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9 October 2025
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More on insider trading from Greg Perry, the fifth dimension of smart beta, consumer sentiment and buying at the top, LIC progress and more education please.
Greg Perry and Peter Morgan surprised many people in funds management this week with comments attributed to them in the AFR. Here's what Greg said in an interview in 2002.
Smart beta strategies which weight companies in a portfolio by factors other than market capitalisation are gaining popularity. But they need a further dimension to assist in the preservation of capital.
Investors tend to believe that markets will keep going in the same direction they have been in the recent past - both on the way up and on the way down. Consumer sentiment peaks at the same time as the market.
Listed Investment Companies compete with managed funds and ETFs for pooled investments, and a couple of legislative changes in recent years have improved their outlook.
Australians should be creating a comprehensive financial plan to live within their means. It may turn out badly unless we teach skills at an early age and incorporate financial planning into our education system.
LICs are continuing to struggle with large discounts and frustrated investors are wondering whether it’s worth holding onto them. This explains why the next 6-12 months will be make or break for many LICs.
Younger Australians think they’ll need $100k a year in retirement - nearly double what current retirees spend. Expectations are rising fast, but are they realistic or just another case of lifestyle inflation?
This week, I got the news that my mother has dementia. It came shortly after my father received the same diagnosis. This is a meditation on getting old and my regrets in not getting my parents’ affairs in order sooner.
Retirement can be daunting for Australians facing financial uncertainty. Understand your goals, longevity challenges, inflation impacts, market risks, and components of retirement income with these crucial charts.
Five mega trends point to risks of a more inflation prone and lower growth environment. This, along with rich market valuations, should constrain medium term superannuation returns to around 5% per annum.
Australia's superannuation system faces a 'Rubicon' moment, a turning point where the focus is shifting from accumulation phase to retirement readiness, but unfortunately, many funds are not rising to the challenge.