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Edition: 446

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Welcome to Firstlinks Edition 446 with weekend update

  • 17 February 2022

After all the media exposure on Magellan and Hamish Douglass in recent weeks, Geraldine Doogue asked me to discuss fund managers on ABC's Radio National. I thought the subject was something like, "How do you pick a good fund manager?" In fact, she asked me, "What type of person is attracted to stock picking at this level?", which is different.

How can the worst feature of LICs also be the best?

Apparently, Listed Investment Companies trading at a discount to NTA are both the best and worst of worlds. They are either exciting opportunities or not in the best interests of investors. Which is right?

House prices: are we heading for oversupply from 2022?

The biggest risk for investing in residential property is not rising rates but excess supply. Rising prices create a supply response, but since the GFC, there has never been excess supply. Is that about to change?

Howard Marks on selling versus staying invested

Howard Marks writes a regular letter to his clients, but he realised he had not addressed the selling decision. We hear about people who claim they picked a market top but when do they reinvest to enjoy the upside?

Is there any point in holding cash?

Cash is a drag on portfolios when the stockmarket is strong but a welcome bulwark when the market sells off. Moving to cash is justified for the plausible scenario where the value of all other assets falls.

Stocks near their 52-week lows: is it time to reconsider?

Some of nabtrade’s most popular stocks are trading substantially off their highs, and investors should consider whether the stories that drove their popularity in the early stages of Covid are still intact.

SMSF returns competitive with big funds at $200,000

The investment performance of a typical SMSF improves as the fund balance approaches $200,000, after which the fund achieves comparable investment returns with APRA- regulated funds, according to new research.

What real estate agents don't tell you (redux)

The costs of owning an apartment for short-term rental consume most of the income, leaving uninformed investors blind to actual returns until the statements roll in. The practice of marketing gross yields is misleading.

Most viewed in recent weeks

Five months on from cancer diagnosis

Life has radically shifted with my brain cancer, and I don’t know if it will ever be the same again. After decades of writing and a dozen years with Firstlinks, I still want to contribute, but exactly how and when I do that is unclear.

Uncomfortable truths: The real cost of living in retirement

How useful are the retirement savings and spending targets put out by various groups such as ASFA? Not very, and it's reducing the ability of ordinary retirees to fully understand their retirement income options.

Is Australia ready for its population growth over the next decade?

Australia will have 3.7 million more people in a decade's time, though the growth won't be evenly distributed. Over 85s will see the fastest growth, while the number of younger people will barely rise. 

The public servants demanding $3m super tax exemption

The $3 million super tax will capture retired, and soon to retire, public servants and politicians who are members of defined benefit superannuation schemes. Lobbying efforts for exemptions to the tax are intensifying.

20 US stocks to buy and hold forever

Recently, I compiled a list of ASX stocks that you could buy and hold forever. Here’s a follow-up list of US stocks that you could own indefinitely, including well-known names like Microsoft, as well as lesser-known gems.

The challenges of retirement aren’t just financial

Debates about retirement tend to focus on the financial aspects: income, tax, estates, wills, and the like. Less attention is paid to the psychological challenges of retirement, which can often be more demanding.

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