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8 September 2026
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LICs will always have a place but they will never match ETF volumes again. The baggage of discounts, and even large premiums, is too heavy, with three new announcements. And I describe the biggest loss this year in my own SMSF.
Nick Bolton wants to force Magellan to pay out the 7.5% discount on the Global Fund (ASX:MGF) options. Magellan will resist as it must act in the interests of all unitholders and the cost comes from Magellan itself.
LIC discounts can be a pain for existing investors but an opportunity for new buyers. To avoid further losses from discount widening or buy/sell spreads, hold for the long term and enjoy the increased income flow.
Stop whinging! Analysts are describing markets in 2022 as 'brutal' or 'terrible', but total returns in Australian stock markets were up and balanced funds were down only slightly. It was not that bad.
Why invest in an unlisted fund when the listed version of the same fund is priced at a discount? Why hold a listed version at a premium when the unlisted version is cheaper? Find the best way to invest.
Last week, I interviewed Hamish Douglass about investing and positions in his portfolio. He was articulate, confident and relaxed, but a few days later, the Board of Magellan announced he was taking medical leave.
While the competing structure, ETFs, has increased in size far quicker in recent years, LICs remain an important part of the listed trust sector. There are differences between Traditional and Trading LICs.
The pandemic created a tale of two halves as stimulus bolstered market sentiment in the second half of the year. Many companies benefited from a quickly-transformed world and investors were eager to jump aboard.
For the last few years there has been much talk of a 'cost-of-living' crisis in Australia and of 'falling living standards'. Lately this has flared up again with the pickup in inflation resulting in a renewed fall in real wages.
Fear of running out has become a defining retirement anxiety. Why do some retirees die with substantial wealth while others deplete their nest egg? Evidence suggests the answer is more complicated than we think.
What if Australia’s golden age of dividends is ending? Rather than overhaul your portfolio, it may be worth considering where new capital can work harder. I discuss four income strategies and the trade-offs behind each.
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.
Tax rules have changed, but many investors are still using yesterday’s strategies. Insurance bonds may offer advantages for those seeking greater control, tax efficiency and certainty about their wealth.
Treasury’s latest CGT reform draft delivers a win for testamentary trusts and deceased estates, exempting estate-derived gains from the 30% floor. However, questions on death and divorce rollovers remain unresolved.