Financial Services

TWO separate studies released over the past month have highlighted the risk of insolvency among Australian companies. The studies formed markedly different views on the degree of risk, however, leaving investors and business people with an awkward

INVESTORS and business people trying to assess the credit quality of other companies can assess a range of financial and non-financial indicators. John Carello, the reconstruction and advisory services partner at accounting firm PKF, said warning signs

AUDIT independence and professional indemnity insurance remain two of the biggest issues facing the accounting profession, according to the outgoing president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia (ICAA). Perth-based Geoff Brayshaw will

THERE were mixed results for WA companies hoping to make it to the boards during the past six months. The majority of the 13 to make the cut had a less-than-spectacular debut, with the average return firmly in negative territory.

THOSE business people lucky enough to have a break over the next few weeks have an ideal opportunity to review their business's health. “It's important to get out of the daily grind and think about where you are going and what you want to achieve

INTEREST rates may be at near 30-year lows, but already debt collection agencies are raking in slabs of new job orders.Dun & Bradstreet last week reported a 200 per cent growth in the number of accounts taken on by the group in 2001.

INVESTORS should expect substantially lower returns from all major markets over the coming decade, fund manager Perpetual has warned.

RUNNING a DIY superannuation fund can be costly, time consuming and entails significant legal responsibilities.What, then, are the benefits that attract so many investors to DIY super?

MAJOR structural changes are planned this week at South Perth-based financial services company Epic Asset Management, with cornerstone shareholder, stockbroking firm Montagu Pty Ltd looking to sell at least part of its stake.

SELF-MANAGED superannuation funds have recently received a timely reminder about the hoops they must jump through to satisfy the regulators.

FUTURIS Corp has been forced to make special arrangements for several hundred WA shareholders who missed out on a special allocation in fancied float Australian Agricultural Co.

BARELY a year has gone since Tony Barton stormed back into WA's investment scene with his new company's purchase of a half share in stockbroker DJ Carmichael & Co.

ONGOING anti-bank sentiment augurs well for non-bank lenders, and one WA company looking to seize the moment is Homeloans Limited.

MONTAGU Stockbrokers and former AMP State manager David Newman have amassed more than $130 million to kick start their new boutique financial services company Epic Asset Management.

MORE than three quarters of the companies questioned in the latest Dun & Bradstreet Business Expectations Survey admit they are not GST-ready.