Oliver’s Insights – Another 21 great investment quotes… “Investing can be profitable as well as fun, but it can also be unnerving and unprofitable if you don’t understand markets and don’t have the right mindset. The basics of successful investing are timeless and some experts have a knack of encapsulating these in a way that’s…
Highlights: Global Central Banks continue to lower interest rates The RBA cuts the cash rate by 25bp to 2.25% (February 2015) The ECB finally announces Quantitative Easing – €60b per month Oil prices declined again in January – represents a 47% decline in 4 months Global bond yields trend lower US economic data continues to…
Brian Parker, Head of the Portfolio Specialists Group, gives an update on markets during January. He discusses: how most world share markets rose over the month, other than the US why renewed concerns about the health of the world economy have caused some central banks to ease monetary policy why Australia’s investment environment remains uncertain,…
Key points are as follows… Falling inflation on the back of falling commodity prices and global spare capacity indicates deflation is more of a threat globally than a surge in inflation. Further monetary easing in Europe, Japan and elsewhere should help head the threat off but it’s worth keeping an eye on. Low interest rates…
Highlights: Oil prices decline sharply through November. Global equity markets continued to rally strongly, although Australia did not participate. US economic data continues to show a sustainable recovery. Weak economic data across the Eurozone continues to support further ECB monetary intervention. China moves from targeted stimulus to a broad cut in interest rates to meet…
Key points are as follows… · 2014 has been a positive but somewhat constrained and messy year for investors as the global economy remained in a cyclical “sweet spot” despite various threats, but Australian shares underperformed. · 2015 is likely to see okay but uneven global growth, low inflation and easy monetary conditions. While the US is…
Key points are as follows… Starting point valuations – eg yields and price to earnings multiples – are a key driver of potential medium term investment returns. This is particularly so for cash and bonds, and for shares & other growth assets at extremes. At present valuation starting points for term deposits and bonds suggest…
Key points are as follows… 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: more fearful, more jittery and more focussed on the short term. Investors should recognise that shares climb a wall…
Although you may not be thinking about your retirement yet, the reality is that every little extra you put aside now will pay off later down the track. After working hard all your life, you want to retire in comfort — that’s why you need a financial plan. Here’s five ways you can start to…
Key points are as follows… · Global, and particularly Australian, shares have seen a bit of a pull back over the last month which could have further to go in the short term. · However, what we are seeing is likely a correction as opposed to a new bear market. From a fundamental point of…