Balanced superannuation funds furthered the September quarter’s positive momentum, posting strong results in the last month.
September saw a 1.3 per cent spike in the average median balanced option, while the first quarter of the financial year recorded a median return of 4.8 per cent - the second highest on record in the last three years, according to Super Ratings.
Australian equities were responsible for much of the positive returns, with the median superannuation Australian Shares option offering 2.5 per cent, next to the 2.2 per cent on the S&P/ASX 200 Accumulation Index.
International shares also did well, bringing in 1 per cent over the month of September.
Other asset classes, meanwhile, showed similar promise, with property options gaining 1.2 per cent and diversified fixed interest and cash options growing slightly at 0.5 and 0.2 per cent respectively.
Rest Superannuation has topped the list of balanced funds for the last five years, with a median 7.6 per cent growth, followed by the Commonwealth Bank Group and Telstra Super, each on 7.4 per cent.
A major super fund has defended its use of private markets in a submission to ASIC, asserting that appropriate governance and information-sharing practices are present in both public and private markets.
A member body representing some prominent wealth managers is concerned super funds’ dominance is sidelining small companies in capital markets.
Earlier this month, several Australian superannuation funds fell victim to credential stuffing attacks, which saw a small number of members lose more than $500,000.
Small- to medium-sized funds have become collateral damage in an "imperfect" model for super industry levies, a financial institution has said.