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14 March 2025
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Famous author Michael Lewis was in Sydney recently, and in answer to a question on rolling news coverage and investing: “It’s pretty hard to imagine anyone who’s good at investing paying any attention to what happened on [24-hour business news channel] CNBC.”
Lewis says Obama made a point of not watching cable news, saying it was 'toxic' and got in the way of clear thinking. “I think that’s probably good advice for everyone in investment.”
A report card from AQR’s tenth anniversary seminar in Sydney covering two of the presentations. One on market respect and strategy, the other in defence of High Frequency Trading and the role it plays.
Noel Whittaker kindly did a great write up of Cuffelinks in his own newsletter, which led to a surge in new registrations. He said, "The people behind Cuffelinks have high integrity, top skills, a great reputation, and share my passion for financial education. I know you will gain a lot from becoming a subscriber." Noel's excellent free newsletter has been published for 15 years, and you can subscribe on noelwhittaker.com.au, where he also has several useful calculators.
Australian equity income funds have become extremely popular as investors look for yield and income, but are they arbitrage funds by another name? Rudi Minbatiwala of the Colonial First State Equity Income Fund responds.
This time last year, I highlighted 16 ASX stocks that investors could own indefinitely. One year on, I look at whether there should be any changes to the list of stocks as well as which companies are worth buying now.
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.
With the arrival of the new year, the first members of ‘Generation X’ turned 60, marking the start of the MTV generation’s collective journey towards retirement. Are Gen Xers and our retirement system ready for the transition?
The ABS recently released figures which are used to determine key superannuation rates and thresholds that will apply from 1 July 2025. This outlines the rates and thresholds that are changing and those that aren’t.
The capital gains tax main residence exemption is no longer 'fit for purpose', due to its inequities, inefficiency, and complexity. Here are several suggestions for adapting or curtailing the concession.
A Grattan Institute report suggests lifetime annuities as a solution to people not spending their super balances. The issue is whether underspending is the real problem or a sign of more fundamental failings in our retirement system.
The intergenerational wealth transfer, largely driven by a housing boom, exacerbates economic inequality, stifles productivity, and impedes social mobility. Solutions lie in addressing the housing problem, not taxing wealth.
With an election due by 17 May, we are effectively in campaign mode with the Government announcing numerous spending promises since January and the Coalition often matching them. Here's what the election means for investors.
Your chances of having a comfortable retirement are not only dictated by your super fund's investment returns. Investors must also consider the risks of longevity, inflation, and not sticking to the plan.
The global economy faces renewed protectionism with President Trump's tariffs sparking retaliatory actions and causing market volatility. Historically, quality companies have shown resilience amid trade tensions and uncertainty.
Major equity indices will need to defy history if they are to deliver anything like the returns of recent years. In a rapidly changing environment, investors may need to look further afield for the next winners.
Most superannuation products offered to working-age Australians are now performance-tested, and there are calls to extend these tests to account-based pensions. It's likely to result in more pain than gain, though.
The more aggressively you try to compress your timeline and chase that one massive windfall, the more likely you are to stumble. Here's a better approach, using examples from The Battle of Britain, tennis, and Charlie Munger.