Low-cost or ‘passive’ investing has been touted as the biggest innovation in finance for the last several decades. The idea is simple, mastered by the likes of BlackRock and Vanguard, which is to replicate a major index, like the S&P500 or S&P/ASX200, and offer this vehicle to investors at the lowest cost possible. This has…
It was another strong day for the S&P/ASX200 (ASX: XJO) with the market looking through challenging headlines and volatility towards what will otherwise be a resurgent economy. The market finished 1.1 per cent higher with 6 of the eleven sectors gaining more than 2 per cent. Technology and property were the standouts, gaining 3.3 and 2.5 per…
The S&P/ASX200 (ASX: XJO) has delivered another positive day despite the incredibly negative backdrop with issues ranging from inflation to commodity price uncertainty and the Ukraine invasion. The market finished 1 per cent higher with the technology and communication sectors central to the performance, up 3.2 and 2.4 per cent respectively. The highlights of today were mainly…
Both houses of Parliament quietly passed what may well be the biggest changes to super contribution rules in a decade. With the Treasury Laws Amendment Bill only awaiting Royal Assent (that is, from the Governor-General, which is a mere formality), 2022 will see retirees and soon-to-be retirees provided with significantly greater flexibility in putting additional…
The selling pressure continued on Wednesday with the S&P/ASX200 falling 0.8 per cent as uncertainty around the world continues to grow. Recent winners in energy and materials led the selloff down 3.6 and 3.3 per cent respectively with BHP (ASX: BHP) and Rio Tinto (ASX: RIO) among the hardest hit, falling 3.7 and 4.3 per cent. Among the strangest moves in recent…
The trends of the last two weeks look to set to accelerate for the rest of March with the S&P/ASX200 following the lead of US futures to fall another 1 per cent to open the week. As has been the case since the invasion of Ukraine began, the energy sector remains the biggest beneficiary gaining 5.3 per cent with Woodside (ASX:…
News that the Russian invasion of Ukraine had resulted in a fire at one of the country’s many nuclear reactors sent shockwaves through global markets, with Fukushima returning to front of mind. Shares in Paladin (ASX: PDN) bore the brunt, falling 14 per cent but trading as much as 25 per cent lower, as investors once again…
ME Bank recently released the 21st edition of its Household Financial Comfort report, which seeks to measure how confident and comfortable Australians of many different backgrounds are with their financial position. Created more than two decades ago, the report provides a powerful insight into the trends and more importantly concerns facing Australian households at a…
The Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK.A) annual letter to shareholders is must reading for any investor or financial professional. Despite nearing 100 years of age, both Buffett and his business partner Charlie Munger remain as astute and knowledgeable as they have ever been. Their annual letter is not without a few ‘whacks’, highlighting some of the excesses…
The Government bond market is now experiencing more volatility than the equity market, with the Australian 10-year yield increasing 10 basis points today, whilst the S&P/ASX200 gained 0.5 per cent once again. Just four of the 11 key sectors were lower, led by Consumer Staples, which fell 2.3 per cent, primarily due to Coles (ASX: COL) moving to ex-dividend and…
