioural traits impact on markets. The first provides insights into Warren Buffett's success; the other two examine the markets' response to earnings information.

CIMA Central helps you meet your obligation to complete and report a minimum of 40 hours of CE credit (including two ethics hours) every two years to maintain your CIMA certification.

You know it's time to worry when the conservative Republican chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations warns openly that Trump could start World War III.

This week's Fodder: Bob Gay - economic tools not keeping pace; Stiglitz - market economies can temper excesses of capitalism, globalisation; Will Jackson - portfolio rebalancing; Aaron Minney – retiree spending; Samantha Lamb - case for global credit

The Conexus Financial Research Forum 2017 (6 Dec 2017) has been assessed and accredited by Portfolio Construction Forum for Forum CE hours. Delegates must confirm their attendance in order to receive CE acceditation.

Plenty of anecdotes suggest that baby boomers are spending their savings and will leave nothing for the next generation. Looking at the actual data, this is questionable.

The world has changed dramatically over the past three decades, but the analytical tools underpinning monetary policy haven't. The challenge is to develop new tools to fit the new world order.

In the last decade, investor interest in long-horizon outcomes was rare and when it prevailed, it was severely tested by events. The long-term was viewed as opaque and uncertain. It's amazing how attitudes change when new opportunities emerge.