Investing

The pandemic combined with the invasion of Ukraine has sent global commodity markets into flux. Commodities ranging from grain to crude oil are surging to near-record levels with 2020’s demand weakness offset by 2022’s significant supply-chain issues. In an environment of growing volatility and inflation, investors are naturally seeking hedges for their portfolios with gold…

Despite the headwinds caused by Covid-19, its lockdowns and supply chain disruptions, the February 2022 reporting season delivered positive earnings momentum. Blackmore Capital’s Marcus Bogdan says net earnings upgrades to S&P/ASX 200 profits were  0.9% or $1.3bn, the second strongest result since the global financial crisis.  Bogdan goes on to say, “Reporting had some pleasant…

Last week, Amazon announced its first stock split, where each shareholder will receive 19 additional shares for every share they already own. This means an investor who has 10 shares will now own 200, but the total value of their holding will remain the same. A stock split is purely cosmetic and doesn’t alter the…

Inflation expectations are pointing to a decade high of about 5.0 percent by mid-year going by events that are currently unfolding. The war in Ukraine is deepening and the floods in NSW and Queensland have inundated towns and created havoc. These events are increasing the cost-of-living pressures across the country and will lead to a…

Confused about the Metaverse? Well, you’re not the only one. There’s been a lot of talk about the “Metaverse” after Mark Zuckerberg rebranded Facebook and named it Meta Platforms. It all started a few years ago when Zuckerberg bought a virtual reality (VR) company called Oculus, which manufactured VR headsets. With Oculus, you could put on…

Last year was a record year for IPOs, with the highest number of new listings hitting the bourse for the first time. According to IPO Watch Australia, a benchmarking-based report compiled by HLB Mann Judd Perth, “there were 191 IPOs listing on the ASX in 2021 which was the highest number of new floats in…

With climate change front and centre of every investor’s mind, most people think of renewable energy or clean energy production as being primarily solar panels or wind turbines. Often many of the more effective and efficient renewable energy production processes are left out, such as “green” hydrogen (produced using renewable energy) or hydroelectricity. Nuclear power…

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…

ASX dividend shares are an essential part of all income portfolios. Especially when the official cash rate is just 0.10%. After accounting for inflation, money kept in a bank account is earning a negative return. Here are three ASX dividend shares I’d add to any income portfolio. 1. Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) Despite rising competition from neobanks…

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…

Gold as an inflation hedge? It’s a well-known investment strategy to buy gold during times of war and rising inflation. A risk that’s at the top of every investor’s mind today. Inflation has emerged as a primary concern for investors. And so, investors look to protect against it. With markets still battling COVID, rising inflation,…

Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are still as popular as ever, especially among retail investors who continue to drive the sector to record highs. According to Morningstar’s ETF Year-End Review 2021, Australian ETFs hit a dizzying high after recording a massive 23.9% increase in total assets, to $117 billion. It was led by strong-performing Australian equities pumping…