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22 January 2025
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What the FSI missed, experts' views on the future of superannuation, understanding ETF liquidity, retirees facing much lower yields from cash investments search elsewhere, and the low-down on hot-desking.
The FSI makes some important recommendations which would improve the super industry if implemented. However, the trade-off between return and risk is largely left untouched - it's an important opportunity missed.
David Murray and Don Russell spoke at a leadership forum as part of the SMSF Association's 2015 Conference on the future of Australia’s retirement income system. They included many valuable insights.
One benefit of ETFs for investors is their tradability - being able to buy or sell at any time through the ASX just like an ordinary share. But this leads many investors to mistakenly evaluate their liquidity in the same way.
Whilst the latest cut in the target cash rate to 2.25% is a positive move for equity investors, it's a negative for savers, especially retirees living off the income generated by their term deposits.
Hot-desking is sold as a way to break down work cultural barriers and increase collaboration. But while the company enjoys a reduction in costs, it seems the quality of the working environment may be reduced.
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 housing market was subdued in 2024, and pessimism abounds as we start the new year. 2025 is likely to be a tale of two halves, with interest rate cuts fuelling a resurgence in buyer demand in the second half of the year.
This examines the performance of key asset classes and sub-sectors in 2024 and over longer timeframes, and the lessons that can be drawn for constructing an investment portfolio for the next decade.
The renowned investor has penned his first investor letter for 2025 and it’s a ripper. He runs through what bubbles are, which ones he’s experienced, and whether today’s markets qualify as the third major bubble of this century.
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.