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Ashley Owen

Equities deliver high returns and low volatility - again

As we near the end of 2013, it looks like this year has been a repeat of 2012 for shares in the major developed world stock markets - high returns plus super-low volatility.

Australia joins the PIIGS

Australian 10 year bond rates, once yielding 5% less than PIIGS countries Italy and Spain, are now trading at the same rates. Surely we are not squealing down at their level.

In Macau, new Asian money and Australian property

For many Asian families, getting money into safe haven countries often takes precedence over what to do with the money when it gets there. This year the hot fad was Australian residential property.

A day in the life of theory versus practice

In theory, improving prospects for economic growth and company earnings should be good for share prices. Nice theory, but not in the real world.

Would you invest in this emerging market?

Emerging markets, with their explosive growth and vibrant opportunities, can offer great returns if you're comfortable with the inherent risks. What happens as they mature and where are the new markets today?

My personal perspective on 10 years of the mining boom

Great speculative mining booms occur about once every 30 years or so in Australia. This year marks the conclusion of my decade-long plunge into mining stocks. I will probably be very old or gone before the next price surge.

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Investment strategies

Putting portfolios together when the world is falling apart

Global equity markets have grown more correlated due to globalization, but this trend may reverse which boosts the benefits of cross-country diversification.

Property

Housing belongs in the inequality story

Research highlights the significant impact of excluding housing income from income inequality analysis in Australia, arguing for the inclusion of imputed rent and capital gains to provide a more accurate picture.

Exchange traded products

Lithium's rally is real this time – but no-one trusts it

The lithium rally mirrors the early-2010s tech stock surge, with demand set to double by 2030. Supply has been slow to respond, creating a market deficit for future tech like humanoid robotics and solid-state batteries.

Economy

Why is Aussie inflation so stubborn?

Increasing our official cash rate contrasts with almost every other developed country in the world. Canada, UK, Europe, and USA, so far, have not reversed recent cuts while their inflation issues appear to be contained.

Strategy

How to stop Australian democracy going the way of the US

Around the world, democracy as a system of government is backsliding. After more than 50 years of liberal democracy in ascendancy, democratic progress plateaued around the turn of the century and is now going backwards.

Economy

Off-budget, but not off-the hook

Financial commentators await the federal budget with focus on debt and deficit. 'Off-budget' accounting alters the fiscal picture with unseen programs.

Economy

Shares rebound on hopes of war ending, but stalemate the likely outcome

Ashley Owen's abridged monthly snapshot uncovers what is front of mind for investors around the world and his view on the likely outcome of the stand-off in the Middle East.

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