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There were mixed performances by LICs and LITs last year although they generally delivered an increase in dividends. Total returns including price are driven by the extent to which they trade at a discount to NTA.
Fund managers have more staff, more information, and more access to companies, yet individual investors have one advantage in their favour. Anyone selecting a manager should consider such constraints on performance.
Over decades, relatively few companies generate all the stockmarket's outperformance. Is this an argument for passive investing or does it prove active investing is rewarded? Bessembinder lets you decide.
Flows into equities were not strong in 2022 as investors worried about the selloff, but more money flowed into fixed interest at the wrong time. Managed funds still dominate ETFs and LICs but the gap is closing.
Conservative investors who want the greater capital security of bonds can now lock in 5% but they should stay at the higher end of credit quality. Rises in rates and defaults mean it's not as easy as it looks.
Investors often overlook the capital risk in high-yielding stocks. It's better to ensure capital grows and investors can sell a portion each year to make up for the shortfall in income from dividends.
Following the uncertainty of the GFC, 2010 to 2019 delivered decent Australian share results overall, with wide variations by sector. It's fascinating to see who won and lost over the decade.
Depending on the type of fund you use and whether you pay for advice, there is a large difference in the size of fees. It might be worth paying for extras but choose the fund and advice level that suits you.
Morningstar's full report on asset class returns for all terms out to 10 years updated to 31 December 2017, plus standard deviations (volatility) of returns in each asset class, a 'risk' measure often overlooked by investors.
How was your asset allocation last year? Take a look at every financial year since 1998 and there's no pattern. Please complete our quick survey on the best and worst for 2017/2018.
Long gone are the days when 'passive' investing meant simply replicating a cap-weighted index, especially with the surge in 'active' and 'factor-based' funds such as smart beta. We need more nuanced definitions.
Morningstar’s asset class gameboard for 2015 updates how each asset class has performed over the last 20 years, and shows that no single asset class consistently outperforms the others.
It’s with heavy hearts that we announce Firstlinks’ co-founder and former Managing Editor, Graham Hand, has died aged 66. Graham was a legendary figure in the finance industry and here are three tributes to him.
There are well over 800,000 family trusts in Australia, controlling more than $3 trillion of assets. Here's a guide on whether a family trust may have a place in your individual investment strategy.
Investing guru Howard Marks says he had two epiphanies while visiting Australia recently: the two major asset classes aren’t what you think they are, and one key decision matters above all else when building portfolios.
Berkshire Hathaway’s third quarter earnings update reveals Buffett is selling stocks and building record cash reserves. Here’s a look at his track record in calling market tops and whether you should follow his lead and dial down risk.
How have so many wealthy families through history managed to squander their fortunes? This looks at the lessons from these families and offers several solutions to making and keeping money over the long-term.
A recent ruling from The Australian Financial Complaints Authority may herald a new era for financial scams. For the first time, a bank is being forced to reimburse a customer for the amount they were scammed.