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Peter Rae

Fewer new LICs and LITs in 2019, but more funds raised

Fixed interest LITs domniated the traditional equity LICs in 2019, and while bond issuers enjoyed unprecedented demand, many equity LICs struggled with large discounts to asset value. 

Managing LIC discounts and premiums

Many Listed Investment Companies, or LICs, have developed persistent discounts to NTA in their share prices, and buyback programmes are struggling to have much impact. See also the latest update on new issues in the LIC space.

Listed Investment Company deals for 2019

It was a big year for Listed Investment Companies (LICs) and Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), both finishing 2018 with about $40 billion on issue and vying for top spot on the ASX. Here are some 2019 expectations.

Finding opportunities in listed global funds

This exclusive early access to IIR's Monthly Report includes the latest recommendations on global LICs, and a summary of the Active ETFs listed on the ASX. There's now a lot of choice in global listed funds.

The merits of investing in LICs at a discount

It's important to consider why a LIC is trading at a discount, as what might appear good value worth buying may be built into the price for many years, and the discount may even worsen.

What is happening with LIC dividends?

LICs can sustain their dividends not only from current year profits, but from reserves built up in prior years. This report looks at reserve levels as a sign of consistency of future dividends.

Latest Updates

Interviews

AFIC on the speculative ASX boom, opportunities, and LIC discounts

In an interview with Firstlinks, CEO Mark Freeman discusses how speculative ASX stocks have crushed blue chips this year, companies he likes now, and why he’s confident AFIC’s NTA discount will reverse.

Investment strategies

Solving the Australian equities conundrum

The ASX's performance this year has again highlighted a persistent riddle facing investors – how to approach an index reliant on a few sectors and handful of stocks. Here are some ideas on how to build a durable portfolio.

Retirement

Regulators warn super funds to lift retirement focus

Despite three years of the retirement income covenant, regulators warn a widening gap between leading and lagging super funds, with weak member insights and patchy outcomes measurement threatening retirees’ financial futures.

Shares

Australian equities: a tale of two markets

From soaring government deficits to the rise of network giants, equity markets are marked by persistent imbalance and rapid structural change. In this environment, opportunity favours those willing to look beyond the obvious.

Investment strategies

Dotcom on steroids Part II

OpenAI’s business appears commoditized and the model is not sustainable in the long run. If markets catch on, the company could face higher borrowing costs, or worse, and that would have major spillover effects.

Investment strategies

AI’s debt binge draws European telco parallels

‘Hyperscalers’ including Google, Meta and Microsoft are fuelling an unprecedented surge in equity and debt issuance to bankroll massive AI-driven capital expenditure. History shows this isn't without risk.

Investment strategies

Leveraged single stock ETFs don't work as advertised

Leveraged ETFs seek to deliver some multiple of an underlying index or reference asset’s return over a day. Yet, they aren’t even delivering the target return on an average day as they’re meant to do.

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