3 key themes from the Macquarie conference: Over three days last week our investment team had exposure to more than 100 companies at the annual Macquarie...

3 key themes from the Macquarie conference: Over three days last week our investment team had exposure to more than 100 companies at the annual Macquarie Australia Conference. In our view, the three key themes emerging from the presentations by company executives across a range of sectors were: 1. Companies are wary of the potential adverse outcomes of tomorrow's Federal Budget; 2. They have flagged a general softening in the economy so far this calendar year; and 3. Companies are continuing to take costs out of their businesses to drive profit growth.