Aaron Binsted News Today

In the first of a new series of Meet the Managers profile, Money Management speaks to Lazard Australian equities portfolio manager, Aaron Binsted.

Price falls for CSL, ResMed and Macquarie show that following the herd to buy defensive businesses may produce suboptimal returns if you pay too much.

Shares are poised to edge lower. Vanessa Hudson to lead Qantas. Woolworths reports 8pc increase in sales. RBA expected to hit pause. Bitcoin retreats. S&P 500 dips. Follow updates here.

Lazard Asset Management has reduced the management fee on two of its Australian equity funds for institutional and retail clients.

Australian shares are flat; Macquarie downgrades banks; AFIC ups dividend by 10pc; Perpetual completes Pendal acquisition; WAM Leaders lifts dividend. Follow updates here.

Regal Resources’ 55 per cent return elevated it to the best Australian strategy in any category last year. This is how the top managers from Totus, 4D and Lazard beat the market.

One fund manager has taken out the top three spots for its stellar performance in 2022, despite the volatility and sell-offs of the year.

Consensus is forming that inflation may be reaching its peak, but investment strategists warn there’s no going back to the 2010s.

Lazard Select Australian Equity Fund blitzed the field to be rated by Mercer as the best-performing Australian share fund, with a 2021-22 return of almost 20 per cent.

Despite margin benefits from higher rates, analysts say the tightening cycle creates challenges for the banks and leads to a more uncertain earnings outlook.