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Home / Author: Ashley Owen

Ashley Owen

Hold the champagne, that’s not a recovery yet

Many people are claiming that after six years, the market has recovered its GFC losses, but it's worse than that. In fact, the All Ordinaries index today is barely above its 1968 peak in real terms after inflation, some 45 years later.

Are rising oil prices bad for Australian shares?

Rising oil prices may sound scary to investors, but if we go beyond the popular myth and look at the facts, we see a very different picture. Rising oil prices are more often accompanied by rising stocks.

Invest like Buffett? Diversification, Part 2

How is Buffett anything like a 60-year-old retiree who either cannot or does not want to work full-time anymore? Despite what the books say, you can't 'invest like Buffett' and focus on preservation of capital in retirement.

Diversification works?

Nobody ever built a great business, or created a great nation, or amassed a great fortune, or became a great painter or musician or sportsperson or anything else, by diversifying. You need to specialise, concentrate and focus.

Investing against the herd, Part 3, Testing the theory

An 'against the herd' portfolio is some 54% higher than the 'follow the herd’ portfolio, and 22% better than a passive portfolio. Ignore the market hype and general sentiment and focus instead on the facts.

Once in a lifetime returns from US shares

Not only has the US market returned 39% in Australian dollars over the past 9 months, volatility has not been lower since the mid-2000s. It has been the best run of consistent, high returns in my lifetime.

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Property

The 5% deposit scheme is bad for homeowners and Australia

An ‘affordability’ scheme making the county more vulnerable to economic shocks and contributing to the deteriorating financial situation of everyday Australians.

Investment strategies

Is defensive the new offensive?

Relatively boring, unglamorous, defensive stocks like Kroger and Allstate have quietly outperformed gilded tech giants, offering steady growth, visibility, and resilient returns in a market captivated by AI and flashier industries.

Shares

How the RBA scores on its inflation goal

The Reserve Bank continues to face criticism from all sides. A reminder of the RBA's mandate and a review of their track record in maintaining price stability since the early 1990s.

Investment strategies

Levered credit: A late cycle ingredient for drawdown pain

As credit spreads normalised through 2025, yield‑hungry investors have turned to leverage for high returns, uncomfortably echoing pre‑GFC behaviours. Investors need to be careful to understand the true risk‑return trade‑off.

Planning

The more things change… longevity just goes on increasing

Australia needs a major shift in longevity awareness, attitudes and behaviour if, as a community, we are to reap the benefits of increasing longevity. Adopting a national strategy is well overdue.

Property

The improving outlook of Australian commercial real estate

The sector is positioned to benefit from defensive and resilient income streams supported by embedded rental increase opportunities. 

Property

Seize hidden opportunities among 50+ home buyer schemes in Australia

There is a laundry list of government schemes to help Australian's struggling with housing affordability. Savvy buyers should take advantage to break into the property market.

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