Invest
Why it's time to forget 'active versus passive'
The endless debate between indexing and active management is the investment community's version of the 'climate wars' being waged in politics, says QIC – and it is just as unproductive.
Why it's time to forget 'active versus passive'
The endless debate between indexing and active management is the investment community's version of the 'climate wars' being waged in politics, says QIC – and it is just as unproductive.
Australian institutional investment firm QIC has weighed into the perennial 'active versus passive debate' in investment circles, likening the argument to the 'climate wars' in federal politics.
QIC, a primarily active fund manager servicing super funds and other institutional investors, argued that active and passive strategies are complementary rather than "at logger-heads".
In a new paper titled Active management: skill, breadth and flexibility drives outperformance across investment cycles, QIC said investors should consider changing market conditions when selecting investment strategies.
The paper also pointed out that active investing is more about quality than quantity, and fixed income active management rewards good management by companies.

QIC director for research and strategy Katrina King said, "We are passionate advocates for active investing, but that doesn’t mean that we turn up our noses at passive investing."
"It does mean, though, that based on findings from decades of investment research, there is compelling evidence to support the proposition that markets go through periods of inefficiency where they vary from fundamental value.
"By doing so, they create opportunities for active investors to outperform benchmarks by intelligently exploiting desired risks and avoiding undesired ones," Ms King said.
Stock market
Webull launches Webull Connect, revolutionising access for Australian financial advisers
In a significant move that marks its entry into the Australian wealth management sector, Webull Securities (Australia) Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of the Nasdaq-listed Webull Corporation, has unveiled its ...Read more
Stock market
Future Generation Global boosts dividends with special payout, marking significant yield increase
Future Generation Global (ASX: FGG) has announced a significant boost to its dividend offerings for the year 2025, delighting shareholders with an increased fully franked full-year dividend and an ...Read more
Stock market
6K Additive secures A$48 million through initial public offering on the Australian Stock Exchange
6K Additive, a prominent player in the advanced metal powders and alloy additions market, has made a significant stride by successfully completing its Initial Public Offering (IPO) on the Australian ...Read more
Stock market
Institutional investors increase stock allocations to 18-year high amid cautious market shifts
In a recent development, State Street Markets unveiled the findings of its latest State Street Institutional Investor Indicators, revealing intriguing shifts in institutional investor behaviourRead more
Stock market
FOREX.com launches in Australia to empower self-directed traders
StoneX Group Inc. (NASDAQ: SNEX) has announced the Australian launch of FOREX.com, expanding access for self-directed traders to a global suite of Contracts for Difference (CFD) products across ...Read more
Stock market
Westpac and CMC Markets strengthen partnership to enhance online trading services
In a significant move that underscores the evolving landscape of online trading in Australia, CMC Markets Stockbroking has been chosen as the preferred vendor by Westpac Banking Corporation to extend ...Read more
Stock market
Portfolio reviews as an operating discipline: turning volatility into a competitive edge
In a higher-rate, higher-volatility world, portfolio reviews are no longer an annual hygiene task; they’re a core operating rhythm that protects cash flow, unlocks tax alpha, and sharpens risk ...Read more
Stock market
Fee war on the ASX: Global X’s A300 turns up the heat on core Aussie equity ETFs
Global X has lobbed a 0.04% management fee into Australia’s core equity sandbox, launching the Australia 300 ETF (A300) to take on entrenched giants. Read more
Stock market
Webull launches Webull Connect, revolutionising access for Australian financial advisers
In a significant move that marks its entry into the Australian wealth management sector, Webull Securities (Australia) Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of the Nasdaq-listed Webull Corporation, has unveiled its ...Read more
Stock market
Future Generation Global boosts dividends with special payout, marking significant yield increase
Future Generation Global (ASX: FGG) has announced a significant boost to its dividend offerings for the year 2025, delighting shareholders with an increased fully franked full-year dividend and an ...Read more
Stock market
6K Additive secures A$48 million through initial public offering on the Australian Stock Exchange
6K Additive, a prominent player in the advanced metal powders and alloy additions market, has made a significant stride by successfully completing its Initial Public Offering (IPO) on the Australian ...Read more
Stock market
Institutional investors increase stock allocations to 18-year high amid cautious market shifts
In a recent development, State Street Markets unveiled the findings of its latest State Street Institutional Investor Indicators, revealing intriguing shifts in institutional investor behaviourRead more
Stock market
FOREX.com launches in Australia to empower self-directed traders
StoneX Group Inc. (NASDAQ: SNEX) has announced the Australian launch of FOREX.com, expanding access for self-directed traders to a global suite of Contracts for Difference (CFD) products across ...Read more
Stock market
Westpac and CMC Markets strengthen partnership to enhance online trading services
In a significant move that underscores the evolving landscape of online trading in Australia, CMC Markets Stockbroking has been chosen as the preferred vendor by Westpac Banking Corporation to extend ...Read more
Stock market
Portfolio reviews as an operating discipline: turning volatility into a competitive edge
In a higher-rate, higher-volatility world, portfolio reviews are no longer an annual hygiene task; they’re a core operating rhythm that protects cash flow, unlocks tax alpha, and sharpens risk ...Read more
Stock market
Fee war on the ASX: Global X’s A300 turns up the heat on core Aussie equity ETFs
Global X has lobbed a 0.04% management fee into Australia’s core equity sandbox, launching the Australia 300 ETF (A300) to take on entrenched giants. Read more
