Market Updates

Given the continued volatility in investment markets, it’s no wonder some investors develop mixed feelings about investing in shares. When markets are volatile, emotional instincts can begin to play a role in investment decisions. In this environment, a well-anchored investor stands to benefit by persisting with an appropriate investment strategy to achieve long-term results. In […]

Read more

Statement by Glenn Stevens, Governor: Monetary Policy Decision At its meeting today, the Board decided to lower the cash rate by 25 basis points to 2.25 per cent, effective 4 February 2015. Growth in the global economy continued at a moderate pace in 2014. China's growth was in line with policymakers' objectives. The US economy […]

Read more

Globally Growth is likely to remain around 3.5%; ranging from 1-1.5% in the Eurozone and Japan, 3.5% in the US and 7% in China. Inflationary pressure is likely to remain fairly low and the overall monetary backdrop, despite a probable tightening by the US in the middle of the year, will remain fairly easy. We […]

Read more

This is especially true for retirees who are largely reliant upon their financial assets to fund their lifestyle. As a result, advisers are fine-tuning their advice frameworks, and seeking investment strategies better matched to client goals and expectations. With the new year upon us, we explore the importance of goal-setting and retirement planning. Boost your […]

Read more

A combination of the blanket news coverage of economic worries, the associated information avalanche we are now exposed to and our innate fascination with crises is likely making us worse investors. We’re more fearful, more jittery and more focused on the short-term. With the year drawing to a close, now is a good time to […]

Read more

Secular investing looks ahead – beyond just the next few years – to investigate the themes and directions that will shape the future world. In the flurry of day-to-day market turbulence it is often easy to get side tracked by short-term noise and lose sight of what is important in the long game. In this […]

Read more

Each year, billions of dollars are invested into social programs that aim to address some of the world’s biggest challenges, from a lack of access to education, healthcare, food and/or water through to natural disasters and much more. As such, social investing (also known as impact investing) has become topical with a recent report suggesting […]

Read more

Global shares have been going through a bit of a correction. Apart from worries about global growth, a range of ‘event risks’ have been playing a role: the Ebola scare, Iraq’s deteriorating security situation and a terrorist threat posed by Islamic States (IS), Hong Kong’s extended pro-democracy protests and Ukraine’s stalemate with Russia. Here is […]

Read more

Investors plunging into residential property have been warned by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) that they are taking on risks when prices are already high and growth in rents has slowed. Following October’s Board meeting, the RBA indicated that property prices had continued to grow into the September quarter. What’s been driving prices? The […]

Read more

1. Price of iron ore has fallen dramatically The price of the steel-making ingredient iron ore has been on a downward trend since 2011. The impact of this for Australian share investors is that a decline in commodity prices negatively impacts the profits of miners and adversely affects share prices. 2. China cools down Concerns […]

Read more