This week Mark Brooks, Chief Investment Officer at NZ Funds will join Stephan Clark to discuss the outlook for the remainder of 2024 and how NZ Funds’ Portfolios are positioned for a second half of the year that will not be short of market moving events. Mark will talk through what the United States presidential election in November is likely to mean for NZ Funds’ investors, the prospect that interest rate cuts will be seen in New Zealand before the end of the year and why we think the bad news is well and truly priced into New Zealand shares.

Recognised by Citywire as one of the top female portfolio managers globally and the only one based in Australasia, Kate Howitt built an impressive track record over 15 years managing the Australian Opportunities Fund at Fidelity International, a global investment house with over $1 trillion under management.

Kate’s investment approach focused on finding attractively valued companies with strong competitive positions and management teams. After stepping down from Fidelity, Kate now focuses on governance and advisory roles, including at Boston Consulting Group, and remains a sought-after business commentator in Australia.

Join us as we ask Kate how she became a portfolio manager, how her investment approach evolved, why she’s optimistic about Australia’s outlook, why more women should pursue careers in financial services, and how to cut the noise and see the signals needed for investing success.

Inflation, the invisible thief, reduces the purchasing power of your money. As the cost of living increases over time, it can be a challenge to preserve the value of your savings. To address this, NZ Funds maintains the Inflation Category, a portfolio series with investments specifically selected for their ability to grow earnings above inflation over the long run. This includes global and domestic investments across infrastructure, utilities and property.

This week Mark Brooks, Chief Investment Officer, and Casey Keiper, Portfolio Manager, at NZ Funds will join Stephan Clark for a deep dive into the Inflation Category. They will discuss the role of inflation assets and defensive shares in a well-constructed diversified portfolio, explain how NZ Funds invests to mitigate the impact of inflation, and share case studies from NZ Funds' Inflation Category.

Join us for this insightful discussion on a topic front of mind for investors over recent years.

With over 500,000 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in New Zealand, business owners eventually face the question of selling to a third party or passing the torch to a family member. Both options come with their own set of dramatic challenges and potential for great success.

This week we join with leading experts for a panel discussion exploring the key factors SME business owners should consider when planning for succession. Our experts will discuss how to prepare a business for handover, run a successful process, obtain the right advice and bank support, appropriately value a business, and effectively manage the proceeds for the future.

Join us for this engaging discussion at a time when we are starting to see more businesses transferring to the next generation.

Financial markets often have forces pulling prices in different directions, yet there are times when they move in unison. Investors who respond to changes early and actively position their portfolio can profit from these movements. This week we discuss four market themes that are top of mind for global investors with Mark Brooks, Chief Investment Officer at NZ Funds.

We ask why the outlook for hard commodities is increasingly favourable, especially for copper? What positive steps is the Chinese Government exploring to tackle its property issues and sluggish economy? Why United States-based companies increasing their capital expenditure is a sign of optimism? And why is business activity in New Zealand even weaker than the headlines suggest?

Founder and Chief Investment Officer of the NASDAQ-listed Spear Alpha ETF (SPRX), Ivana Delevska built her career investing in technology companies. With experience at hedge funds like Citadel, Millennium and Tiger Management, Ivana is a sought-after speaker on tech-related topics and is often seen on Bloomberg TV.

In this week’s Monday Call, we discussed the ever-changing AI landscape, a driving force behind the strength of the United States share market. We will hear about the leading companies and the factors propelling their success. We also tackled questions on the risks of investing in AI and ask where the next wave of innovation may emerge. Join us to gain valuable insights on this fast-moving topic.

The accounting profession plays a critical role in the New Zealand economy by providing transparent financial reporting, audits, tax compliance and advice. However, the accounting sector is undergoing profound change, driven by new technologies, shifting regulations, growing complexity and evolving client demands.

This week we explore this dynamic sector with special guests Matt Vincent, Scott Mason and Andrea Waters. We will discuss the underlying trends fuelling the changes, examine the opportunities new technologies offer, and explore how societal expectations have moved, among other topics

2024 started strongly for major share markets, with the S&P 500, Nikkei 225, and EuroStoxx 50 all posting double-digit returns in the first quarter. Rising commodity prices point to ongoing global growth. Although inflation is persisting more than central banks would like, it is trending down, which is fostering optimism about interest rate cuts. Mark Brooks, Chief Investment Officer at NZ Funds, and Stephan Clark, Chief Client Officer, discuss how NZ Funds is positioning client portfolios to capture the opportunities while managing the risks of today’s dynamic environment and why New Zealand remains an important part of a diversified portfolio.