Reading time: 5 minutes
The bull market has continued to edge higher in 2021 with stimulus package discussions continuing in the U.S., global vaccine rollouts – and even Jack Ma making public appearances again! There has been significant outperformance in certain sectors, notably mega-cap Tech, and other sectors such as Energy and Financials,
Property vs. sharemarket – the age-old debate
Reading time: 7 minutes
Whilst interest rates are at record lows and are likely to remain there for several years based on Reserve Bank governor Phillip Lowe’s commentary1, should you be taking advantage of the current market environment by investing in property or investing in the sharemarket?
One up on Wall Street – the ETF edition
Reading time: 2 minutes
When I started my investing journey over a decade ago, the first investing book I read was One up on Wall Street, written by one of the world’s most successful investors – Peter Lynch, who ran Fidelity’s Magellan Fund. For those new to investing,
Core strength: working the abs of your investment portfolio
Reading time: 3 minutes
A well-diversified portfolio can assist with reducing volatility and enhancing performance returns.
And perhaps the easiest way to diversify your portfolio is to invest in what are known as ‘core’ exposures. The concept of core exposures is often used in the financial advice world and refers to the foundations of,
History repeats itself, as small caps outperform
Reading time: 2 minutes
It pays to be diversified – and 2020 has been no exception. The Australian small cap market offers breadth and opportunity for those investors willing to accept the risk that comes with an investment in a basket of small companies.
How have small caps typically performed following market disruptions?
Is your portfolio looking decidedly 2012?
Reading time: 4 minutes
There’s nothing wrong with a few retro items when it comes to your wardrobe or house. I mean, is there anything groovier than a body shirt, flared jeans and a well-chosen pair of boots? Come to think of it, is there anything groovier than the word ‘groovy’?
The case for a purer exposure to gold
Reading time: 4 minutes
It’s no surprise that gold is surging right now, given escalating China/U.S. tensions, real yields at or below zero, and a weakening USD. On 28 July, the gold spot price reached a new all-time high of USD1,959 per ounce, eclipsing the levels set in 2011-12 on fears of QE induced inflation.
SPIVA study and the myth of active management outperformance
Reading time: 4 minutes
In the perennial debate about the merits of active vs. passive management, the main claim of active managers is that the higher fees they typically charge are justified by their ability to outperform market benchmarks, and by extension, passive funds that aim to track those benchmarks.
Bonds are to equities what Pippen was to Jordan
Reading time: 5 minutes
If, like me, you watched ‘The Last Dance’ during Covid-19 lockdown, you will appreciate what an amazing team the Chicago Bulls were during the 1990s. Flashy, charismatic and awe-inspiring – Michael Jordan rightly commanded the spotlight. In contrast, the slow-talking, relatively shy Scottie Pippen never got the recognition he deserved.
Quality in unprecedented times
Reading time: 5 mins
As the longest bull market in history has come to an end, the phrase ‘unprecedented times’ arguably has become a cliché. Whilst admittedly there would be few of us alive to have witnessed an event-driven correction of this magnitude, from an economic standpoint we may be on familiar ground.