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9 May 2024
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LICs will always have a place but they will never match ETF volumes again. The baggage of discounts, and even large premiums, is too heavy, with three new announcements. And I describe the biggest loss this year in my own SMSF.
Nick Bolton wants to force Magellan to pay out the 7.5% discount on the Global Fund (ASX:MGF) options. Magellan will resist as it must act in the interests of all unitholders and the cost comes from Magellan itself.
LIC discounts can be a pain for existing investors but an opportunity for new buyers. To avoid further losses from discount widening or buy/sell spreads, hold for the long term and enjoy the increased income flow.
Stop whinging! Analysts are describing markets in 2022 as 'brutal' or 'terrible', but total returns in Australian stock markets were up and balanced funds were down only slightly. It was not that bad.
Why invest in an unlisted fund when the listed version of the same fund is priced at a discount? Why hold a listed version at a premium when the unlisted version is cheaper? Find the best way to invest.
Last week, I interviewed Hamish Douglass about investing and positions in his portfolio. He was articulate, confident and relaxed, but a few days later, the Board of Magellan announced he was taking medical leave.
While the competing structure, ETFs, has increased in size far quicker in recent years, LICs remain an important part of the listed trust sector. There are differences between Traditional and Trading LICs.
The pandemic created a tale of two halves as stimulus bolstered market sentiment in the second half of the year. Many companies benefited from a quickly-transformed world and investors were eager to jump aboard.
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.
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.
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 $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.
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.
We're nearing the end of the financial year and it's time for SMSFs and other super funds to make the most of the strategies available to them. Here's a 24-point checklist of the most important issues to address.