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Duration

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Duration: Friend or foe in a defensive allocation?

Duration is back. After years in the doghouse, shifting markets and higher yields are restoring its role as a reliable diversifier and income source - offering defensive strength in today’s uncertain environment.

Bond basics and four messages in the search for yield

Bonds have been strong performers over many decades and always play a role in defensively-positioned portfolios. There are some basic principles investors should understand such as the types of yield.

Red pill or blue pill? Navigating the matrix of fixed income

Government bond yields are so close to their lower bounds that they are unlikely to provide the returns of the past, nor act as a counter to falling equity markets. What are the investment choices?

Interest rate duration: how exposed are you?

Investors need to know the interest rate duration of their fixed income portfolios and its impact on the capital value of their portfolios ahead of potential rate rises.

Are we going through a 'bond market rout'?

We can expect a long bond yield rise of the magnitude we’ve seen in 2016 on average every three years, but that doesn't ease the pain of capital losses in the last six months.

Are you in fixed interest for the duration?

Despite the global bond duration index nudging an historic peak of 7 years, portfolios can still benefit from holding exposure to fixed interest investments as long as investors are aware of the impact of duration.

An idiot’s guide to bond funds

In response to a reader's question regarding bond funds, we asked our bond guru to explain, in layman's term, the workings of bond funds and what features to look for before investing in this asset class.

Fixed income investing when rates are rising

The topic of rising interest rates is heating up following recent increases in US long term bond yields. What does this mean for the value of your existing fixed income investments, and what are the bond alternatives?

A fixed interest guy’s take on share market volatility

Simple maths helps explain why the share market is so volatile. It’s not that it’s an irrational, casino-like beast that bucks and dives for no good reason. It’s a long duration market reacting to changes.

Most viewed in recent weeks

Simple maths says the AI investment boom ends badly

This AI cycle feels less like a revolution and more like a rerun. Just like fibre in 2000, shale in 2014, and cannabis in 2019, the technology or product is real but the capital cycle will be brutal. Investors beware.

Why we should follow Canada and cut migration

An explosion in low-skilled migration to Australia has depressed wages, killed productivity, and cut rental vacancy rates to near decades-lows. It’s time both sides of politics addressed the issue.

Are LICs licked?

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.

Australian house price speculators: What were you thinking?

Australian housing’s 50-year boom was driven by falling rates and rising borrowing power — not rent or yield. With those drivers exhausted, future returns must reconcile with economic fundamentals. Are we ready?

Retirement income expectations hit new highs

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?

Welcome to Firstlinks Edition 627 with weekend update

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.

  • 4 September 2025

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