Understanding key global mega trends is vital when you're constructing portfolios intended for use in 10-15 years. Every four years, the US National Intelligence Council issues a future-looking report about global trends, based on research across all the US intelligence agencies. This report contained the surprising prediction (considering the authors) of the demise of US power and the rise of the East...

The 2009 Conference was the first post Global Financial Crisis, and hence the theme was "investing in the new reality". It was a very different investment environment compared to a year prior - some things had changed forever; others only temporarily. Some things had not changed at all. But which was which? What WAS the new reality? And what did it mean for construction investor portfolios? This resources kit features videos, podcasts, papers and presentations from the three-day program featuring 33 quality sessions featuring 36 carefully selected local and international portfolio experts...

This Critical Issues Forum from PortfolioConstruction Conference 2009 - featuring Tim Farrelly and our six Due Diligence Forum Researchers - ensured delegates determined their key take outs from Conference, and actions to take as a result when building investor portfolios...

This Critical Issues Forum from PortfolioConstruction Conference 2009 - featuring Greg Cooper of Schroders and James Purvis of Active Portfolios - explored a variety of practical and useful portfolio risk management tools that Practitioners can apply when building investor portfolios...

This Critical Issues Forum from PortfolioConstruction Conference 2009 - featuring the Rob Arnott of Research Affiliates - argued that the cult of equities is dangerous, that is, we cannot blindly believe in "stocks for the long run". Investors must examine the many out-of-mainstream fixed-income asset classes, some currently offering the same 2.5% long-term historical risk premium of equities but with more diversification and less volatility...

This Critical Issues Forum from PortfolioConstruction Conference 2009 - featuring the legendary Bill Gross of PIMCO - argued that despite early signs that some asset classes are beginning to show signs of recovery, any suggestion that asset markets are returning to "normal" must be met with the question "What’s normal?"...

This Due Diligence Forum Research Paper and Presentation from PortfolioConstruction Conference 2009 argues that the disintermediation for capital raising for SME’s has opened up significant investment opportunities for direct lenders. In short, SME’s needs are the same as medium- to large-sized enterprises but access to capital is not the same, thus producing an environment where investors can cherry pick their deal prospects...

This Due Diligence Forum Research Paper and Presentation from PortfolioConstruction Conference 2009 shows that over a 20-year period, residential property has produced above average total returns compared to other asset classes, and with lower volatility than Australian shares. This research paper argues the benefits available for investors of including residential property in a diversified portfolio...

This Due Diligence Forum Research Paper and Presentation from PortfolioConstruction Conference 2009 argue that active extension remains the most efficient structure to deliver alpha in the Australian equity market and that the most significant impediment to capturing returns from any investment process remains the long only constraint...

This Due Diligence Forum Research Paper and Presentation from PortfolioConstruction Conference 2009 argues that, in harsh terms, there has been a Darwinian like clean out of bad ideas and poor execution for REITs and investors alike, and examines how the REIT industry disappointed investors, and the long term merits of the sector...

This Due Diligence Forum Research Paper and Presentation from PortfolioConstruction Conference 2009 argue that the prospect for hedge fund returns has never been better. However, resolving the structural flaws of hedge funds will be one important step forward in the chase for higher, more stable returns...

This Due Diligence Forum Research Paper and Presentation from PortfolioConstruction Conference 2009 examine forms of capital protection and assess the risks and benefits of each, and why this will be key to building portfolios using a core plus satellite approach...

This Due Diligence Forum Research Paper and Presentation from PortfolioConstruction Conference 2009 show how, now that Australian investors are able to gain exposures to a wide range of broad indices using ETFs, they could use ETFs either strategically or tactically to build more efficient international equity portfolios...

This Due Diligence Forum Research Paper and Presentation from PortfolioConstruction Conference 2009 argue that if current predictions hold, a more balanced and even multi-polar world could emerge in which certain developing nations, such as China and India, influence the nature of investment returns far more than they ever had in the past...

This Due Diligence Forum Research Paper and Presentation from PortfolioConstruction Conference 2009 explains that the lesson of 2008 was that "income isn't income" – not all fixed income strategies proved to be defensive, liquid and diversified. This research paper revisits where some fixed income investors went wrong, and shows how to construct genuinely defensive portfolios that focus on delivering the hallmarks of quality fixed income strategies...

Despite an appalling 2008, the hedge fund industry spin continues, with managers comparing hedge fund returns to equity market performance. But what if we make a sensible comparison – against diversified funds? With the tide now out, the myths are laid bare...