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Home / Author: Don Hamson

Don Hamson

Dividends strong as some things change, some stay the same

With inflation above 6%, the real value of term deposits is falling rapidly, and some retirees may be shocked how quickly they qualify for and rely on the age pension. Meanwhile, the outlook for dividends is good.

It's time to assess your super fund’s carbon footprint

We face a huge economic transformation that is not a priority for politicians. Yet a typical super portfolio emits about 28 tonnes of CO2 per annum through its equities ownership, more than the average household.

LICs need a genuine raison d’etre

The Listed Investment Company structure is under siege, but for the right type of asset and manager, it still carries strong appeal. Every LIC should review whether it has a genuine reason to exist in this form.

Do franking credits justify SMSF bias to Aussie shares?

This analysis suggests that Australian investors who lose franking credit refunds under the Labor proposal should significantly increase holdings of global equities to meet an efficient investment frontier.

Labor's franking policy is a ticking bomb for all super funds

Labor's franking proposal could affect many more super funds than expected, not only SMSFs, depending on the allocation to Australian shares, their franking and the percentage of assets in pension phase.

Four things retirees must know about shares

Investors and financial market professionals underestimate the power of franking credits to enhance returns, especially in pension phase where franking is fully refunded.

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Investment strategies

The thin line between investing and gambling

Prediction markets are blurring the line between investing and speculation and savvy investors can profit from this trend by heeding the advice of famed investor, Benjamin Graham.

Strategy

The refinery problem: A different kind of energy crisis in 2026

The Strait of Hormuz closure due to US-Iran conflict severely disrupted global energy supply chains. While various emergency measures mitigated the crude impact, the refined product market faces unprecedented stress.

Gold

Are we running out of gold?

Geopolitical instability and challenges with new gold discoveries mean we may be approaching a structural shortage of mineable gold, but what does this mean for gold's overall long-term availability?

Investment strategies

ETF investors adding to portfolios during recent volatility

In the face of recent market volatility investors continue to add to their ETF portfolios with these ETFs getting notable inflows, indicating that long-term fundamentals remain solid.

Strategy

Policy setting in democracies

Democracies aren’t a given, and policymakers need to be mindful not to alienate communities and instead be more aligned with mainstream ideas and attitudes. 

Investment strategies

Take my money and lie to me… again

As private funds increasingly show signs of cracking and buckling under a complete lack of liquidity, the salespeople do their best to keep the cash pouring in from new investors. 

Economy

Australia was once a world leader in innovation, now the system is ‘broken’

Ambitious Australia joins a long line of reports examining research and development, finding Australia has fallen behind its peers on many fronts. It urges bold reform to address declining productivity and research spending.

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