Financial Planning Financial planners remain cautious. Financial planner and client sentiment improved marginally in February but remains very fragile amid the expectation of bad news, according to the latest research conducted by Wealth Insights. Read more from Money Management Investors overlook mistakes in down markets. Advisers need to better address the five common mistakes investors always make in volatile markets, says Russell's head of strategic wealth. Read more from Investor Daily Regulatory Cross-ownership a barrier to good financial advice: ASIC. The ownership of financial planners by product manufacturers creates one of the main barriers to improving the quality of advice in Australia, according to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). Read more from Money Management ASIC's growing regulatory perimeter. The chairman of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), Greg Medcraft, has outlined the challenges confronting the regulator, including what he describes are a "growing regulatory perimeter", a greater range of products and more investors. Read more from Money Management Superannuation Super funds reverse 2011 losses: report. Australian superannuation funds have reversed the total losses experienced in the past 12 months after recording back-to-back positive returns in the first two months of 2012, according to a research report. Read more from Investor Daily SPAA signs up for FoFA opt out. The Self-Managed Super Fund Professionals’ Association of Australia (SPAA) says it will modify its code of conduct to ensure its members are exempted from the opt-in provisions of the Future of Financial Advice (FoFA) reforms. Read more from Professional Planner Funds management Large funds outperform: APRA APRA has entered the argument over fund scale, releasing research that finds larger funds outperform smaller ones. Read more from Financial Standard Plotting a path through the maze of hedge funds. Investors have dismissed fund-of-hedge-fund products (FoHFs) as a result of the global deleveraging event in 2008, and while this event caused concern for many investors, the catalyst for this was a structural issue. Read more from Professional Planner Investments Retirees value advice, but ASIC says quality is poor. New research from Investment Trends (IT) reveals that financial planners believe about a third of clients will not achieve their retirement income goals. But it has also found that pre-retirees who use a planner’s services are more likely to feel they are on track to meet their targets. Read more from Professional Planner Bonds and share income funds provide cash alternatives. Exposure to bonds and share income funds may be useful in providing growth options to clients chiefly concerned with preserving capital and maintaining income, Tyndall Investment Management said. Read more from Money Management Accounting Regulatory arbitrage a concern: JAB. Accounting bodies will consult with ASIC in the wake of the passage of financial advice reforms through the Lower House of Parliament, however, accounting chiefs believe greater detail is needed to ensure their members are not disadvantaged by 'regulatory arbitrage'. Read more from Investor Daily Not all accountants are natural investors. Accountants put too much pressure on themselves when it comes to making investment decisions for their own finances, according to a Quantum Financial director. Read more from Investor Daily Markets Market ripe for private equity. Institutions deleveraging to shore-up balance sheets is leading to a buyer's market for private equity, according to one provider. Read more from Financial Standard Emerging markets have a long way to grow. Last year was a tough one for global economic growth and markets. We’re starting to see the early signs of at least the US economy turning a corner, and this is positive for the global economy. Read more from Professional Planner