Over the past decade, Australian equities have produced high dividends, but returns have lagged the US market. In this session, three leading Australian equity managers will consider if this will remain the case, or whether changes in the dominant sectors such as banking, mining and retailing and the increasing representation of ‘new’ industries will see a transition to a higher growth market.

The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated the already rapid transitions taking place in the global economy and society, creating strong growth opportunities. David Eiswert of T. Rowe Price will provide his insights on how to harness this growth, by identifying these changes/ trends and the companies best placed to benefit, while also managing the risks, including assessing the valuations of these stocks.

Has COVID-19 driven a final push lower in very loose monetary and fiscal policy worldwide, the rise of on-line business models, and de-globalisation, or was the world going down this path anyway? Two leading economic thinkers, Andrew Balls of PIMCO and John Butler of Wellington, will provide their perspectives on the future direction of the global economy post the pandemic.

The trends towards economic ‘de-coupling’ of China from other countries, particularly developed countries, and ‘regionalisation’, often touted as the next phase of globalisation, may be accelerated as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this session, our panel of Asia-based investors will explore the opportunities and risks for China and Asia more broadly of these trends, and the implications for investors.