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Friday, 15 November 2019
Recently trending How much super is enough?How to include homes in the age pension assets testFour reasons to engage a financial adviserShould you buy CBA PERLS XII Capital Notes?OK Boomer: fessing up that we’ve had it good
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Global indexes are undergoing a fundamental shift, forcing investors to revise their allocations. There has never been a change of this size, coinciding with China's rise as an economic power.
Many investors are struggling with the idea of negative yields on bonds, but with $17 trillion on issue, it's worth taking a moment to think about what it actually means for your portfolio.
Bonds markets have continued to defy the notion that low yields imply low returns, and most investors need the solid foundation that bonds give to a portfolio.
If an investor had been living on the moon or under a rock for a year and returned on 30 June 2019, on seeing their portfolio, they would have thought it was a delightful year full of good news.
Continuing our Interview Series to learn how professional portfolios are managed, we go into the world of global corporate bonds for diversified income hedged into Australian dollars from liquid bond markets.
Green bonds help fund projects focused on issues such as energy efficiency, recycling and waste reduction, but when are they really a 'greenwash' to make the company look good?
Australian bond rates are now lower than during recessions and depressions of the past, but it's not driven by local fundamentals. The world of interest rates is in a place it's never been before in history.
Cash is often seen as the residual, 'uninvested' part of a diversified portfolio, but it should form a prudent and wise amount of ballast, especially when enhanced cash improves returns.
The US inverted yield curve has many worried about whether it indicates a coming recession, but the Fed has moved to a more dovish stance. A diversity of equity and bond exposures is the best way to cope.
Nobody revalues their own home each day in the way they revalue listed equities, but does that mean the value is constant? The daily unit price is calculated in some super funds using unlisted asset valuations.
We like a good debate, and when two opposing views argued about the role of government bonds in a diversified portfolio, a veteran of 30 years in fixed interest stepped in as referee.
Few Australians include global high yield bonds in their asset allocations, but with new ways to access the market locally, they are worth considering as a diversifying asset class.
We cannot see into the future, but here are some general guidelines on how much to save in super, and then how much you can spend to enjoy a good retirement. Start as soon as possible.
A reader speaks out about the inequity of ignoring own homes in the assets test for the age pension, plus a proposal on how it could work politically. Take our survey on the merit of the policy.
The value of financial advice is increasingly questioned after the Royal Commission and changes to advice business models, but the case for financial advice for many people remains strong.
CBA's latest PERLS offer is directly offered to hundreds of thousands of investors who already hold CBA shares or other PERLS securities. How does it compare with the rest of the hybrid market?
The pre-Boomer generations faced global wars and depressions, but Australians born after 1946 have enjoyed prosperity. Superannuation, education, strong markets and surging property prices locked in gains.
Specially-selected collections of the best articles
Accredited CPD hours reading Firstlinks
Firstlinks articles are collected in Pandora, Australia's national archive.