Investing

And it's on!

And it's on!

Some might be forgiven for thinking the wheels have fallen off Australian politics over the past decade with the same number of PM changes as Italy, a fractured Senate and “minority government” at times making sensible visionary long-term policy making hard…

What does a swing to the left mean for investors?

What does a swing to the left mean for investors?

When I was in my early 20s I thought socialism might be the way to go. Two things happened. One I studied economics which led me to the conclusion that socialism/heavy state intervention doesn’t lead to the best outcome in terms of living standards for most…

Share markets take-off

Share markets take-off

Throw away your year-end investment statement and take another look. Since January 1st, local and global sharemarkets have been on a 'tear', defying last year's doomsayers, and rebounding by about 11% (for now)…

What happened??

What happened??

Local share markets are now at a 22-month low. So what just happened and where are we headed?

Your No 1 Financial Focus, Decade By Decade...

Your No 1 Financial Focus, Decade By Decade...

Everyone has a different life journey they’re on. But getting on top of key financial goals as you follow your own path could see you enjoying a more comfortable lifestyle and being ready for the next chapter to begin. Read our guide to getting all your money matters sorted out, one decade at a time…

Are shares too expensive?

Are shares too expensive?

Some commentators claim shares are way overvalued and so a crash is inevitable. As always, it’s a lot more complicated, but given the current turbulence in share markets it’s worth having a look at whether share markets are expensive or not as a guide to how vulnerable we are to further falls….

Australian Economy: 5 Things You Should Know...

Australian Economy: 5 Things You Should Know...

For years now, many have told us that Australia is heading for an imminent recession. By contrast official forecasts have long been looking for several years of above trend growth. In the event neither has happened and we don’t see them happening anytime soon. Against this backdrop there are five things you should know about the Australian economy…

9 Keys To Successful Investing...

9 Keys To Successful Investing...

In the rough and tumble of investment markets its very easy to get distracted: by talk of the next best thing that will make you rich, by the ever-present predictions of an imminent crash, by the worry list that constantly surrounds investment markets relating to growth, profits, interest rates, politics, etc…

Trumponomics

Trumponomics

For the most part Trump the pragmatist has dominated so far. But we have clearly seen a swing to Trump the populist this year – raising risks for investors...

Fear Factor Investing

Fear Factor Investing

Fear is a factor in many of our investment decisions. Now, that’s not always a bad thing because fear can be an effective motivator that overcomes another great emotional roadblock for investors – procrastination…

Strong returns, but storm clouds gather...

Strong returns, but storm clouds gather...

After reviewing the returns of the last financial year, this note looks at the investment outlook for 2018-19 financial year…

Global Debt: Be alert, but not alarmed

Global Debt: Be alert, but not alarmed

As global interest rates bottom, concerns about rising inflation and interest rates, quite naturally, come to the fore, particularly in a time where global debt (country, corporate and personal debt) are an all time high. So as investors, retirees and superannuation members, how concerned should we be? AMP’s Dr Shane Oliver gives 7 reasons to be alert, but not alarmed…

US/China: Circling The Drain

US/China: Circling The Drain

After months of negotiations, China and the US are on the brink of an all-out trade war. On Friday, the US unveiled a list of $50bn in Chinese goods to target with 25% tariffs, pledging more duties if China retaliated…

Postgraduate education: Is it worth it?

Postgraduate education: Is it worth it?

So you’ve finished your degree - now what? With more Australians taking time to study for longer, find out if the benefits to your career and earning potential could be enough to make it worth investing in a postgraduate qualification…

Is China ok?

Is China ok?

It seems there is constant hand wringing about the risks around the Chinese economy with the common concerns being around unbalanced growth, debt, the property market, the exchange rate and capital flows and a “hard landing”…