The ethics of personal transactions

RETAIL investors can opt for do-it-yourself (DIY) investing where they build and manage their own portfolios. There are benefits. And like with most issues, there are downsides as well. For some retail investors who prefer to leave it to the experts due to various reasons, they can empower portfolio managers to make decisions under a pre-agreed investment mandate.

Discretionary portfolio management is a form of service in which buy and sell decisions are made by portfolio managers for the retail clients’ account. If one is currently employing portfolio managers to look after their monies or are thinking of doing so, there are issues to consider.

One aspect a retail investor may want to look into would be whether portfolio managers put investors’ interests first. Do portfolio managers prioritise your interest over the investment firm’s or the portfolio manager’s own interests? Is there assurance or guidance given to portfolio managers with regards to priority of investment transactions?