23 February 2025

Recently trending

Retirement is a risky business for most people The perfect portfolio for the next decade UniSuper’s boss flags a potential correction ahead The challenges with building a dividend portfolio How much do you need to retire?

Steve: "The best that comes into our world each week. This is the only one that is never, ever canned before fully being reviewed by yours truly."

Reader: " Finding a truly independent and interesting read has been magical for me. Please keep it up and don't change!"

Ian Kelly, CFP, BTACS Financial Services: "Probably the best source of commentary and information I have seen over the past 20 years."

Eleanor Dartnall, AFA Adviser of the Year, 2014: "Our clients love your newsletter. Your articles are avidly read by advisers and they learn a great deal."

Reader: "Keep it up - the independence is refreshing and is demonstrated by the variety of well credentialed commentators."

Australian Investors Association: "Australia's foremost independent financial newsletter for professionals and self-directed investors."

Professor Robert Deutsch: "This has got to be the best set of articles on economic and financial matters. Always something worthwhile reading in Firstlinks. Thankyou"

John Egan, Egan Associates: "My heartiest congratulations. Your panel of contributors is very impressive and keep your readers fully informed."

Don Stammer, leading Australian economist: "Congratulations to all associated. It deserves the good following it has."

Reader: "Great resource. Cuffelinks is STILL the one and only weekly newsletter I regularly read."

Reader: "It's excellent so please don't pollute the content with boring mainstream financial 'waffle' and adverts for stuff we don't want!"

John Pearce, Chief Investment Officer, Unisuper: "Out of the (many many) investmentrelated emails I get, Cuffelinks is one that I always open."

Reader: "Best innovation I have seen whilst an investor for 25 years. The writers are brilliant. A great publication which I look forward to."

Jonathan Hoyle, CEO, Stanford Brown: "A fabulous publication. The only must-read weekly publication for the Australian wealth management industry."

Andrew Buchan, Partner, HLB Mann Judd: "I have told you a thousand times it's the best newsletter."

Reader: "Love it, just keep doing what you are doing. It is the right length too, any longer and it might become a bit overwhelming."

David Goldschmidt, Chartered Accountant: "I find this a really excellent newsletter. The best I get. Keep up the good work!"

Reader: "Congratulations on a great focussed news source. Australia has a dearth of good quality unbiased financial and wealth management news."

Reader: "Is one of very few places an investor can go and not have product rammed down their throat. Love your work!"

Rob Henshaw: "When I open my computer each day it's the first link I click - a really great read."

Noel Whittaker, author and financial adviser: "A fabulous weekly newsletter that is packed full of independent financial advice."

Ian Silk, CEO, AustralianSuper: "It has become part of my required reading: quality thinking, and (mercifully) to the point."

Reader: "I subscribe to two newsletters. This is my first read of the week. Thank you. Excellent and please keep up the good work!"

Reader: "I can quickly sort the items that I am interested in, then research them more fully. It is also a regular reminder that I need to do this."

Scott Pape, author of The Barefoot Investor: "I'm an avid reader of Cuffelinks. Thanks for the wonderful resource you have here, it really is first class."

Reader: "Carry on as you are - well done. The average investor/SMSF trustee needs all the help they can get."

Reader: "The BEST in the game because of diversity and not aligned to financial products. Stands above all the noise."

Reader: "An island of professionalism in an ocean of shallow self-interest. Well done!"

Home / Author: David Bassanese

David Bassanese

Is passive investment outperformance merely cyclical?

Active managers on average struggle to outperform market indexes, but do they provide added protection from losses during down markets? And which index should we focus on?

David Bassanese
22 June 2017
2

How Italy’s looming constitutional referendum could be ‘Brexit Mark 3’

No sooner have global markets digested the Brexit decision and the election of Donald Trump as US President, another risk event now looms on the horizon: Italy’s constitutional referendum on December 4.

David Bassanese
24 November 2016

Central banks have lost the plot

Aggressive and sustained policy actions by central banks in the wake of the GFC are threatening the stability of global economies and pushing investors towards higher-risk investment options.

David Bassanese
8 September 2016
4

Chasing yields is paying dividends

With the cash rate now at 1.5%, the margin between dividend yields and interest rates is at historical highs. However, payout ratios are high and forward earnings growth is subdued.

David Bassanese
4 August 2016

The investment case for Europe

Australian investors may be wary of the European share market with Greece and Brexit in the news, but there's a good investment and diversification case, with access now made easier by Europe equity ETFs listed on the ASX.

David Bassanese
7 June 2016
2

Fundamental indexing over the cycle

Fundamental indexing is now well-established in Australia, but has recently underperformed cap-weighted indexes. What is the longer-term outlook and rationale?

David Bassanese
18 March 2016

Firstlinks is sponsored by:

Latest Updates

Investment strategies

UniSuper’s boss flags a potential correction ahead

The CIO of Australia’s fourth largest super fund by assets, John Pearce, suggests the odds favour a flat year for markets, with the possibility of a correction of 10% or more. However, he’ll use any dip as a buying opportunity.

James Gruber
19 February 2025
5

9 ways to fix Australia's housing crisis

Decades of policy failure have induced a fall in housing affordability. Unless painful changes are made, an underclass will emerge in a society that is supposed to boast the one of the world's highest standards of living.

John Abernethy
19 February 2025
71

Australia: why the chase for even higher dividend yields?

Australia boasts one of the world's highest dividend yielding sharemarkets, providing substantial benefits to investors and retirees. Despite this, individuals often stretch for even more yield, to their detriment.

Ashley Owen
19 February 2025
15

MIGA – Make Income Great Again

The Australian sharemarket seems to be rewarding a number of unprofitable companies on the promise of future riches. Yet profits and cashflows still matter, as a recent case study of Domino's Pizza shows.

Andrew Fleming
19 February 2025
1

Mapping future US market returns

Exceptional returns from the US sharemarket over the past decade have driven by sales growth, margin expansion, rising valuations, and dividends. Predicting future returns requires careful consideration of these factors.

Eric Marais
19 February 2025
1

Read this before you go all in on US equities

US equities rule global markets, but history is littered with examples of markets that seemed invincible — until they weren’t. Diversification will be key for investor portfolios going forwards.

Tarek Abou Zeid and others
19 February 2025
1

Property

What impact would scrapping stamp duty have on housing?

Increasing house prices pose challenges for housing affordability. This investigates the impact of stamp duty on the property market, and how removing the tax could help address several key issues.

Register here to receive the Firstlinks newsletter for free

Alliances

Site Map

About Firstlinks

Disclaimer
The data, research and opinions provided here are for information purposes; are not an offer to buy or sell a security; and are not warranted to be correct, complete or accurate. Morningstar, its affiliates, and third-party content providers are not responsible for any investment decisions, damages or losses resulting from, or related to, the data and analyses or their use. To the extent any content is general advice, it has been prepared for clients of Morningstar Australasia Pty Ltd (ABN: 95 090 665 544, AFSL: 240892), without reference to your financial objectives, situation or needs. For more information refer to our Financial Services Guide. You should consider the advice in light of these matters and if applicable, the relevant Product Disclosure Statement before making any decision to invest. Past performance does not necessarily indicate a financial product’s future performance. To obtain advice tailored to your situation, contact a professional financial adviser. Articles are current as at date of publication.
This website contains information and opinions provided by third parties. Inclusion of this information does not necessarily represent Morningstar’s positions, strategies or opinions and should not be considered an endorsement by Morningstar.