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Home / Author: Robin Bowerman

Robin Bowerman

How to avoid being a bad investor

It's tough to become the 'best' investor in the world, but we can certainly avoid being the 'worst'. Here are graphical examples of some long-term principles to adopt, including the difficulty of timing the market.

Know your fund types and structures – an acronym odyssey

ETFs, LICs and MFs. These investment options share some similarities but there are also important differences that make them more or less suitable for particular investors. There are a few key features to know.

To speculate or not to speculate

More retail investors than ever are speculating on the stock market, driven to FOMO by the success of others. Here are five rules which have stood the test of time rather than hoping speculation works.

Vital lessons from the long-term Index Chart

A look at long-term performance gives a sense of perspective that helps tune out short-term noise, focus on your long-term goals and ‘stay the course’. Here are some interactive charts.

Vale Jack Bogle

As Warren Buffett said: "If a statue is ever erected to honour the person who has done the most for American investors, the hands-down choice should be Jack Bogle." The 'father of indexing' died last week.

Reverse mortgages: short-term gain, long-term pain

As the population ages and property prices rise rise, equity in owner homes has more potential as a significant source of 'retirement income'. But an ASIC report highlights complexities in reverse mortgages not well understood.

Latest Updates

Superannuation

Indexation implications – key changes to 2026/27 super thresholds

Stay on top of the latest changes to superannuation rates and thresholds for 2026, including increases to transfer balance cap, concessional contributions cap, and non-concessional contributions cap.

Economy

Central banks need higher inflation targets

In a shift away from solely targeting low inflation, central banks are considering raising inflation targets to combat economic challenges, but face potential drawbacks and conflicts in policy implementation.

Exchange traded products

The missing 30%: how LIC returns are understated, and why it matters

The perceived underperformance of LICs compared to ETFs is due to existing comparison data excluding crucial information, highlighting the need for proper assessment and transparent reporting.

Latest from Morningstar

Alpha isn’t dead. You’ve just been measuring it wrong

New research shows smarter portfolio construction—not new factors—is the real edge in the hunt for alpha. However, finding it requires a fundamentally different mindset.

Investment strategies

The diversification illusion: why 'balanced' portfolios may be exposed

Many 'diversified' portfolios are increasingly driven by the same narrow set of forces. As concentration builds beneath the surface, understanding how portfolios behave - not just how they’re constructed - is critical for investors.

Investment strategies

The case for staying the course in credit

Current market volatility is likened to Lenin's quote on rapid change. Rising oil prices and interest rates impact bond and corporate yields, with a potential economic downturn ahead. Maintaining interest rate duration is advised.

Investment strategies

One risk after another

Investors often focus on front-of-mind risks, reacting to each headline event without considering long-term impacts. Cass Sunstein and Timur Kuran define this as an "availability cascade," affecting financial decision-making.

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