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5 April 2026
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On October 26, I felt numbness in my right leg, and soon after, doctors diagnosed a brain tumour. This is a diarised account of the journey since. Thanks for the hundreds of kind messages from Firstlinks' readers.
In a wide-ranging interview, John Pearce explains why the 60/40 portfolio is far from dead, that history is a dangerous guide to the future, his recent investments and how the power dynamics in the market have changed.
Regardless of the strengths of a stock, there are no certainties. Bond rates have risen far higher than most analysts expected and 'bond proxies' have suffered, even property with long leases, quality tenants and tailwinds.
Pension payments in super after the age of 60 are tax free and anyone over 65 can switch their super into a pension account even if they do not change their employment. Why do so many continue paying 15% tax?
We each have a unique inflation experience but does it feel as if your own cost of living has gone up more than the official CPI? Australia has taken a step change in the cost of goods and services but what about yours?
SMSFs offer unlimited investment flexibility and most trustees make their own decisions but the majority of investments fall into five categories. There remains a strong home bias despite global opportunities.
Stay on top of the latest changes to superannuation rates and thresholds for 2026, including increases to transfer balance cap, concessional contributions cap, and non-concessional contributions cap.
In a shift away from solely targeting low inflation, central banks are considering raising inflation targets to combat economic challenges, but face potential drawbacks and conflicts in policy implementation.
The perceived underperformance of LICs compared to ETFs is due to existing comparison data excluding crucial information, highlighting the need for proper assessment and transparent reporting.
New research shows smarter portfolio construction—not new factors—is the real edge in the hunt for alpha. However, finding it requires a fundamentally different mindset.
Many 'diversified' portfolios are increasingly driven by the same narrow set of forces. As concentration builds beneath the surface, understanding how portfolios behave - not just how they’re constructed - is critical for investors.
Rising oil prices and inflation pushed Australian yields higher. Markets expect further tightening, but weaker growth may reverse rates. Locking income and maintaining duration is a sound strategy for widening credit spreads.
Investors often focus on front-of-mind risks, reacting to each headline event without considering long-term impacts. Cass Sunstein and Timur Kuran define this as an "availability cascade," affecting financial decision-making.