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13 March 2026
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Is the consensus on AI too conservative? A recent report from Vanguard indicates there will be a greater effect on productivity than most expect. The implication on investors may be profound.
Everyone has something to say about the impact on markets from the war against Iran. Little of this commentary has added much value.
The market seems increasingly jittery with contradictory predictions about AI flooding in daily. An approach to step back and keep focus.
A study of expert investors reveals how we can all achieve better investment returns.
Anxiety continues to rise about the impact of AI. Doomsday scenarios include the demise of previously thriving industries like software and the widespread loss of white-collar jobs. Is the universal basic wage the answer?
This is my last edition as Editor of Firstlinks. I’m moving onto a new role though the newsletter will remain in good hands until my permanent replacement is found.
A new year and another TV streaming price hike as Kayo lifts my premium plan by 15% to $45 a month. It follows a barrage of price rises from competitors. We’re paying a lot for convenience and choice nowadays.
There’s one surprising area of the market that’s been left behind over the past year: quality stocks. Not only in Australia, but globally. The likes of REA, CAR Group, and Aristocrat may offer opportunities in an overpriced market.
Rio Tinto is proposing a $300 million merger with Glencore soon after BHP tried to nab Anglo American. The commodities boom is heating up but will the mining giants incinerate money like past cycles or is this time different?
Stocks bounced hard off April lows, gold hit record highs and even bonds gained – 2025 was a year where it was hard not to make money. This breaks down the year and how to best position portfolios for 2026 and beyond.
Here are my 20 favourite Firstlinks articles from 2025, including ‘Which generation had it the toughest?’, ‘The case for the $3 million super tax’, and ‘Simple maths says the AI investment boom ends badly’.
It’s the season for 2026 market forecasts. Predicting the short term is tough though, and it’s often best to look at long-term data to guide your investment decisions. A new report can help with that.
A more rational taxation system that supports home ownership but discourages asset speculation could provide greater financial support to first home buyers.
Our cost-of-living pressures go beyond the RBA: surging house prices, excessive migration, and expanding government programs, including the NDIS, are fuelling inflation, demanding bold, structural solutions.
The capital gains tax discount is under review, but debate should go beyond its size. Its original purpose, design flaws and distortions suggest Australia could adopt a better, more targeted approach.
One in five Australians die before retirement and most have not set up their super properly so their loved ones can benefit from all their hard work and savings.
An ageing Australia is shifting the superannuation system’s focus from accumulation to the lifecycle of retirement. While these pressures have been anticipated for decades, they are now converging at scale and driving widespread industry change.