Natixis Investment Managers has highlighted the top five questions that Australian financial advisers are hearing from their clients amid increasing economic uncertainty and volatility.

AFCA has urged financial advice firms that when recommending a product to clients where it receives any benefits, advisers must go beyond merely disclosing conflicts of interest.

Women still account for less than one-quarter of Australia’s financial advice profession, with only two firms with more than 100 advisers having 30 per cent female advisers.

As fund managers are urged to diversify their product ranges, they are finding a faster way to do this is via an acquisition of existing firms but experts say it is not without potential culture clashes.

Ninety One has launched a global equities Global Franchise Fund to wholesale investors in Australia and envisages expanding the wholesale range in the future.

Money Management explores what is needed for a successful fund manager succession plan as a generation of managers approach retirement, and how firms can mitigate the risk of outflows.

MUFG Pension and Market Services has expanded its partnership with proxy voting and investor communication platform Proxymity into the Australian market, following success in the UK.

As ESG and sustainable funds continue to suffer outflows and the regulator cracks down on greenwashing, there has been a notable downturn in the number of launches and staff hires in this area.