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Ashley Owen

How did shares perform in FY20 and where to from here?

Compared with most years in the last decade, FY20 performed poorly due to the virus, and now dividends are falling. There are three things to watch this year as support policies are wound back.

Why are recessions usually good for share prices?

It seems counterintuitive, but share prices rose during 17 (85%) of the 20 economic recessions in Australia in the past 150 years as markets tend to anticipate the bad times and recover early.

Lessons from a century of virus plagues

As sharp market falls in Australia and globally mark an end to coronavirus complacency, it's worth reflecting on the economic effects of other major pandemics of the 20th century and beyond.

Where do sustainable returns come from?

The 20% share price gains over the past 12 months have not been supported by similar improvements in company earnings. The market is willing to pay far more for each $1 of profit or dividends.

Where do Australian share returns come from?

The returns from Australian shares come from four main components. Any forecast needs to consider these different parts, as Australian shares were recent laggards in diversified portfolios.

A decade of Aussie shares: who delivered, who dithered?

Following the uncertainty of the GFC, 2010 to 2019 delivered decent Australian share results overall, with wide variations by sector. It's fascinating to see who won and lost over the decade.

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Investment strategies

Finding income in an income-starved world

With term deposit rates falling, bonds holding up but with risks attached, and stocks yielding comparatively paltry sums, finding decent income is becoming harder. Here’s a guide to the best places to hunt for yield.

Economy

Fearful politicians put finances at risk

A tearful Treasury chief, a backbench rebellion, and crashing bonds. What just happened in the UK and why could Australia’s NDIS be headed for the same brutal fiscal reality?

Shares

Investing at market peaks: The surprising truth

Many investors are hesitant to buy into a market that feels like it’s already climbed too far, too fast. But what does nearly a century of market history suggest about investing at peaks?

Shares

Chinese steel - building a Sydney Harbour Bridge every 10 minutes

China's steel production, equivalent to building one Sydney Harbour Bridge every 10 minutes, has driven Australia's economic growth. With China's slowdown, what does this mean for Australia's economy and investments?

Investment strategies

Will stablecoins change the way we pay for things?

Stablecoins have been hyped as a gamechanger for the payments industry. But while they could find success in certain niches, a broader upheaval of Visa and Mastercard's payments dominance looks unlikely.

Infrastructure

An investing theme you can bet on for the next 30 years

Investors view infrastructure as a defensive asset class rather than one with compelling growth prospects. These five tailwinds for demand over the coming decades suggest that such a stance could be mistaken.

Investment strategies

A letter to my younger self: investing through today's chaos

We are trading through one of history's most confounding market environments. One day, financial headlines warn of doomsday scenarios. The next, they celebrate a new golden age. How can investors keep a clear head?

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