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22 May 2025
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Sydney is set to become the world’s most expensive city for housing over the next 12 months, a new report shows. Our other major cities aren’t far behind unless there are major changes to improve housing affordability.
For exclusive articles and research papers from our Sponsors, click here.
Imagine receiving an email from your bank demanding to know if you keep cash at home and threatening to freeze your accounts if you don't respond in seven days. This happened to me and it raises disturbing questions.
Here is a checklist of 27 important issues you should address before June 30 to ensure your SMSF or other super fund are in order and that you are making the most of the strategies available.
Despite a brief correction last month, Australian bank share prices have continued their impressive run. Recent results show the banks remain in good shape though some are faring better than others.
In this interview, Ophir’s Andrew Mitchell outlines how he’s handled recent Trump-fuelled volatility, his three key criteria for picking stocks, and why he thinks Life360 is set for much bigger things.
Dan Rasmussen says the capital pouring into private assets outstrips the opportunity set and the economic substance of most companies being bought and lent to. The true test will come when inflows turn to outflows.
A new study challenges the notion that Government spending is wasteful - public investment can yield major long-term economic gains, often outperforming private investment in driving GDP growth.
Welcome to Firstlinks Edition 612 2
Here are four trends that are upending portfolios now and are expected to prove long-lasting, including politics not economics is driving markets, 60/40 really is dead, and non-US stocks offer upside on multiple fronts.Read More.
Strategies to get rich versus stay rich are markedly different. Here is a look at the five main ways to get rich, including through work, business, investing and luck, as well as those that preserve wealth.
Dividend investing offers steady income and behavioral benefits, but its effectiveness depends on goals, market conditions, and fundamentals - especially in retirement, where it may limit full use of savings.
Fascinating initial studies suggest that while we age continuously in years, our bodies age, not at a uniform rate, but in spurts at around ages 44 and 60.
The Trump administration has not killed the multi-decade investment opportunity in decarbonisation. These four industries in particular face a step-change in demand and could reward long-term investors.
The recent federal election outcome has puzzled many, with Labor's significant win despite a modest primary vote share. Preference flows played a crucial role, highlighting the complexity of forecasting electoral results.
Recent years have been challenging for contrarian investors, though 2025 has brought wild market swings, and with it, more opportunity. MFS' Zahid Kassam discusses contrarianism and his favourite global stocks.
Behind market volatility and tariff threats lies a deeper strategy. Trump’s real goal isn’t trade reform but managing America's massive debts, preserving bond market confidence, and preparing for potential QE.
Buffett's surprise decision to step down as Berkshire Hathaway's CEO sparked reflection on his legendary legacy and concern for America’s future, as he warned of unsustainable deficits and possible cracks in U.S. exceptionalism.
The former Liberal Minister and Chief of Staff to John Howard gives a blunt assessment of the election defeat and how the party needs to get back to its roots and merge its values with the needs of the community.
Australia’s push to delay retirement has boosted workforce participation - but at a cost. New research shows the measures have unintentionally impacted fertility rates, and the trend will be hard to reverse.
The green transition in the US has made great progress in recent years, but the wheels are falling off. This is largely due to economic pressures, lack of financing, and the new tariffs instituted by Trump.
Australia’s energy transition will take decades to complete because new renewable generating capacity in the far-flung locations will require transmission capacity to be added. And we're well behind schedule on this.
Following the gold price's recent surge, headlines have popped up with increasingly bold predictions - US$5,000, even US$20,000 an ounce? This looks at the fundamentals and the credibility of these bullish predictions.
Australia’s housing supply is falling far short of demand, driving up prices and rents. With approvals down, costs up, and planning delays rampant, the next generation may not forget - or forgive - this crisis.
Selling your holiday home can make a lot of sense, but it can also lead to a big tax bill. Fortunately, there are strategies that investors can use to boost their retirement balance and cut their capital gains liability.
European equities are surging ahead of the U.S this year, driven by strong earnings, undervaluation, and fiscal stimulus. With quality founder-led firms and a strengthening Euro, Europe may be the next global investment hotspot.
Duration is back. After years in the doghouse, shifting markets and higher yields are restoring its role as a reliable diversifier and income source - offering defensive strength in today’s uncertain environment.
The ASX is exploring the introduction of dual class share structures for listed companies. Opposition is building to the plan but the ASX should ignore the naysayers and bring Australia into line with its global peers.
Trusts offer flexibility and asset protection, but in relationship breakdowns, courts can 'look through' them. Understanding control, purpose, and asset origins is key to preserving trust benefits in family law disputes.
Life expectancy isn't just a number - it's a concept that changes with survival rates over time. This article breaks down how age, survival, and societal factors shape our understanding of life expectancy, especially post-Covid.
Lately, there's been a push by Government for lifetime income streams as a solution to retirement income challenges. We run the numbers on these products to see whether they deliver on what they promise.
Untangling assets after a broken relationship can be daunting. But approaching the situation fully informed, in good health and with open communication can make the process more manageable and less costly.
Any discussion on annuities needs to address the credit risk associated with relying on the solvency of a single insurer. Here's a guide on the regulation of annuities and the best ways to assess solvency risk.
A person's criminal record can impact whether they can benefit under a will or remain as an executor, trustee or testamentary guardian. A lot depends on the nature of the crime.
Portfolio Manager Ted Alexander outlines the changes that he's made to Platinum's International Fund portfolio since taking charge in March, while staying true to its contrarian, value-focused roots.
Despite a recent pullback, gold has been one of the best performing assets this year. What are the key factors behind the rise and what's needed for the bull market in the yellow metal to continue?
MFS chief investment officer and CEO elect Ted Maloney talks market risks, similarities between Trump and Harris, and the most important thing investors can do to avoid destroying value.
In a recent interview, Morningstar CEO Kunal Kapoor explains why low-cost investing wins, how artificial intelligence and ESG will bring lots of opportunities, and why distractions are an investor's worst enemy.
The distortions in our tax system have been ignored for too long, and we're now paying the price. It's time Australia got real and addressed the problems to prevent an even greater intergenerational tragedy.
We interviewed Sir Michael Hintze while his credit-focused hedge fund CQS was at the height of its powers. Since then, he's changed the firm's investment strategy and found a buyer in Canadian giant, Manulife.
Retirement planning tends to focus on financial matters and far less time is spent on what our day-to-day lives will look like in our twilight years. Here are five tips for preparing for life in retirement.
New figures show Government spending on older Australians has increased dramatically in recent decades, at the expense of younger people - and it’s not because of an ageing population. More fodder for the intergenerational equity debate.
Have big super funds been late to the party and piled into alternative assets and the ‘Magnificent Seven’ stocks at the wrong time? With sentiment souring on private equity and US tech, we may be about to find out.
A new study has revealed that 50% of residential property investments are sold within two years, and the average holding period is four years. It also found younger people are more likely to buy rental properties than older people.
After the recent market correction, we screen the ASX 200 for potential investment ideas, including cheap stocks, those offering sustainable, high dividend yields, and quality companies at reasonable prices.
The boss of Australia’s fourth largest super fund by assets, UniSuper’s John Pearce, says Trump has declared an economic war and he’ll be reducing his US stock exposure over time. Should you follow suit?
The structure of many dividend ETFs leads to lacklustre or non-existent dividend growth. Balancing high yields with long-term dividend growth is essential for effective income investing.
One of Buffett's most successful investments has been a confectionery company that he bought more than 50 years ago. The investment demonstrates that stocks need not be growth companies to create fortunes.
Shani Jayamanne takes a deliberately uninterested approach to investing. She outlines the technical and circumstantial reasons for why she goes against the grain and focuses on the real drivers of investment success.
Why do people have trouble shifting from a saving to spending mindset in retirement? Researchers have plenty of theories though can't identify an exact cause, nevertheless there are things that can enable the shift.
For those with the patience to own an investment as volatile as the AI sector, buying and holding a stock basket might make sense. However, based on internet stocks’ history, you need not rush to do so.
With the Treasury Department's review of superannuation in retirement, decumulation is firmly on the agenda, yet advisors have been grappling with this issue for years. So, what could super funds learn from advisers?
The Ophir Opportunities Fund ranks number 1 performing Australian Small Cap fund over the last 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10 and 12 years.
appoints Ashley Conn as Chief Financial and Strategy Officer.
Investment podcast with David Colosimo – May 2025.
With fixed term deposit rates declining and bank hybrids being phased out, what are the best options for investors seeking income? This goes through the choices, and the opportunities and risks involved.
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.
As we start 2024, the 12th year of publishing Firstlinks, we have gone back over 540 editions and about 1,000 articles by me to find some of our most popular and standout articles. Enjoy a look back!
Stocks always outperform bonds in the long-term, right? New research challenges that assumption, raising questions about historical financial data, and forecasts for future performance from the two largest asset classes.