Equity trading cost knowledge can help save

8 March 2016
| By Jassmyn |
image
image image
expand image

Superannuation funds could be missing out on significant savings as they have very little information on how much equity trading costs and how efficiently they make their trades, Parametric believes.

The asset management firm said when measured, trading costs should include explicit and implicit trading costs, the latter including spreads and price impacts as it is highly variable and skill-dependent.

Parametric's Australian arm head of research, Raewyn Williams, said as trading Australia and international equities on average comprised of 44 per cent of total funds invested, it was imperative for super funds to give the issue more attention.

"This is another area of implementation efficiency where there could be considerable savings made," Williams said.

"To trade a passive Australian equity portfolio patiently, full costs begin at 21 bps [basis points] per $1 traded and can rise to as much as 66 bps per $1 traded.

To trade a passive international equity portfolio patiently, costs begin at 11 bps per $1 traded and can rise to 26 bps per $1 traded. This is the most conservative scenario. "

Williams said the main driver of explicit trading costs is whether research is included in the service, or if it is execution only and the amount of ‘order flow' directed to the broker.

The main drivers of implicit trading costs are the asset class traded, the size of the trades, how active the portfolio is, and how aggressive the trading style is.

Williams said funds needed to demand transparency from their managers and/or internal teams to measure trading costs and assess the efficiency of their underlying trades.

Read more about:

AUTHOR

Recommended for you

sub-bgsidebar subscription

Never miss the latest developments in Super Review! Anytime, Anywhere!

Grant Banner

From my perspective, 40- 50% of people are likely going to be deeply unhappy about how long they actually live. ...

1 year 6 months ago
Kevin Gorman

Super director remuneration ...

1 year 7 months ago
Anthony Asher

No doubt true, but most of it is still because over 45’s have been upgrading their houses with 30 year mortgages. Money ...

1 year 7 months ago

The rollout of further tariffs in the US from August is expected to decrease economic growth in the US in the longer term, AMP and asset managers warn....

6 hours ago

Superannuation funds have posted another year of strong returns, but this time, the gains weren’t powered solely by Silicon Valley....

6 hours ago

Australia’s $4.1 trillion superannuation system is doing more than funding retirements – it’s quietly fuelling the nation’s productivity, lifting GDP, and adding thousand...

6 hours ago

TOP PERFORMING FUNDS

ACS FIXED INT - AUSTRALIA/GLOBAL BOND
Fund name
3y(%)pa
2
DomaCom DFS Mortgage
95.46 3 y p.a(%)
5