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Leisa Bell

Your predictions for the US presidential election and the ASX300

Trump or Biden? Our readers make a nailbiting call, while your predictions for the ASX300 over the long term show optimism while flat over the short term. The best insights come from the hundreds of revealing comments.

Your views on the Victorian COVID restrictions

The second wave of COVID-19 sweeping Victoria and the resulting lockdown have taken a huge toll on the state's economy and its population. Was the government's reaction heavy-handed or necessary?

Survey on COVID-19's impact and management

Following on from our April 2020 COVID survey, how have your opinions and circumstances changed? Have government policies been effective? How has your portfolio fared? What does 'the other side' look like?

COVID survey results: All you need is LUV

Only 17% of our readers think we have seen a market bottom, and there's debate about the L, U or V shaped recovery. While most of the Government's actions are supported, checking has been lax.

Morningstar: Douglass interview, 29 top picks, corona research

Three Morningstar resources are available to Firstlinks readers to assist in the current market turmoil. A short Hamish Douglass interview, detailed US research into the virus and a special trial offer.

Poll results: Equity manager cash allocations

Last week's poll on whether equity managers should be holding large allocations of cash had more than 400 responses. Disclosure is the key to keeping investors happy.

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.

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.

Shares

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.

Shares

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.

Shares

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.

Shares

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.

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.

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