SuperRatings Media

After a tumultuous year for financial markets, the median Balanced fund fell -1.9% in 2011. This result could have been worse if we consider the continued barrage of negative economic news, falling equity markets, a worsening European debt crisis and geo-political events throughout the year.

Unfortunately funds remain in a negative holding pattern, with the median Balanced fund return for September coming in at -1.8%, the fifth consecutive month of negative returns. As a comparison, the Australian share market has delivered six consecutive months of negative returns.

Congratulations to Queensland based Sunsuper, one of Australia’s largest superannuation funds, who has been named SuperRatings’ Fund of the Year for 2012.

At the SuperRatings Fund of The Year Awards, held in Melbourne last night, nearly 300 of the superannuation industry’s most prominent players witnessed this award to being presented

For the 9th consecutive year, SuperRatings has completed its review of the Australian superannuation fund market. From a comprehensive list of 450 different criteria, the best have been chosen and SuperRatings is pleased to advise the country's top 10 super funds and the top 10 pension funds.

The new financial year could not have got off to a worse start for super funds. After a solid 8.7% return for the 2010/2011 FY, weak equity markets saw the median Balanced fund fall 1.4% in July. However, this was before a sharp equity market sell off in August began

Despite significant worldwide share market falls over recent days, weeks, months, and indeed since the onset of the Global Financial Crisis in November 2007, Australian super funds continue to deliver predominately positive returns for the over 10 million Australians who participate in them through the compulsory superannuation guarantee contribution system

The market sell-off which began in April continued well into June, dragging the median balanced fund return down for a second consecutive month. This ensures that the median return will fall short of double-digits, but will still deliver a solid 7.5% for the financial year (after fees and

In a significant change to the financial services research industry, SuperRatings has announced its intention to consolidate its business into the Financial Research Holdings business backed by interests associated with M.H.Carnegie & Company.

The median balanced fund was up slightly in May, gaining 0.15% and helping nudge the FYTD return closer and closer to double-digits. As at May, the FYTD return sat at 9.56%, however, depending on which fund you look at, returns over the FYTD period range from 2.33% to as

Around mid-March it looked as though the median balanced fund would end the month well in the red, temporarily halting the recovery in members’ super account balances towards pre-GFC highs. However, global markets regained their composure as concerns over Japan’s nuclear catastrophe and aftermath abated. As a result

The superannuation industry in Australia stands at over $1.3 trillion in assets and reaches almost every working Australian. This savings pot is relied upon heavily by both Australian and foreign companies for investment and as such, super funds have a commanding influence over the behaviour of business. Superannuation funds also

The issue of small and lost account balances in the superannuation industry has once again come to the forefront with SuperRatings’ 2010 ERF Review showing that the number of small and lost accounts in the Eligible Rollover Fund (“ERF”) sector continues to grow, with an additional 106,000 accounts being

SuperRatings supports the announcement by the Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation, Bill Shorten, that the federal government will seek to restore the positions of 5,300 superannuation fund members who were victims to failed superannuation manager Trio Capital.

February saw the recovery in super fund returns continue on the back of solid performances by both Australian and international share markets. As a result, the median balanced fund gained 1.09% for the month, helping to push up not only this financial year’s return to almost double-digits (+9.16%), but

Australia‟s major super funds have posted their 5th positive monthly result this financial year with a further 1.0% gain during the month of January 2011. These positive results, against just two marginally negative months, has left the average Australian in a balanced option some 8% better off since their last

It’s almost the end of January in 2011 and share markets have continued on from their positive end to 2010. Despite the tragedy of the floods in Queensland, Australian shares look set to deliver a solid return for the month. This means that the median balanced fund should recover a

Surging share markets in December, both in Australia and overseas, have contributed to strong results for Australia’s super funds over the past six months. After finally reversing the negative results of both the 2007/08 and 2008/09 financial years with a positive 9.8% result for 2009/10, Australians have seen their super

On effectively the third birthday since the onset of the GFC, Australians have seen their super climb to within 7% of their pre-GFC highs at the end of October 2010. As markets around the world continued to move forward, Australian super funds continued with their strong start to the

Australia’s major super funds have seen their new member growth rates fall to an all time low of just 1.7% in 2009/10, some five years after most Australians were given choice about where to place their super. This is less than 30% of the growth rate of 6.1% enjoyed by

Australian super funds are currently back within 8.6% of their November 2007 highs thanks to continued gains on both the Australian and international share markets, but with little thanks to the Australian dollar. It is estimated that the rise in the Australian dollar has cost balanced options, which tend to

AustralianSuper, Australia’s largest superannuation fund in terms of funds under management has been named as SuperRatings Fund of The Year for 2011.

The Median Balanced Superannuation fund recorded a 0.39% decline in August on the back of a 1.99% drop in the ASX 200. In stark contrast to a year ago, when markets were in the midst of a strong rally, returns are currently stuck in a holding pattern until we see

SuperRatings has completed its 2010 review of the Australian superannuation fund market and is pleased to advise of the top 10 super funds and the top 10 pension funds in the country as measured across over 400 different criteria.

How can a political party, in the lead up to an election, be completely unable to enunciate their retirement savings strategy to Australians. The Coalition has effectively flipped the bird to low and middle income earners by failing to advise of their position on superannuation going forward.

Despite most funds earning a median of close to 11%, the effect of fund fees will ensure that the majority of Australians will receive just a tick under 10% for the 2009/10 financial year on their super, with the median return for Australia’s largest Balanced investment options officially set at

Despite a roller coaster ride for Australians, in which super funds lost almost 5% in the last two months, our major super funds are still on track to deliver a strong estimated median return for Balanced investment options of some 9.6% for the 2009/10 financial year.

A key upshot of the Global Financial Crisis is that typical Australian super investors in balanced options are having to cope with more investment volatility than ever before. As super funds are intrinsically linked to listed share markets around the world, the incredibly volatile world markets have translated straight through

Contradicting the theory that when times are tough personal values are thrown out the window, sustainability has remained at the forefront of debate as we emerge from the economic recession that took hold over the last three years.

With only three months remaining in the 2010 financial year, Australia’s Superannuation Funds are poised to provide members with double digit returns. Assuming the trend continues, this would lead to an unprecedented 5 double digit returns within the last 7 years and be a substantial turnaround from the losses members

The issue of small and lost account balances in the superannuation industry has once again come to the forefront with SuperRatings’ just released research showing that small and lost accounts in the Eligible Rollover Fund (“ERF”) sector continues to grow, with an additional 140,000 accounts being created last financial

Despite the Australian share market continuing to contribute outstanding results to Australian’s super accounts over the past twelve months, with the median balanced option up 17.6% to the end of February, industry regulator, APRA, yesterday publically released performance data that to the general consumer has the potential to completely undermine

If ever consumers were to be taught a lesson about using short term results for investment decisions, it should be based on the last twelve months. Such was the impact of the Global Financial Crisis that just 12 short months ago the median balanced option in Australia’s largest super funds

After experiencing their worst year on record in 2008, when the median balanced option lost 19.7%, Australia’s major super funds have staged a remarkable recovery in 2009, by returning 12.9% for the year. However, this was not without angst, with a virtually flat first half of the year being followed

Super is unlikely to rank highly at Christmas time dinners now that returns for November show yet another gain, taking the past twelve months returns to over 10%. The median balanced super fund option posted its 8th gain in the last 9 months with a further 1.31% added to most

October marked the first possible sign that super funds’ incredible fight back may have come to an end. On the back of declining local and international share markets, and a continually strong dollar, the median Australian super funds’ balanced option posted its first negative return in eight months, with a

2009 is a year to remember with the 5 highest monthly returns on Australian Share super options in the last five years occurring in the last seven months. Never have we seen super funds jump so quickly, with the median one year rolling return on balanced options set to return

REST, Australia’s largest superannuation fund in terms of members has been named as SuperRatings Fund of The Year for 2010.

At a gala event attended by over 300 of the industry’s leading figures in Melbourne last night, REST took the coveted award away from HOSTPLUS who had won the award

The surging Australian share market, including the listed property sector, sits behind a sustained superannuation fund rally which has now extended positive returns to the sixth straight month. This six month streak is the exact opposite to the previous six months, where six consecutive negative returns were recorded.

SuperRatings has completed its 2009 review of the Australian superannuation fund market and is pleased to advise of the top 10 super funds and the top 5 pension funds in the country as measured across over 400 different criteria.

The 2009/2010 financial year started on a high for super members with July posting the fifth straight month of positive returns. This is a strong positive result for superannuants as their account balances slowly start to recover the losses that have previously been suffered.

Much has already been reported on the interim performance of Australia’s super funds for the year to 30 June 2009. However, we are now pleased to provide the final industry returns for Australia’s major investment options, which make up the key SuperRatings’ indices.

Continued market volatility, and record losses for Australia’s major super funds, have combined to delay a number of funds’ declaration of their final earning rates to members for 2008/09.

SuperRatings’ Managing Director, Jeff Bresnahan, made the following comments on this matter: “Just over 55% of funds have been able to

Surging local and particularly international share markets continued to assist Australian super funds in May with the median “Balanced” super option posting a 1.01% positive return for the month, bringing the last three months’ turnaround to a positive 6.25%. However, whilst these gains are a welcome relief to investors, it

Despite the significant negative effect that the Global Financial Crisis has had on our super funds, over 88% of Australians’ pre-retirement super monies continue to be held in mid to higher risk investment options. This is down just 3.3% from the 91.8% figure one year before.
Conversely, post-retirees

Super funds staged a remarkable recovery in April with the SR50 Balanced Index posting the strongest 1 month return this millennium. Driven by a resurgent share market, the April result added to the positive month of March have dragged the financial year return back to -13.71% after reaching -18.32% at

The issue of small and lost account balances in the superannuation industry has once again come to the forefront with SuperRatings’ recent research showing that small and lost accounts in the Eligible Rollover Fund (“ERF”) sector soared by over 12% in 2007/08.

Driven by a sharp bounce in listed local and international share markets, Australia’s major super funds posted their strongest result for some time with a median gain of 2.24% for the month. Whilst strong in real terms, it was somewhat below the expectations given that world share markets surged over

Despite a further 3.66% median drop for super funds’ balanced options in February, March is set to recoup the loss and finally add some positive cash flow to Australians’ super accounts. A sharp rally in both Australian and International share markets should see many balanced options recording close to a

Australian super funds continue to improve their procedures with regard to addressing environmental, social, governance, ethical and climate related issues.

In its second annual review of the superannuation sector in respect of the above issues, covering some 76 funds representing over 15 million members and approximately $370 billion in assets

Australian super funds started the 2009 calendar year in a similar manner to the way they suffered during 2008 with the median balanced option recording a loss of 1.85% for January.«