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Firstlinks

Welcome to Firstlinks Edition 330

The superannuation industry is its own worst enemy. The disagreements spill into the public domain and reduce confidence and trust in the system. Research released this week by Qantas Super shows only 60% of Australians (and worse, only 52% of those in the critical savings years of 40 to 49 years old) trust their super fund to act in their best interests. Confidence in having enough money in retirement languishes at an average score of 5.4 out of 10.

Mary Meeker’s 2019 Internet Trends Report

Mary Meeker's Internet Trends 2019 is 333 slides in its presentation format, and we have picked out highlights and her 30-minute video summary. Most of us are spending a lot of time looking at screens.

Have Your Say...

Welcome to the 'Have Your Say' section. We have received thousands of comments on articles over the years, but here is a chance for you to set the agenda. Comment on any subject relevant to our audience.

Budget 2019: more news, views and videos

In our Federal Budget 2019/20 coverage, we present summaries and analyses of the Budget from Cuffelinks' sponsors, including newsletters and videos, plus a summary of Labor's overall strategy.

Australian ETFs: end of year reviews 2018

ETFs reached over $40 billion by the end of 2018, with international equities ranked first for net flows, and a rapid growth in fixed income products. Cap-weighted indexes dominated but smart beta is gaining ground.

Free ebook: Firstlinks, the 2018 highlights

Ten of the most popular and original articles first published in Cuffelinks in 2018 are included in this free ebook, 'Firstlinks, the highlights from 2018'. It's a chance to catch up if you missed them first time around.

Latest Updates

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.

Sponsors

Alliances

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