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23 May 2022
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The flaw in global indexes, uneven playing field payroll tax, identifying good risk culture, the implications of second mortgages, how anchoring messes with investing and a summary of our latest Reader Survey.
Some global index calculations understate the performance of the portfolio, making it easier for fund managers to outperform. Investors should know this and manage the consequences.
The current review of Australia’s tax system should also address the inequity of payroll tax, which for some businesses, discourages job growth and stifles the ability to compete on a level playing field.
Good risk culture is not about reporting numbers and ticking boxes. It’s only when disaster strikes that the need for better soft skills and judgement is recognised as best practice.
Second mortgages are far more common than is recognised, often in the form of expensive debt. These 'silent seconds' may sit unnoticed until market conditions deteriorate and payments cannot be met.
Anchoring refers to a common human tendency to make judgements based on the first piece of information received. In relation to investing, it makes us focus on irrelevant factors when making decisions to buy or sell equities.
The Cuffelinks team would like to thank you for your time in responding to our latest Reader Survey - your feedback is most encouraging. It gives us valuable insights into how our newsletter and website are being received.
Every successful fund manager suffers periods of underperformance, and investors who jump from fund to fund chasing results are likely to do badly. Selecting a manager is a long-term decision but what else?
In almost 1,000 responses, our readers differ in voting intentions versus polling of the general population, but they have little doubt who will win and there is widespread disappointment with our politics.
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.
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?
Believe it or not, betting agencies are in the business of making money, not predicting outcomes. Is there anything we can learn from the current odds on the election results?
At around 10.30pm on Saturday night, Scott Morrison called Anthony Albanese to concede defeat in the 2022 election. As voting continued the next day, it became likely that Labor would reach the magic number of 76 seats to form a majority government.