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Home / Author: John Abernethy

John Abernethy

Markets without a margin for error

From US fiscal pressure to China’s shifting growth model and Australia’s structural constraints, markets are yet to reflect a less forgiving global investment landscape.

Clime time: Has Australia wasted the last 30 years?

The 20 years after Peter Costello left Treasury have been deemed wasted...by Peter Costello. The missed opportunities for Australia began long before.  

Clime time: The Future Fund may become a 'bad bank' for problem home loans

The Future Fund says it will not be paying defined benefit pensions until at least 2033 - raising as many questions as answers. This points to an increasingly uncertain future for Australia's sovereign wealth fund.

Clime time: The hidden property empire of Australia’s politicians

With rising home prices and falling affordability, political leaders preach reform. But asset disclosures show many are heavily invested in property - raising doubts about whose interests housing policy really protects.

Clime time: Inflation cruels a comfortable retirement

ASFA’s latest estimates reveal that home-owning couples need at least $690,000 in super for a ‘comfortable’ retirement, yet only around 30% of people meet these thresholds, and the shortfall may deepen.

Clime time: Trump's US dollar assault is fuelling CBA's rise

Australian-based investors have been perplexed by the steep rise in CBA's share price But it's becoming clear that US funds are buying into our largest bank as a hedge against potential QE and further falls in the US dollar.

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Is it time to bail on Australian stocks?

For generations, Australian investors have backed banks, miners and dividends. But has that loyalty come at a cost? A look at the numbers raises an uncomfortable question about where future returns will come from.

Investment strategies

Making a case for the 40 year mortgage

The housing debate tends to focus on prices, interest rates and deposits. Yet an overlooked feature of the mortgage itself could help buyers enter the market sooner without abandoning prudent lending standards.

SMSF strategies

Red flags to watch out for when considering an SMSF

Thinking about an SMSF? Before you sign anything, learn how to spot the difference between genuine advice and a sales pitch, understand the real costs, and avoid the compliance mistakes that attract ATO attention.

Investment strategies

Not all income is created equal

Market conditions are shifting as familiar yield sources quietly lose momentum. Australian public credit may be the most compelling source of income in today's market but many investors haven't noticed the shift. 

Investment strategies

The market paid for change, not comfort

Reporting season has delivered a clear message: the market is no longer paying simply for quality, resilience or an earnings beat. It is paying for change in earnings expectations and the outlook ahead. 

Investment strategies

Will AI destroy investor capital?

Some of history's most important innovations changed the world while leaving investors much poorer. As trillions pour into AI, a familiar pattern may be emerging, one that rewards society far more generously than capital.

ASX reporting season: Signals, surprises, stock stories

August reporting season delivered strong earnings and bigger-than-expected dividends, but beneath this, a more nuanced story emerged. First Sentier Investors’ David Wilson and Christian Guerra unpack the key trends.

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