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2 February 2026
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Productivity Commission scolds super, Whittaker scolds Labor, rich old ladies, multi-sector portfolios, active trading, SMSF max, high yield.
Labor’s rhetoric of taxing the rich and standing up for women doesn’t match the facts. Their proposed imputation policy, if implemented, will raise little revenue and hurt low- and middle-income widows the most.
This wide-ranging interview with Pilar Gomez-Bravo, Director of Fixed Income at MFS Investment Management, covers the role of active management, the low rate environment, portfolio creation and asset class correlations.
The high yield debt market is now much larger and riskier than just before the GFC. That doesn’t bode well for when the next downturn happens and investors have several options to de-risk.
It's often said that 'A man is not a financial plan'. A Practice Director in a successful business shares some of her life tips on financial independence for women aiming to self-fund their retirement.
With the maximum number of members in an SMSF likely to increase from four to six, weigh up the pros and cons when deciding if an increase is in the best interests of all members.
Macro trends are almost impossible to forecast, and picking undervalued shares with an eye to the long term is a better way. But often, stock selection requires resilience in the face of criticism.
Non-banks are claiming market share from banks in many forms of private debt, and it's changing the nature of funding for many small to medium businesses.
Active managers trade more often and in larger amounts than passive managers do. Costs incurred from trading, in aggregate, can be substantial and ought to be considered in the decision to use active strategies.
The Productivity Commission is undertaking a review into the competitiveness and efficiency of Australia's super system. These key points are taken from the draft report, including a neat 'piggy' graphic.
The Productivity Commission report recommends young workers should be given a 'best in show' shortlist of super funds set by an independent process.
What are the best ways to build a simple portfolio from scratch? I’ve addressed this issue before but think it’s worth revisiting given markets and the world have since changed, throwing up new challenges and things to consider.
At this time last year, I forecast that 2025 would likely be a positive year given strong economic prospects and disinflation. The outlook for this year is less clear cut and here is what investors should do.
Treasury has released draft legislation for a new version of the controversial $3 million super tax. It's a significant improvement on the original proposal but there are some stings in the tail.
The renowned investor says 2025’s real story wasn’t AI or US stocks but the shift away from American assets and a collapse in the value of money. And he outlines how to best position portfolios for what’s ahead.
The predictions include dividends will outstrip growth as a source of Australian equity returns, US market performance will be underwhelming, while US government bonds will beat gold.
We don’t have a housing shortage; we have housing misallocation. This explores why so many bedrooms go unused, what’s been tried before, and five things to unlock housing capacity – no new building required.