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There are now more than 22,000 cryptocurrencies on the market, but most have small market capitalisations and unclear use cases, according to a recent Invesco report. The blockchain technology underpinning them, on the other hand, could change the infrastructure of finance.

For investors looking for alternatives to equities and fixed income, listed investment companies and trusts provide diversification and short-dated exposure to long-term investment strategies, not to mention inflation protection, industry leaders said at a recent event.

Analysts expect the bullish momentum for the safe-haven asset to continue amid sinking investor appetite for risk, with prices buoyed by an expected peak in US interest rates and a weakening US dollar.

While global markets recorded a second consecutive quarter of growth in Q1, only 13 per cent of ASX200 results beat forecasts, and signs that an economic reckoning is ready to unfold are flashing red, analysts say.

The federal government plans to use part of the $4.2 billion projected budget surplus to provide cost-of-living relief for Australian households and small businesses. It’s also moving forward with controversial plans to change tax concessions for the superannuation industry.

Higher net interest margins helped drive a nearly 17 per cent increase in the banks’ combined cash profits from a year ago. But a 400 per cent increase in their interest expenses and stiffer lending competition are contributing to a weaker outlook going forward, analysts say.

Understanding the effect of economic changes on the stocks in a portfolio helps investors make smart allocation decisions. For infrastructure investors, adjusting the balance between defensive utilities and user-pays infrastructure stocks as conditions change can ensure superior returns relative to general equities, said ClearBridge Investments’ Nick Langley.

Sustainable investing requires a balancing act when it comes to retail behemoths like Coles and Woolworths, which can have positive ESG policies while selling products with the potential to do harm. According to Australian Ethical, investors should assess these companies with nuance and a measure of compromise.

The March quarter’s Selected Living Cost Indexes – which include mortgage costs, giving a fuller view of inflation’s real impact than the Consumer Price Index – show employee households and mortgage holders both saw record increases in their cost of living. And with rate hikes continuing to flow through the economy, more pain is on the horizon.

The surge in passive investment options in recent years, along with a record of underperformance by active managers, has pushed the ongoing active-versus-passive debate to the fore. Proponents of both styles agree, though, that how each approach performs in volatility will be the key question in 2023.

The regulator has issued 26 stop orders against 18 companies for failing to adequately target financial products to the appropriate market since the “design and distribution obligations” regime began, it said in an initial compliance review. And it warned that closer scrutiny is coming.

Economists attributed the rebound partly to the market’s expectations that interest rates had peaked. But the other key driver – the drastic supply/demand imbalance – means higher prices, especially for rents, may be further complicating the central bank’s task.