It’s surprising how different Australian superannuation is to other developed countries, when asset management is a global industry. Why are we different and which counties have it right?
We buy more apples when they are cheaper, why not Apple?
What is it about shares that most investors want to buy as they become more expensive, then sell when the price falls? We don’t do that with other goods. There are four main choices when reacting to a market fall.
The CAPE hanging over share markets
The widely-used cyclically adjusted price-to-earnings ratio (CAPE) is at historic and relative highs in the US. The co-inventor of CAPE, Robert Shiller, is advising not to give too much weight to US equities.
10 checkpoints before setting up an SMSF
It’s fashionable to have an SMSF, and at barbecue talk, it goes well with the new car, private school, investment property and overseas holiday. But who should really have one?
Five things SMSF trustees should consider right now
The implications of the superannuation reforms did not end in 2017, and SMSF trustees should stocktake what they can do, especially focussing on the CGT and the unique definition of retirement for super.
Home care: the good, the bad, and the ugly
Home Care Packages have undergone significant reforms recently, and the waiting list for such packages is growing. Advisers and their clients need to keep abreast of what those changes mean for them.
Make an earlier start understanding aged care
Aged care is a specialist subject, but financial advisers need to have strategies for their clients before it is left to a family member to step in with different views on affordability and what standard of care is needed.
Small and mid-cap resources review 2018
After being shunned by most investors up to early 2016, most commodity prices have experienced stellar growth in the last two years, putting resource companies back in the frame for many portfolios.
Howard Marks and his ‘Latest Thinking’
Howard Marks explains that he has never told investors ‘it’s time to get out’, and while he does not see bubble conditions, future returns are likely to be subdued based on current high prices.
Still, very much, the Lucky Country
The phrase ‘Lucky Country’ was coined to be pejorative, but Australia has managed to acquire wealth and income equality well beyond expectations bestowed on it by chance.
Does fixed income diversify portfolio risk?
Investors shouldn’t automatically assume the inclusion of bonds in a portfolio provides diversity against their equity exposure, as correlations can change in volatile markets.
Managing the threat of rising volatility risk
Volatility continues to hit record lows despite political upheaval and the start of interest rate normalisation. But, as inflation continues to take root, can active strategies help investors protect their portfolios from downside risk?
3 predictions for Australian ETFs in 2018
ETFs are seeing the growth in popularity in Australia that overseas markets have experienced for many years, and they could reach $50 billion by the end of 2018. What will drive it?
The reasons LICs have come-of-age
2017 was a watershed year for LICs, not only because of the increase in issues, but the new features that address previous shortcomings.
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