Investing 101

The ASX 200 has fallen 5.5% in 2022 as inflation fears spook investors. Inflation reached 7.9% in the United States. It’s not nearly as bad in Australia, but 3.5% is still well above what economists prefer. Here are three ASX 200 shares to buttress your portfolio against inflation. 1. Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) Woolworths is…

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…

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…

As the crisis in Ukraine deepens with Russian troops advancing slowly on Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, the war is having a huge effect on two metals: palladium and platinum. Moscow-based Nornickel is the world’s largest producer of palladium and platinum, both of which are used in catalytic converters to clean car exhaust fumes. According to ETF…

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…