Reading time: 5 minutes There are at least three reasons why it may make sense to have some exposure to government bonds in your portfolio. And in this regard, relatively long “duration” government bonds – such as through the newly launched BetaShares Australian Government Bond ETF (ASX Code: AGVT) – potentially offer the most advantageous

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Reading time: 4 minutes Last month, the Toronto Raptors won their first NBA Championship in franchise history against the Golden State Warriors, who had one of the most dominant offences of the last five years.  It is interesting to analyse how the Raptors pulled it off.  Not only did they lead offensively by scoring more

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Reading time: 3 minutes Determining how to spread your funds across investment asset classes of varying risk and potential return is one of your most important investment decisions. Having a lot invested in equities will likely mean your long-run returns will be higher, but also that you will have to endure more volatility along the

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Reading time: 5 minutes Diversification may well be a primary reason for including fixed income in your portfolio. The idea is that your fixed income allocation acts as a defence when equities are not performing well. As a result, the overall volatility (risk) of your portfolio should be lower than if you were 100% invested

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Reading time: 5 minutes Emerging markets no longer only for the brave Some time ago, investing in emerging market companies was not for the faint of heart. Sector exposures were very biased towards manufacturing and agriculture, while the economies these companies operated in were immature and often had structural issues. What’s more, investors brave enough

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Reading time: 5 minutes Responsible investing is on the rise. According to the Responsible Investment Benchmark Report 2018 Australia, more than half of all professionally managed assets in Australia fall under a responsible investment umbrella. In years gone by, conventional wisdom was that acting in accordance with ethical principles involved a trade-off against portfolio returns.

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Reading time: 3 minutes Eating. It’s one thing we all do on a daily basis. But while we accept that food is an enjoyable staple of life, we typically give little thought to the investment opportunities that agriculture offers. Do you spread margarine on your toast, splash a little soy sauce on your rice, or

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Reading time: 4 minutes The surprise Federal election result has been positive for hybrids, and good value appears to remain in this sector.  The market’s overreaction to franking credit fears, moreover, highlights the benefits of active management in this complex area. Fading overreaction to the Labor Party Policy When Labor initially announced their proposal to

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Reading time: 4 minutes The surprise Federal election victory by the Liberal-National Party (LNP) Coalition has upended many previously held beliefs and fears concerning Australia’s investment markets.  This note outlines three key implications for investors along with some associated investment ideas for those who wish to conduct a post-election review of their portfolio. ScoMo’s Return:

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Reading time: 4 minutes The proposed removal of franking credit rebates that is part of the ALP’s election policy has been an ongoing point of discussion over the last 12 months. Irrespective of debate around the upcoming election or the form any rule changes may ultimately take, a central issue for many investors is how

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