Register For Our Mailing List

Register to receive our free weekly newsletter including editorials.

Home / 533

Podcast: UniSuper's John Pearce, today's GFC similarities, LIC news

Season 2, Episode 11

Special guest John Pearce, Chief Investment Officer at UniSuper, explains why the 60/40 portfolio is far from dead, that governments not central banks are to blame for the recent inflationary spiral, why history is a dangerous guide to the future, and how UniSuper has recently invested heavily in the downtrodden US banking sector.

Morningstar's Peter Warnes tells us why events today remind him of 2007, a year before the financial crisis hit.

And Firstlinks' Managing Editor, Graham Hand, gives an update on developments in listed investment companies and listed investment trusts, including planned delistings from Neuberger Berman and Forager, the ongoing battle over Magellan Financial's Global Fund, and Wilson Asset Management's latest offering.

The podcast is also available via our dedicated website page, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and BuzzSprout.

Please share with friends and colleagues, and a favourable rating would help spread the word. We welcome questions and suggestions at [email protected].

Grab a cuppa and settle in for our chat.

James Gruber
Editorial, Firstlinks and Morningstar

 

  •   1 November 2023
  • 5
  •      
  •   
5 Comments
Peter
November 02, 2023

I wish there was a transcript. Listening to podcasts takes up too much time and I am eager to read other articles contained in "Firstlinks"

James Gruber
November 03, 2023

Point taken, Peter. Unfortunately, transcripts take time and we don't have the resources to do it right now. We do include extensive time stamps, so you can go to bits of the podcast that interest you. 

Greg
November 02, 2023

Hi Peter, as a general comment, I too find video clips and sound clips present information at a quite "slow" information rate compared to that of a reasonable speed reader.

I may be teaching you to "suck eggs", however - have you noticed the "speed adjust" icon on this podcast which lets you increase/change the replay speed (with some clever adjustment to avoid to Donald duck effect).

It is the small box with the 1x in it.

TonyD
November 02, 2023

This is a hack to get a text summary using AI.

1. Share the podcast to Spotify by clicking on the up-arrow icon in the player.

2. In Spotify share the podcast to get a url link.

3. Go to poe.com and use your free access quota to ask Claude2-100k for a summary with the prompt:

Summarise: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2EyAcpxM2X95JYnxNqCXou?si=w_Tq3fs3SiSPmvlq5J72ZA

4. Caude2 will generate a summary and suggest additional prompts to dig down:

> Tell me more

> What are some potential risks or downsides of favoring credit over equities in a portfolio?

> Can you explain why UniSuper is currently favoring credit over equities in their portfolio?

> What are some examples of fragilities and weaknesses that were exposed during the global financial crisis?

> How does UniSuper determine the strategic allocation shift between credit and equities in their portfolio?

Sally
November 03, 2023

Agree totally ... time poor & would much prefer to read a transcript.

 

Leave a Comment:

banner

Most viewed in recent weeks

It’s time for LICs to die

A high-profile dividend cut and a prominent fund manager’s apology have reignited a long-running debate. If investors can access similar exposures more cheaply and efficiently elsewhere, what exactly is keeping LICs alive?

Testamentary trusts survived the trust tax. The drafting battle has just begun.

The fight over testamentary trusts looked settled. Then the draft legislation arrived. Hidden in a technical detail is a question that could force many families to rethink wills they thought were already future-proof.

The new capital gains tax trap for your portfolio

Investors have long accepted one portfolio rule without much question. A major tax shift could change that calculation entirely, forcing difficult trade-offs between risk, discipline and an overlooked cost lurking beneath.

The retirement scorecard: how many of these questions can you answer?

From the maths of retirement, estimating spending and picking the right asset allocation to survive a poor decade, here are the questions every retiree – current or future – should be able to answer for themselves.

How the typical Australian Family could save $844,350 in taxes

The value of a testamentary trust is not determined by wealth alone. Depending on circumstances, it can reduce the tax burden on inherited income, create efficiencies and help build intergenerational wealth.

The housing slide could become a crash

House prices are sliding across Australia, yet the most dangerous ingredient for a housing crash is still missing. If job losses surge amid growing economic risks, today's correction could become a historic property downturn.

Latest Updates

Testamentary trusts: Treasury has picked the wrong reading

A decades-old estate planning tool has survived one tax crackdown only to be caught by another. The surprise isn't who the reform is targeting, but who could end up paying the price for drafting choices made years ago.

Latest from Morningstar

Does an American retirement rule work for Australians?

The 4% rule has survived decades of scrutiny, but Australia's retirement system changes the equation in ways most overlook. Before accepting or rejecting this rule of thumb, it pays to understand what really drives retirement outcomes.

Shares

Glencore lands on the ASX. Should BHP and Rio shareholders switch?

A coal-heavy miner with governance concerns isn't the obvious choice for investors. Yet, Glencore's ASX listing may offer something BHP and Rio can't. The challenge is working out whether the opportunity outweighs the risks.

Why does the system treat capital gains and losses differently?

Investors are often told not to let tax policy drive their investment decisions. Yet, under the new CGT rules, portfolio construction, volatility and even how assets are owned may have an outsized impact on their final outcome.

Economy

Three common sense reforms that Australia needs

What do frozen bank accounts, mortgage traps and pension penalties have in common? They're all symptoms of a system that makes life much harder. Yet the obvious solutions seem to have escaped the attention of Canberra.

Shares

The hidden cost of government debt for investors

Some of the important effects of rising public debt never make the headlines. Research shows the immediate effects may already be unfolding, influencing corporate behaviour in ways that many investors would never suspect.

Investment strategies

When do fundamentals matter?

Is fundamental investing losing its grip on markets? Investors continue to search for valuation-based explanations for every price move, but the dominant force behind short-term returns may be something else altogether.

Sponsors

Alliances

  • ASA-Logo-RGB-ActiveGreen-web.png

© 2026 Morningstar, Inc. All rights reserved.

Disclaimer
The data, research and opinions provided here are for information purposes; are not an offer to buy or sell a security; and are not warranted to be correct, complete or accurate. Morningstar, its affiliates, and third-party content providers are not responsible for any investment decisions, damages or losses resulting from, or related to, the data and analyses or their use. To the extent any content is general advice, it has been prepared for clients of Morningstar Australasia Pty Ltd (ABN: 95 090 665 544, AFSL: 240892), without reference to your financial objectives, situation or needs. For more information refer to our Financial Services Guide. You should consider the advice in light of these matters and if applicable, the relevant Product Disclosure Statement before making any decision to invest. Past performance does not necessarily indicate a financial product’s future performance. To obtain advice tailored to your situation, contact a professional financial adviser. Articles are current as at date of publication.
This website contains information and opinions provided by third parties. Inclusion of this information does not necessarily represent Morningstar’s positions, strategies or opinions and should not be considered an endorsement by Morningstar.