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9 October 2026
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Exclusive interview with Burton Malkiel, Phil Ruthven on retiring with dignity, Chris Cuffe on managing money, and a surprising Towers Watson quick quiz.
Burton Malkiel is author of the classic A Random Walk Down Wall Street, now in its 10th edition since 1973, and eight other books on investing. Here's a summary of his views on markets and valuing stocks.
"I would not buy a bond index fund today, because I think they’re going to get killed. I don’t like lifecycle funds, they’re putting 80% into the securities that are going to give people an enormous amount of trouble."
Cuffelinks does not promote specific investment products, but in recognition of its five year track record, here's an explanation of how Chris Cuffe manages the Third Link Growth Fund. It's generated almost $2 million for charity.
Retiring is coming later and later in life, and given that most jobs are now cerebral rather than physical, the only way to wear the brain out is to stop using it! Retiring closer to 80 years of age in 2100 will probably be the norm.
We are often warned by investment managers that past performance is not an indicator of future returns, but Towers Watson goes even further: past returns are not even a reliable indicator of past returns.
Conventional wisdom encourages retirees to preserve superannuation. But if those likely to qualify for the Age Pension later in life spend a little more today, it may deliver higher lifetime income and a more stable retirement.
A high-profile dividend cut and a prominent fund manager’s apology have reignited a long-running debate. If investors can access similar exposures more cheaply and efficiently elsewhere, what exactly is keeping LICs alive?
For generations, Australian investors have backed banks, miners and dividends. But has that loyalty come at a cost? A look at the numbers raises an uncomfortable question about where future returns will come from.
The fight over testamentary trusts looked settled. Then the draft legislation arrived. Hidden in a technical detail is a question that could force many families to rethink wills they thought were already future-proof.
Investors have long accepted one portfolio rule without much question. A major tax shift could change that calculation entirely, forcing difficult trade-offs between risk, discipline and an overlooked cost lurking beneath.
What if investment success depends less on picking the right assets and more on understanding the decisions of other investors? A principle borrowed from game theory offers a different perspective on markets.