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7 May 2026
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By the time a recession is confirmed in the statistics, most of the sharemarket fall is probably in the past. Markets often start rise when the headlines are full of doom and gloom, and early investors are rewarded.
Since 1980, inflation eroded 81% of purchasing power. $100,000 then can now buy only $19,000 worth of goods and services. The longer money must last, the more we need ‘growth’ assets with inflation protection.
There have been regular falls in real house prices in the past. Some of the 40% gains of 2020 to 2021 will be given back now but housing is a long-term investment and fundamentals are likely to remain strong.
A check on price chart action for dozens of favourite tech stocks shows how dramatic the rises and falls have been. Where to from here? There's better value but profits need to remain strong or prices will fall.
Increases in commodity prices have fuelled global inflation while benefiting commodities exporters like Australia. Oftentimes, booms lead to busts and investors need to get the timing right on pricing cycles to be successful.
The war in Ukraine is a humanitarian crisis, but what normally happens in share markets when conflicts hit and what is the impact of who wins and loses? Here are likely outcomes but the role of China remains uncertain.
Global equity markets have grown more correlated due to globalization, but this trend may reverse which boosts the benefits of cross-country diversification.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Financial commentators await the federal budget with focus on debt and deficit. 'Off-budget' accounting alters the fiscal picture with unseen programs.
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.