This article looks at some longer term structural trends in the economy and their impact on economic growth and investments. A decline in routine based jobs Fear of technology replacing …
Risk assets performed strongly in January, following further indications that inflation may have peaked in key regions. Global economic growth forecasts were lowered by both the World Bank and the …
Reverse mortgages are home mortgages that work in the opposite way to a normal home mortgage. Instead of interest and capital being repaid over a fixed term, there are no …
Between March 2021-22, inflation in Australia rose by 5.1%. Meanwhile, wages only rose by 2.4%1. With the bare essentials becoming – well, expensive, it’s not surprising that many people are …
When it comes to life stages, we’re all different. Some of us are all set up with a mortgage, a steady career and possibly even kids in our mid-20s, while …
Key points 2022 was dominated by high inflation, rising interest rates, war in Ukraine and recession fears. This hit bonds and shares hard, driving losses for balanced growth super funds. …
If you’re a first home buyer, you may be eligible to withdraw voluntary super contributions you’ve made (plus earnings) to put towards a home deposit. Through the First Home Super …
Do you struggle to control your spending around your friends and family? If the urge to ‘keep up’ with a certain lifestyle is stretching your finances, it could be time …
Christmas is a wonderful time of year in Australia, filled with summer foods, decorations and of course, gift giving. Here are a few ideas to help you stretch your Christmas …
What’s the meaning of Christmas in your household? While it can sometimes feel like spending a small fortune on gifts and food is non-negotiable, it’s not the only option. And, …
If you’ve thought about how much money you need to save so you can retire comfortably, it might feel a little daunting. Maybe so much so, you’d rather not think about …
While an exposure to hedge funds can provide a lift to a portfolio’s performance, they also offer the potential to generate high returns – at a risk. Hedge funds play …
As you age and your health starts to deteriorate, having a financial safety net and protecting your nearest and dearest may become even more important. So, how old is too …
The impacts of interest rate hikes on consumers are well known; higher interest means that mortgage debt servicing costs will go up which is negative for consumer spending. Rate hikes …
Once a staple investment allocation, the traditional balanced portfolio of shares and bonds has had some challenges in delivering positive returns in today’s market environment. Institutional investors, such as superannuation …
It’s natural to feel nervous when markets fall. News about inflation and rising interest rates may prompt you to make an emotional investment decision. But history tells us that markets …
Up until the 1980s the dominant theory was that financial markets were efficient. In other words, all relevant information was reflected in asset prices in a rational manner. While some …
Pleasingly, global share markets fared well in October and recovered most of their lost ground from September. Locally, the S&P/ASX 200 Index re- turned 6.0%. The sharp reversal in sentiment …