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6 January 2025
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Packed with GFC lessons, industry funds thrilled, Royal Commission secrets, invest like instos, ‘value’ struggles, bonds, retirement worry, microcaps.
This brief history of the GFC and the lessons we should learn is a reminder that similar events will happen again at some stage, and this time we have no excuse not to be ready.
About half of companies reported as expected in their latest financial results, and the rest were split between favourable and disappointing. Valuations are not cheap but some companies deserve to be expensive.
Financial adviser education, training and legislating ethical standards will help improve 'best interests' practices, but what about adviser experience? This important quality is near impossible to regulate.
Investment solutions that were once only available to the big end of town are now available to anyone willing to learn the same lessons, research the available products and try some new approaches.
The Royal Commission has severely damaged the reputations of many retail funds. While the CEO of the peak body for industry funds is not complacent, battles have been won.
The past few years have seen strong performance for Momentum and Growth strategies but poor outcomes for some with a Value bias. But is Value really due for a comeback as many people are arguing?
Bond investing is not only buy and hold and traditional return sources such as income, changing yields and duration. Relative value identifies market inefficiencies and uses risk management techniques in all market conditions.
The financial concerns of those in or close to retirement are focussed on health and housing. Lower interest rates, rising healthcare costs and lifespan uncertainty legitimately compound those concerns.
Microcap managers have the potential to outperform their indexes by picking undiscovered stocks which do exceptionally well, but it can work the other way. Variability of manager performance is a sector feature.
Last year, I wrote an article suggesting returns from ASX stocks would trample those from housing over the next decade. One year later, this is an update on how that forecast is going and what's changed since.
The Future Fund's original purpose was to meet the unfunded liabilities of Commonwealth defined benefit schemes. These liabilities have ballooned to an estimated $290 billion and taxpayers continue to be treated like fools.
ASFA provides a key guide for how much you will need to live on in retirement. Unfortunately it has many deficiencies, and the averages don't tell the full story of the growing gender superannuation gap.
Unlike family trusts, testamentary trusts are activated posthumously, empowering you to exert post-death control over your assets. Learn how testamentary trusts offer unique benefits and protective measures.
Key lessons include expensive stocks can always get more expensive, Bitcoin is our tulip mania, follow the smart money, the young are coming with pitchforks on housing, and the importance of staying invested.
Check out the most-read Firstlinks articles from 2024. From '16 ASX stocks to buy and hold forever', to 'The best strategy to build income for life', and 'Where baby boomer wealth will end up', there's something for all.