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Governor Philip Lowe acknowledged some missteps in the central bank’s strategy on inflation during his tenure and said while the inflation target is now in view, further rate hikes may still be necessary to complete the bank’s important task.

With reporting season already revealing earnings misses, valuation pullbacks are creating opportunities in high-quality small caps, according to DNR Capital’s Sam Twidale. Investors should look through short-term risk and select from sectors where fear and uncertainty prompt mispricings.

Focussing on a concentrated portfolio of quality and growing stocks can expose investors to strong profit growth and some of the best companies in the world, Claremont Global’s Bob Desmond said at the Inside Network’s recent Investment Leaders Forum. It just requires thinking through the noise and understanding a company’s culture.

With deteriorating economic conditions dampening the banking outlook, some trading momentum may be leaving the sector after a strong two-month run. Six in 10 trades of big-four banks on the Selfwealth platform in July were sell orders, and headwinds are only picking up from here.

Slowing inflation, peaking interest rates and a renewed interest in companies with consistent earnings have sparked a rotation back into quality names in 2023. Sustainable investment strategies lend themselves to these types of businesses, according to Australian Ethical, which also sees a “massive gust of tailwind” from the net-zero push.

A BlackRock bitcoin ETF could add an extra $100 million in daily demand for the cryptocurrency, pumping up the price. If US regulators approve the product as expected, analysts expect big tailwinds for the entire crypto ecosystem.

Analysis of June trading by Selfwealth platform users with portfolios of more than $1 million showed clear patterns in how different generations prefer to invest, with Baby Boomers seeking income and quality while Millennials and Gen X-ers prefer exposure to the clean-energy transition and ETFs.

The regulator said it wasn’t satisfied the deal would not substantially lessen competition in Australian banking, particularly in home loans and small-business banking. ANZ and Suncorp plan to challenge the decision.

In an August 2 lawsuit, ASIC says the online investment platform improperly targeted unsophisticated investors for volatile and risky contract-for-difference products, which 77 per cent of its retail clients lose money on.

Two new reports show Australia lags other developed countries on financial literacy, with systemic issues making the gap between men and women even starker. These deficits translate to worse retirement outcomes, as the financially less literate can miss out on thousands of dollars in income each year.

While some still associate them with lower returns, ESG analysis and sustainable investing are really about managing risk and harnessing opportunities, the Perennial Partners portfolio managers said. If done “authentically”, sustainable investing is “very much a returns game”.

The promise of AI is inflating the prices of big tech stocks, and none have as much positive momentum as Nvidia – a big red flag, says Atrium Investment Management’s Brendan Paul. The key question is whether such companies can maintain long-term growth that justifies their elevated multiples.