25 October 2025

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Home / Author: Jonathan Rochford

Jonathan Rochford

What is 'cash' and why it matters

APRA’s letter to super funds highlights concerns about 'cash' investments. A lack of understanding might haunt investors when the next downturn comes as too many people forsake protection for yield.

Jonathan Rochford
26 September 2018
1

Emerging markets: Nothing new under the sun

As interest rates fell in recent years, there was a push into emerging markets debt, but as worldwide central bank stimulus reduces, many of these 'emerging' countries are showing why they are poorly rated.

Jonathan Rochford
29 August 2018
2

High yield downturn will be long and ugly

The high yield debt market is now much larger and riskier than just before the GFC. That doesn’t bode well for when the next downturn happens and investors have several options to de-risk.

Jonathan Rochford
30 May 2018
2

Investors should loiter around the lifeboats

What to do when you think a market correction is overdue? Instead of selling off everything, a viable option is to position yourself for an easier exit, although it's tougher to implement in equities than fixed interest.

Jonathan Rochford
7 December 2017

Bond demand is dumb, dumber and dumbest

A sign that the strong credit cycle is ending is the funding of some emerging market governments that are more than likely to default, but demand is driven by desire for yield regardless of risk.

Jonathan Rochford
21 September 2017
3

Watch the low returns on 'high yield' debt

Investors seeking yield need to watch the margin contraction on so-called 'high yield' debt, especially since the protective covenants are weaker than in the past.

Jonathan Rochford
3 August 2017

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Latest Updates

A speech from the Prime Minister on fixing housing

“Fellow Australians, I want to address our most pressing national issue: housing. For too long, governments have tiptoed around problems from escalating prices, but for the sake of our younger generations, that stops today.”

James Gruber
22 October 2025
42

Taxation

Family trusts: Are they still worth it?

Family trusts remain a core structure for wealth management, but rising ATO scrutiny and complex compliance raise questions about their ongoing value. Are the benefits still worth the administrative burden?

Peter Bardos
22 October 2025
14

Exchange traded products

Multiple ways to win

Both active and passive investing can work, but active investment doesn’t in the way it is practised by many fund managers and passive investing doesn’t work in the way most end investors practise it. Here’s a better way.

Economy

The Future Fund may become a 'bad bank' for problem home loans

The Future Fund says it will not be paying defined benefit pensions until at least 2033 - raising as many questions as answers. This points to an increasingly uncertain future for Australia's sovereign wealth fund.

John Abernethy
22 October 2025
3

Investment strategies

Managed accounts and the future of portfolio construction

With $233 billion under management, managed accounts are evolving into diversified, transparent, and liquid investment frameworks. The rise of ETFs and private markets marks a shift in portfolio design and discipline.

Arian Neiron
22 October 2025
1

Property

Commercial property prospects are looking up

Commercial property is seeing the same supply issues as the residential market. Given the chronic undersupply and a recent pickup in demand, it bodes well for an upturn in commercial real estate prices.

James Gruber, Steve Bennett
22 October 2025
1

Infrastructure

Private toll roads need a shake-up

Privatised toll roads in Australia help governments avoid upfront costs but often push financial risks onto taxpayers while creating monopolies and unfair toll burdens for commuters and businesses.

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