This comes at a time, AUSIEX said, in which advisers are guiding clients through both the Euphoria of record highs and the anxiety caused by geo-political instability and war.
According to AUSIEX’s analysis, blue chip Australian shares accounted for the bulk of adviser trading volume in the 12-month period, with overall sell trades outnumbering buy trades as they appeared to trim holdings as part of broader portfolio management.
The only company traded in the top 10 that attracted more buys than sells was global biotech CSL.
Advisers also showed favour to ETFs, adding more of these to portfolios than they sold.
Despite these trends, the biggest names on the ASX still figured among the top holdings of advised investors.
“Trading activity on our platform indicates that advisers no longer just buy ordinary shares. They drew on the full range of listed securities in the past year to build portfolios which balance risk and return across the market cycle,” Christopher Hill, national director of distribution at AUSIEX said.
Advised investors were more likely to trade into rising markets, with seven of their 10 busiest trading days occurring when the ASX finished higher. By contrast, seven of the 10 busiest trading days for unadvised investors coincided with market declines.
“This suggests advisers successfully helped their clients negotiate the emotions caused by the volatility that marked 2026 and remain aligned to their long-term objectives,” Hill said.
The analysis also found fixed income was the standout ETF category over the past year, accounting for 38 per cent of net trade inflows across all ETFs. According to AUSIEX, the trend was likely supported by investors seeking alternatives to bank hybrid securities following their phase-out.
Advisers also increased their trading in direct international equities, with US and UK-listed companies among the most popular purchases. Quantum computing firms Rigetti Computing and IonQ featured prominently alongside established names including Tesla and Alibaba Group.
Trading activity among advised SMSFs also increased over the year, with volumes rising by around 20 per cent. While blue-chip shares continued to dominate portfolios, AUSIEX said ETFs are making up an increasingly larger share of trading activity within the sector.
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