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22 January 2025
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Investors remain fixated on stocks exposed to megatrends like AI and digitisation. Another less appreciated asset class offers significant structural growth without the excessive valuations that usually come with it.
It's no secret that Australian commercial property has endured its most challenging period since the GFC. Yet, there are encouraging signs that the worst may be over and industry returns should improve in the medium term.
Global REITs have been out of favour for some time. While office remains a concern, the rest of the sector is in good shape and offers compelling value, with many REITs trading below underlying asset replacement costs.
While most property segments had a tough 2023, retail was comparatively resilient. The prospects for large retail assets catering to the likes of furniture and appliance stores look especially attractive for this year.
Rising interest rates have hammered ASX property REITs, many of which are now trading at large discounts to their net tangible assets. Are A-REITs a major contrarian opportunity or another market value trap?
Regardless of the strengths of a stock, there are no certainties. Bond rates have risen far higher than most analysts expected and 'bond proxies' have suffered, even property with long leases, quality tenants and tailwinds.
Industrial property has been Australian real estate’s star performer for a decade, notching up an annualised 10-year return of 14.2%. The big question is whether this can continue, and here the pros and cons are weighed.
Work-from-home and higher interest rates have whacked the office property sector, both here and abroad. Yet Australia is well-placed to adapt given its resilient demand drivers, quality of stock and sensible gearing levels.
Many Australian listed property trusts (A-REITs) have sold off due to higher interest rates and WFH, but in the sectors of retail, office and industrial, where do recent movements in stock prices now represent value?
There is much written about office, industrial, and retail property, but specialised REITs are starting to get more attention from investors. Here's a look at one, potentially lucrative, niche property segment: pubs.
A-REITs have been hit hard by this year’s sell off, underperforming the market by over 18%. The RBA prioritisation of growth over inflation could provide the catalyst for a turnaround in performance in 2023.
Weaker share prices may have already discounted some bad news, but cost inflation is creating wide divergences inside and across sectors. Early results show some companies are strong enough to resist sector falls.
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.
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.
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.
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.