Property investment vs shares
An age-old question is whether it’s better to invest in property or shares. There is actually no right or wrong answer. It all comes down to your preferences and approach to risk. Growth investments Both …
Four thoughts on cryptocurrency in 2021 and beyond
Some cryptocurrencies have experienced a surge in value (and interest) since the pandemic. However, there’s a long way to go before it becomes clear how to determine their fundamental value. Even the Reserve Bank is …
Five simple but effective financial strategies for 2021
2020 may be remembered as the year we’d rather forget. The terrible health consequences and fatalities associated with the spread of Coronavirus both here in Australia and around the world has taken a heavy toll …
How much super should I have at my age?
A healthy super balance is a key ingredient to living comfortably in retirement. But for many people, retirement is a long way off, and it can be hard to know if your super is on …
Rethinking retirement
If you were working towards a retirement date and Coronavirus has meant a change of plans, it can be hard to move the goal posts. Could you gradually reduce your hours to make stretching out …
2021 – A list of lists regarding the macro investment outlook
Key Points: 2020 turned out far better for investors than was feared. 2021 is expected to provide solid returns and see a further rotation from pandemic winners to cyclical investments. Watch: coronavirus and vaccines; US …
Review of 2020, outlook for 2021 – from Pandemic to Recovery
Key points 2020 was dominated by the Coronavirus pandemic but shares saw okay returns on the back of policy stimulus and vaccine optimism, resulting in constrained but positive returns for balanced growth super funds. For …
Why it’s important to think about insurance ahead of retirement
If retirement’s coming up on your horizon, you’ll be keen to make sure your plans stay on track. It makes sense to concentrate on things you can control, such as insurance. Too-high premiums can chew …
Economic Update
Australia: The Reserve Bank of Australia cut the official cash rate to a new historic low of 0.1%. The Treasurer released Australia’s latest Federal Budget. This was essentially a ‘no-surprises’ package of measures designed for …
How to get Aged Care at Home
Older people who are struggling to live at home and take care of themselves often face a dilemma. Many don’t want to move into aged care accommodation, but they recognise the gardening, cleaning, cooking or …
Many Aussies in the dark about retirement
There’s always been a lot of unknowns when it comes to retirement but throw a global pandemic into the mix, and we’re feeling more uncertainty than ever before. Things we once thought of as quite …
Nine keys to successful investing
Introduction As an investor it’s very easy to get thrown off by the ever-present worry list surrounding investment markets that relates to economic activity, profits, interest rates, politics, and so on. This has been magnified …
Preparing for retirement during Covid-19
Timing is everything. It’s true in comedy, and it’s also the case when it comes to retirement. After decades of work, moving to the next stage of your life is a time of great anticipation. …
Responsible and ethical investing
If you’d like your money to make a difference to the world as well as to your future, ethical investing may be for you. Almost nine in 10 (89 per cent) Australians would prefer to …
What you need to know if you deferred your loan repayments due to COVID-19
With the initial six-month deferral period coming to an end, lenders have started contacting customers who deferred their home and business loans due to COVID-19. Over the next month, Aussie lenders will contact more than …
Five reasons why this downturn and subsequent recovery are different
Key Points This economic downturn and recovery differs from those of the past in that: the downturn was driven by a government shutdown; fiscal and monetary support has been faster and bigger; forced asset sales …
A Joe Biden Presidency
Implications for Investors and Australia Key points: The US election has been close and final counting as well as legal challenges could still upset the result, but the now highly likely outcome is a Biden …
Seven reasons why the trend in shares will likely remain up, albeit with bumps along the way
Key points Shares have had a strong run up from their March lows with US shares now at a record high. While shares are vulnerable through the seasonally weak months ahead in the run up …
A guide to active and passive investing
Investment funds can be broadly split into two categories – active and passive. And while both options play a part in an investment portfolio, it’s important to understand how each works before allocating money to …
Who inherits your super?
There are only certain people who can inherit your super when you die. There are also two different types of nominations you can make. Here’s what you need to know before making your super beneficiary …
Unintended consequences of Government COVID-19 Policies
For every action there is a reaction. And while we’re not criticising the government’s policy response to COVID-19, we recognise that such intervention often has unintended consequences. Take lower interest rates for instance. Central banks …
Planning, not panic: managing retirement portfolios through the pandemic
Despite the recent wild ride for markets coping with the uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic, many investors are well-versed in the need to “sit tight”. They understand that moving out of positions in falling markets …
Geopolitical risks for the economy and investments
The world has always been challenged by the dynamics of geopolitics. The nature and magnitude of associated conflicts may transition and manifest across varying contexts but, broadly speaking, geopolitical risk is ever present. The fierce …
Economic Update
Market and Economic overview Australia The coronavirus ‘curve’ of known cases has flattened out, suggesting social distancing measures have been successful in slowing the spread of the disease. The focus is now on a gradual …
Dividend cuts – what can investors expect?
Since the financial crisis more than a decade ago, investors have had to search much harder for income as savings rates have plunged. Many have looked to the equity market to help them achieve better …
Market Insight – Staying the Course
While it can be hard to stay in the market when share prices plummet, now is not the time to panic. The COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic has triggered a share market crash, in Australia and internationally. …
Light at the end of the coronavirus tunnel – what does it mean for investors?
Introduction The blanket coverage of coronavirus and its impact on the economy can lead to a lot of confusion. Some reports are hopeful of anti-viral drugs, others say a vaccine is at least a year …
The Coronavirus pandemic and the economy: A Q&A from an investment perspective
Introduction Along with the horrible human consequences, the coronavirus pandemic is having a huge impact on the way we live and, as a result, investment markets. This has raised a whole bunch of questions: why …
What signposts can we watch to be confident shares have bottomed?
Introduction After a roughly 35% plunge from their February high point to their lows around 23rd March, global and Australian shares have had a 15-20% rally. What’s more this rally has occurred despite increasingly bleak …
Is Coronavirus driving a recession, depression or an economic hit like no other?
Key points: Global share markets have fallen into a bear market, but whether this turns out to be long or short depends on how long the hit to the economy from coronavirus lasts. There are …