Weekly economic and market update – week ending 20 March, 2026

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Investment markets and key developments Global share markets had another poor week as the Iran War continued and the Strait of Hormuz remained effectively closed. Oil prices remained around $US100... Read more continue reading

Contrarius Global Equity Fund’s ‘Recommended’ rating reaffirmed by Lonsec

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Lonsec has reaffirmed its ‘Recommended’ rating of the Contrarius Global Equity Fund (Australia Registered) – Retail Class. This rating signals that Lonsec has strong conviction that the product is well-positioned... Read more continue reading

World Gold Council to develop shared infrastructure for digital gold

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The World Gold Council (WGC) has announced a pioneering initiative to build new market infrastructure designed to unlock the next era of digital gold’s development. WGC has co-authored a White... Read more continue reading

FAAA calls for ‘financial advisers’ and ‘paraplanners’ inclusion on Occupation Shortage List

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The FAAA is urging Jobs and Skills Australia to include ‘financial advisers’ and ‘paraplanners’ on the 2026 Occupation Shortage List due to the long training gap for new entrants and... Read more continue reading

AI market rotation accelerates in early 2026 as SaaS business models come under pressure

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Global equities have entered 2026 with strong momentum, but the underlying market rotation is intensifying as investors reassess how value is captured across the AI ecosystem. While upstream capital expenditure... Read more continue reading

ASIC urges Gen Z to ‘sense-check’ money advice as social media fuels riskier financial decisions

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ASIC is urging young Australians to ‘sense check’ the information they see online, as new research shows nearly two thirds of Gen Zs are using social media and about one... Read more continue reading

ASIC launches financial complaints data dashboard

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Australians now have unprecedented access to consumer complaints data following the launch of ASIC’s new interactive dashboard. The Internal Dispute Resolution (IDR) data dashboard enables users to compare the complaints reported by... Read more continue reading

Adviser education reforms vital to help close advice gap

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The Financial Advice Association of Australia (FAAA) welcomes the Government’s consultation on adviser education reforms, which it says are key to growing the number of high quality professional financial advisers.... Read more continue reading

Entries now open for the 22nd ANZIIF Australian Insurance Industry Awards

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Submissions are now open for the 22nd ANZIIF Australian Insurance Industry Awards, celebrating the outstanding achievements of individuals and organisations across the Australian insurance industry. Hosted by ANZIIF, the annual... Read more continue reading

Failure to act on advice reforms leaves Aussies exposed as they turn to AI for insurance advice

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Australians are at greater risk of scams and dodgy providers as they reveal a deep trust in AI for financial advice, the life insurance industry warns. A staggering three in... Read more continue reading