Register For Our Mailing List

Register to receive our free weekly newsletter including editorials.

Register

11 November 2025

Home / 400

Welcome to Firstlinks Special Edition 400

  •   25 March 2021
  • 2
  •      
  •   

Weekend market update: A strong day in the US on Friday with the S&P 500 up 1.7% and NASDAQ a healthy 1.2%. It capped the best week for the Australian market in the last seven, with the S&P/ASX200 up 0.5% on Friday and 1.7% for the week. The market ignored the rising coronavirus cases in Europe and the prospect of up to 150,000 people losing their jobs when JobKeeper ends today (Sunday), with all-systems-go on residential property prices. 

***

Since Firstlinks (initially Cuffelinks) started publishing in February 2013, we have brought you thousands of articles from hundreds of authors. Everything we have published is in a searchable archive on our website. We have focussed on education with product and stock mentions where it is important to show how to access an investment or illustrate a point.

When we started, veteran publisher Greg Bright thought we wouldn't last three months, such is the relentless nature of the industry, but the support of our readers, contributors and sponsors has helped us to 400 editions. Thanks to all, including Greg for the friendly banter.

***

Around 2,500 people retire in Australia every week, and 1.1 million Australians are trustees of their own SMSF, with millions more in large funds. Nurturing the $3 trillion Australians hold in superannuation and trillions more outside super is a lifelong learning process, as Andy Bird, CEO of multinational Pearson Publishing, said last week:

"A growing global middle class and longer careers are driving lifelong and non-academic learning, particularly reskilling and upskilling, a trend that has been accelerated over the past year. This all adds up to a huge momentum in our industry."

This 400th Edition of Firstlinks is different, with three highlights:

1. A special ebook with 45 responses to the question:

“What is the best opportunity for investors over the next few years?”

Thanks to all the market professionals who contributed.

2. An exclusive report by renowned demographer, Bernard Salt, on the number of people that are retiring soon and the profound impact on them and Australia.

3. A special offer for Morningstar Premium and Sharesight. I have personally used Sharesight to monitor and record my investments for many years. It's the place I go for my tax and transaction records and I now use Morningstar Premium to check analyst views on funds and share before I invest.

***

For this week only, we are not publishing our normal set of articles as the 400th Special lead already includes much to digest. We asked contributors to limit their investing ideas to about 200 words to give sharp, short bite-sized pieces. Lots of interesting insights, including from our regulars plus many who have not previously written for Firstlinks.

Read the 400th Special as an article on our website or download the ebook version. Please share with anyone who may benefit from a free subscription.

Bernard Salt's article discloses a demographer's view of retirement and the wave that will hit from 2021 to 2027. There will soon be over five million Australians over the age of 65, and while not all will be retired, most will be vocal and expecting to live healthy and active lives for many decades. It was not that way when their parents were 65.

And look out for the special deal. We don't usually make offers like this in Firstlinks, so I asked Morningstar (owner of this publication) for their best price to combine full access to Morningstar Premium with the portfolio management software of Sharesight. No messing around with a trial. Better to commit to improving your record keeping, looking at the features of Morningstar Premium and taking the time to learn how to use the Sharesight.

If you don't find it useful after a year, all it's cost you is $1 a day, and perhaps half that if you are eligible for a decent tax deduction.

Experience Morningstar Premium’s independent research, data and tools for $365 for your first year. To access this offer for Firstlinks readers, please email [email protected] with the promo code DOLLARADAY and your full name. You will then be given instructions on a secure subscription.

 

Graham Hand, Managing Editor

 

PDF version of Firstlinks Newsletter

ASX Listed Bond and Hybrid rate sheet from NAB/nabtrade

Monthly market update on listed bonds and hybrids from ASX

Indicative Listed Investment Company (LIC) NTA Report from Bell Potter

LIC Monthly Report from Morningstar

Plus updates and announcements on the Sponsor Noticeboard on our website

 

  •   25 March 2021
  • 2
  •      
  •   
Firstlinks is sponsored by:
banner

Most viewed in recent weeks

The growing debt burden of retiring Australians

More Australians are retiring with larger mortgages and less super. This paper explores how unlocking housing wealth can help ease the nation’s growing retirement cashflow crunch.

Four best-ever charts for every adviser and investor

In any year since 1875, if you'd invested in the ASX, turned away and come back eight years later, your average return would be 120% with no negative periods. It's just one of the must-have stats that all investors should know.

LICs vs ETFs – which perform best?

With investor sentiment shifting and ETFs surging ahead, we pit Australia’s biggest LICs against their ETF rivals to see which delivers better returns over the short and long term. The results are revealing.

Our experts on Jim Chalmers' super tax backdown

Labor has caved to pressure on key parts of the Division 296 tax, though also added some important nuances. Here are six experts’ views on the changes and what they mean for you.        

Family trusts: Are they still worth it?

Family trusts remain a core structure for wealth management, but rising ATO scrutiny and complex compliance raise questions about their ongoing value. Are the benefits still worth the administrative burden?

Preparing for aged care

Whether for yourself or a family member, it’s never too early to start thinking about aged care. This looks at the best ways to plan ahead, as well as the changes coming to aged care from November 1 this year.

Latest Updates

Weekly Editorial

Welcome to Firstlinks Edition 636 with weekend update

A new academic study shows that almost all Australians agree that there is a housing crisis yet we can’t agree on how to fix it and are sharply divided along generational and ideological lines.

  • 6 November 2025
  • 28
Taxation

13 ways to save money on your tax - legally

Thoughtful tax planning is a cornerstone of successful investing. This highlights 13 legal ways that you can reduce tax, preserve capital, and enhance long-term wealth across super, property, and shares.

Taxation

Taking from the young, giving to the old

Despite soaring retiree wealth, public spending on older Australians continues to rise. The result: retirees now out-earn the young, exposing structural flaws in the tax system and challenges for fiscal sustainability.

Investment strategies

An obsessive focus on costs may be costing investors

As a relentless fee war grips Australia’s ETF market, investors may be missing the real battleground. Beyond basis points, index design itself - not cost - may be the most powerful driver of returns.

Taxation

Clearing up confusion on how franking credits work

It seems the mere mention of franking credits generates a lot of heat but not much light. Here's a guide to how franking credits work, and the impact they have on both companies and shareholders.

Investment strategies

Are the good times about to end?

As the bull market revs up, some investors worry about a possible correction. History shows the real question isn’t timing the top, but whether you have the time and liquidity to ride out inevitable downturns.

Superannuation

Australia slips in global pension ranking

The 2025 Mercer CFA Institute Global Pension Index shows Australia has dropped to its lowest ranking in the 17 years of the index. This explores why we're falling and what can be done about it.

Property

Where wine country meets real estate

High-profile wine regions don’t always see strong property growth - volume, exports, and infrastructure investment often matter more than reputation in driving regional property markets.

Sponsors

Alliances

Site Map

About Firstlinks

© 2025 Morningstar, Inc. All rights reserved.

Disclaimer
The data, research and opinions provided here are for information purposes; are not an offer to buy or sell a security; and are not warranted to be correct, complete or accurate. Morningstar, its affiliates, and third-party content providers are not responsible for any investment decisions, damages or losses resulting from, or related to, the data and analyses or their use. To the extent any content is general advice, it has been prepared for clients of Morningstar Australasia Pty Ltd (ABN: 95 090 665 544, AFSL: 240892), without reference to your financial objectives, situation or needs. For more information refer to our Financial Services Guide. You should consider the advice in light of these matters and if applicable, the relevant Product Disclosure Statement before making any decision to invest. Past performance does not necessarily indicate a financial product’s future performance. To obtain advice tailored to your situation, contact a professional financial adviser. Articles are current as at date of publication.
This website contains information and opinions provided by third parties. Inclusion of this information does not necessarily represent Morningstar’s positions, strategies or opinions and should not be considered an endorsement by Morningstar.