Interest Rates: THE LONG UNWINDING ROAD

Interest Rates: THE LONG UNWINDING ROAD

The US Federal Reserve (Fed) has unveiled plans to start shrinking its balance sheet, which has more than quadrupled in size since the global financial crisis (GFC). The multi-year massive expansion of the Fed’s balance sheet has had a recognized powerful effect on asset markets—lowering yields and flattening the yield curve...(technical commentary)

Australian Share Market Rallies Past 6000

Australian Share Market Rallies Past 6000

The local sharemarket rose 1% today, taking the ASX200 and All Ordinaries Index well above the 6,000 threshold, heights we haven't seen in almost a decade...

Interest rates on hold

Interest rates on hold

The Reserve Bank of Australia decided to once again leave the official cash rate unchanged at 1.5%. With inflation seemingly well under control and the Sydney property market now showing signs of cooling, this outcome was widely predicted by most financial commentators...

Housing Boom Over

Housing Boom Over

Australia’s housing boom is “officially over,” with data showing prices now flatlining, UBS Group AG said. National house prices were unchanged in October from September, CoreLogic data released Wednesday showed. Annual price growth slowed to 7 percent last month from above 10 percent as recently as July, the data showed...

Budgeting: Where does all my money go?

Budgeting: Where does all my money go?

The three biggest drains on our money are paying for housing, food and transport. And there’s no getting away from the fact that it is unlikely we can live without any of the “big three”. Here we look at some ways of how to save on these items...

UNDER 40 & BROKE: THE NEED FOR FINANCIAL ADVICE

UNDER 40 & BROKE: THE NEED FOR FINANCIAL ADVICE

With increasing debt and falling home ownership among the under 40s, their financial prospects are less than rosy.  If this trend is set to continue, young people are going to be needing financial advice more than ever to help them make the best choices for a secure future...

Retirement: Seniors are doing it for themselves

Retirement: Seniors are doing it for themselves

Newcastle-based lawyer Lyn Lucas has been practicing family law for 25 years. She is also 76. Lucas studied law as a mature age student, and seven years ago created an online legal practice, Online Divorce Lawyer. This came about as she was looking to lessen the stress of practising law full time...

Australian House Price Crash?

Australian House Price Crash?

A common narrative on the Australian housing market is that it’s in a giant speculative bubble propelled by tax breaks, low interest rates and “liar loans” that have led to massive mortgage stress and that it’s all about to go bust, bringing down the banks and the economy with it. Recent signs of price falls – notably in Sydney – have added interest to such a view...

Financial Advice Worth More Than It Costs

Financial Advice Worth More Than It Costs

A young family could be $240,000 better off at retirement if they receive financial advice, according to Sunsuper....

SHARING FINANCIAL WISDOM

SHARING FINANCIAL WISDOM

Money know-how can come from anyone, young or old. When it comes to financial wisdom, author and speaker Kylie Travers and actor and singer Charmaine Bingwa have taken their lead from the previous generation...

A Better Retirement

A Better Retirement

Today, with Australians living longer and healthier lives, the concept of retirement is much different to what it was only one generation ago. For each retiree, retirement is different.

Typically, there are four areas that need to be considered to help you better understand your retirement goals and objectives. These are...

Retirement: Life after work

Retirement: Life after work

Superannuation stumbling blocks

What’s stopping you from saving for a retirement you can really look forward to? Take a look at these four common barriers to saving more super and make a plan for having all your goals and financial priorities in order...

TOP 5 Financial Regrets

TOP 5 Financial Regrets

We all make bad decisions about money from time to time. But what if you could avoid future financial errors by learning what others have done and wish they hadn’t? In our Live the Dream survey we asked Aussies for their top financial regrets so you can learn from their mistakes...

Interest rates: US Fed begins to tighten

Interest rates: US Fed begins to tighten

The US Federal Reserve provided few surprises following its September meeting. While it left interest rates on hold, it confirmed that it will begin what it calls “balance sheet normalisation” next month and continued to signal its expectation that it will raise interest rates again in December and in the years ahead...

Income & Dividends: The search for yield

Income & Dividends: The search for yield

For some time now, the investment world has been characterised by a search for decent yield paying investments. This “search for yield” actually started last decade but was interrupted by the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) and the Eurozone debt crisis before resuming again in earnest...