Register to receive our free weekly newsletter including editorials.
25 March 2026
Recently trending
Reader: "Keep it up - the independence is refreshing and is demonstrated by the variety of well credentialed commentators."
Don Stammer, leading Australian economist: "Congratulations to all associated. It deserves the good following it has."
Reader: "Great resource. Cuffelinks is STILL the one and only weekly newsletter I regularly read."
Scott Pape, author of The Barefoot Investor: "I'm an avid reader of Cuffelinks. Thanks for the wonderful resource you have here, it really is first class."
Noel Whittaker, author and financial adviser: "A fabulous weekly newsletter that is packed full of independent financial advice."
John Egan, Egan Associates: "My heartiest congratulations. Your panel of contributors is very impressive and keep your readers fully informed."
Reader: "An island of professionalism in an ocean of shallow self-interest. Well done!"
Reader: "Is one of very few places an investor can go and not have product rammed down their throat. Love your work!"
Andrew Buchan, Partner, HLB Mann Judd: "I have told you a thousand times it's the best newsletter."
David Goldschmidt, Chartered Accountant: "I find this a really excellent newsletter. The best I get. Keep up the good work!"
Reader: "I can quickly sort the items that I am interested in, then research them more fully. It is also a regular reminder that I need to do this."
Professor Robert Deutsch: "This has got to be the best set of articles on economic and financial matters. Always something worthwhile reading in Firstlinks. Thankyou"
Jonathan Hoyle, CEO, Stanford Brown: "A fabulous publication. The only must-read weekly publication for the Australian wealth management industry."
Rob Henshaw: "When I open my computer each day it's the first link I click - a really great read."
Ian Silk, CEO, AustralianSuper: "It has become part of my required reading: quality thinking, and (mercifully) to the point."
Reader: "Congratulations on a great focussed news source. Australia has a dearth of good quality unbiased financial and wealth management news."
Reader: "The BEST in the game because of diversity and not aligned to financial products. Stands above all the noise."
Reader: "It's excellent so please don't pollute the content with boring mainstream financial 'waffle' and adverts for stuff we don't want!"
Steve: "The best that comes into our world each week. This is the only one that is never, ever canned before fully being reviewed by yours truly."
Reader: "Best innovation I have seen whilst an investor for 25 years. The writers are brilliant. A great publication which I look forward to."
Reader: " Finding a truly independent and interesting read has been magical for me. Please keep it up and don't change!"
John Pearce, Chief Investment Officer, Unisuper: "Out of the (many many) investmentrelated emails I get, Cuffelinks is one that I always open."
Ian Kelly, CFP, BTACS Financial Services: "Probably the best source of commentary and information I have seen over the past 20 years."
Reader: "I subscribe to two newsletters. This is my first read of the week. Thank you. Excellent and please keep up the good work!"
Reader: "Love it, just keep doing what you are doing. It is the right length too, any longer and it might become a bit overwhelming."
Eleanor Dartnall, AFA Adviser of the Year, 2014: "Our clients love your newsletter. Your articles are avidly read by advisers and they learn a great deal."
Reader: "Carry on as you are - well done. The average investor/SMSF trustee needs all the help they can get."
Do you have a criticism of a financial product, and want an explanation? We have a new regular feature called 'Caveat Emptor?'
Caveat Emptor is defined as: 'the principle that the buyer alone is responsible for checking the quality and suitability of goods before a purchase is made.' So we want to help the buyers, and you can contribute by sharing your concerns.
We invite readers to send us criticisms or questions about any financial product, and we'll ask the product manufacturer or another expert to respond. Write to us at [email protected].
We ask anyone else with a constructive view to then write a comment on our website. The Q&A will be collected under a new menu tab called 'Caveat Emptor?' for future reference. We hope this becomes a good reference point for product enquiries.
My personal pet peeve are "Dividend Income Funds". The name would imply that such funds are invested so as to maximse DIVIDEND income, be it franked or not, and as CASH (or even DRPs). Yet, the number of so called "Dividend Income Funds" whose investment strategy is to access income-like outcome through the usage of derivative arb strategies confound. Whilst I accept such strategies may yield (pardon the pun) income like results, they are not Dividend, they are not tax effective, nor as they paid out as received CASH. If we're fair dinkum, then why not call them what they truly are: "Synthetic Arb Funds"? Rhetorical question as any agent could answer why they're not. Another, perhaps, would be to highlight how investment paper issued by banks are NOT term deposits? Caveat Emptor indeed, but the "caveat" is fair only when there's symmetry in information I'd suggest.
Thanks, Rob. So we don't show any favouritism, any volunteers to defend these income funds? Or we'll track one down.
Thanks for the questions coming in for Caveat Emptor? We have passed them to appropriate people and will chase a response next week. Keep them coming!
My concern lies with shares. I don't believe there is enough done by the overall industry to list new companies in Australia's strengths being Agriculture/Food and Tourism. Many companies seem to get a start in say mining or technology and then fall by the wayside destroying shareholder funds. These funds could be utilised elsewhere in say as an example Darryl Lea, Spring Gully type operations.
Folks, Just a short note before Christmas – Your site is outstanding. I would like to say thank you for your efforts with the Cuffelinks Emails. Probably the best source of commentary and information I have seen over the past 20 years – the last 15 as an adviser. I trust you and all the team that put the effort in – get the opportunity to enjoy a break and spend time with those closest to you over the next month or so
A more rational taxation system that supports home ownership but discourages asset speculation could provide greater financial support to first home buyers.
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.
The 20 years after Peter Costello left Treasury have been deemed wasted...by Peter Costello. The missed opportunities for Australia began long before.
The best way to deal with the incoming Division 296 tax on superannuation is likely doing nothing. Earnings will be taxed regardless of where the money sits, so here are some important considerations.
An ‘affordability’ scheme making the county more vulnerable to economic shocks and contributing to the deteriorating financial situation of everyday Australians.
With the upcoming budget increasingly likely to include bold proposals to alter the tax code I’ve outlined three incremental steps with fewer unintended consequences.
The impact of the Iran War is far more than expensive petrol. Higher oil prices have secondary inflationary impacts that reverberate throughout the economy which could be bad news for Australians with mortgages.
Global Listed Infrastructure dividends are forecast to grow 5-6% p.a over the next two years. After a hiatus, share buybacks are back on the agenda and will play an integral role in shareholder returns.
Past oil shocks offer lessons for investors dealing with the fallout from the Iran War and the ongoing impact on inflation.
Former Australian Prime Minister, Paul Keating, once said "When you change the government, you change the country." We're about to see whether that holds true in Japan.
Central banks now hold more gold reserves than US Treasuries, signalling a shift in safe-haven asset strategy and portfolio diversification as geopolitical risks increase.
Historically economic progress is measured by GDP growth but there is an increasing body of work that explores quantitative measures of wellbeing.