Former financial adviser cops minimal fine

Former financial adviser David McEwen has been convicted and fined for breaching FMA stop orders; but the fine imposed was minimal.

The Financial Markets Authority, which brought the prosecution suggested a fine of between $150,000 and $200,000. However, in sentencing at the District Court in Auckland this week, Judge Simon Lance ordered a $15,000.

He was also banned from being a company director and from providing financial advice services for seven years.

Defence counsel Karl Trotter was unsuccessful in seeking a discharge ...MORE»

Harbour takes out top award Thursday, March 5th, 7:32AM Morningstar hands out its Fund Manager of the Year Awards. MORE»

Industry wary of KiwiSaver changes Wednesday, March 4th, 6:05AM KiwiSaver providers are cautiously supportive of changes to make it easier for farmers to buy homes – but would prefer the tinkering with the system stopped. MORE»

Is it the year of the equal-weighted S&P 500 Index?

The Financial Times is wondering whether this year will be the year of the equal-weighted S&P 500 Index while another Kiwi fund manager is recommending funds that track this index as an alternative to following the benchmark capital-weighted US index.

Fisher Funds chief investment officer Ashley Gardyne says the European, Japanese and emerging markets all out-performed the US S&P 500 Index in 2025, even though the latter still managed 17% growth.

“A lot of that was driven by AI owners. Without them, it would’ve been quite a bit weaker,” Gardyne says.

The problem with the headline US index is that about 40% is tech firms with ...MORE»

NZX's Smart and Wealth Tecnologies contributed all profit growth in 2025 Friday, February 27th, 6:55AM NZX’s Smart’s growth in funds under management (FUM) accelerated in the second-half of 2025 to deliver annual growth of 17.6%. MORE»

NZX50 climbs 1.1% in earnings season flurry Thursday, February 26th, 5:43PM Retirement village operators paced gains as BNZ trimmed some of its longer-dated mortgage rates. MORE»

News Bites

Shaw and Partners buys Wellington advice firm

Shaw and Partners, previously JMI Wealth, has expanded its reach buying a Wellington-based financial planning business. MORE»

GoodReturns TV

Fisher Funds moves to woo advisers back

After years of neglecting the adviser market, the investment manager is going on the charm offensive.   MORE»

Market, meet your new Fed Chair

In its latest Outlook Harbour Asset Management says the Reserve Bank of Australia is something to watch and global equity markets remain volatile even though there is a constructive backdrop. MORE»

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Life cover benefits can be at risk of terminal illness

[Opinion] Life cover benefits designed to support surviving family members on the death of a client can be at risk if they are used ‘early’ to fund terminal illness, perhaps even to the point where the family is left with too little, resulting in a failure of the insurance to perform its purpose. MORE»

TMM Online

Innovation with intention: Technology built for advisers

AdviceLink was built to support advisers in delivering great advice, right across the industry. Yet there’s still a common perception that it’s just an internal CRM tool for LFG and NZHL—our sister companies. That’s understandable, but it’s no longer accurate. MORE»

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Former NZ Super Fund exec joins Mercer

Mercer has appointed a new Chief Investment Officer following the departure of Padraig Brown. MORE»

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Industry wary of KiwiSaver changes

KiwiSaver providers are cautiously supportive of changes to make it easier for farmers to buy homes – but would prefer the tinkering with the system stopped. MORE»