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Graham

Now you can earn 5% on bonds but stay with quality

Conservative investors who want the greater capital security of bonds can now lock in 5% but they should stay at the higher end of credit quality. Rises in rates and defaults mean it's not as easy as it looks.

30 ETFs in one ecosystem but is there a favourite?

In the last decade, ETFs have become a mainstay of many portfolios, with broad market access to most asset types, as well as a wide array of sectors and themes. Is there a favourite of a CEO who oversees 30 funds?

Track if your fund manager is taking the best shot

In his final letter as CEO of Amazon, Jeff Bezos implored people to avoid being normal, to nurture their distinctiveness. Fund managers should earn their active fees by building unique, active portfolios.

Conflicted selling fees are back, and it’s game on

If you thought fund managers were banned from paying commissions to financial advisers and brokers to prevent conflicts of interest, you have not kept up with the move to classify clients as wholesale investors. 

Yikes! Three critical factors acting on inflation and rates

Despite inflation rising as companies pass on price increases, the RBA is reluctant to increase rates. The market is pricing in a dozen rises by the end of 2023, but Philip Lowe will see a threat to his legacy.

Four ways to invest in the same fund and save money

Why invest in an unlisted fund when the listed version of the same fund is priced at a discount? Why hold a listed version at a premium when the unlisted version is cheaper? Find the best way to invest.

Latest Updates

Weekly Editorial

Welcome to Firstlinks Edition 628

Australian investors have been pouring money into US stocks this year, just as they start to underperform the rest of the world. Is this a sign of things to come? This looks at 50 years of data to see what happens next.

  • 11 September 2025
Exchange traded products

Are LICs licked?

LICs are continuing to struggle with large discounts and frustrated investors are wondering whether it’s worth holding onto them. This explains why the next 6-12 months will be make or break for many LICs.

Retirement

We need a better scheme to help superannuation victims

The Compensation Scheme of Last Resort fails families hit by First Guardian and Shield losses, as well as advisers who are being wrongly blamed for the saga. It’s time for a fair, faster, universal super levy solution.

Investment strategies

5 charts every retiree must see…

Retirement can be daunting for Australians facing financial uncertainty. Understand your goals, longevity challenges, inflation impacts, market risks, and components of retirement income with these crucial charts.

Economy

How bread vs rice moulded history

Does a country's staple crop decide elements of its destiny? The second order effects of being a wheat or rice growing country could explain big differences in culture, societal norms and economic development.

Investment strategies

Small caps are catching fire - for good reason

Small caps just crashed the party like John McClane did in the movie, Die Hard - August delivered explosive gains. With valuations at historic lows, long-term investors could be set for a sequel worth watching.

Defensive growth for an age of deglobalisation, debt and disorder

Today’s new world order appears likely to lead to a lower return, higher risk investment environment. But this asset class looks especially well placed to survive, thrive, and deliver attractive returns to investors.

Economy

Will we choose a four-day working week?

The allure of a four-day week reflects a yearning for more balance in our lives. Yet the reliability of studies touting a lift in productivity is questionable and society may not be ready for such a shift anyway.

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