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2 March 2026
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Australian bank stocks have had a stellar 12 months, prompting many investors to suggest now would be a good time to sell them. Yet the Big Four remain in a strong position that suggests a more nuanced outlook is needed.
We assume share trading platforms are alike other than the cost of brokerage, but do you know if prices are live, who owns your shares and what you earn on cash? The few brokerage dollars you save can be eaten away.
There is a popular view that retail investors panic when markets fall, but in the recent COVID selloff, they were waiting in cash for buying opportunities. What's equally interesting is the stocks they bought.
More retail investors than ever are speculating on the stock market, driven to FOMO by the success of others. Here are five rules which have stood the test of time rather than hoping speculation works.
The ability to buy and sell cheaply and quickly in small parcels is both the biggest drawback and benefit of shares. But it encourages people who should not go near the market to use it as a casino.
Millions of inexperienced traders have entered global equity markets since the end of March, fuelled by hype in a rapidly-rising market. What is happening and how are they having an impact?
Online brokers have traditionally been more consumer-focussed than their institutional competitors, but developments in fintech are forcing them to adapt and embrace innovation to stay on top of what consumers want.
It's tempting for an SMSF trustee to try to offset capital losses from share sales against other income by becoming a share trading business. It’s not easy to satisfy the provisions of superannuation law.
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 post-World War Two economic system is unravelling, leading to huge shifts in currency, bond and commodity markets, yet stocks seem oblivious to the chaos. This looks to history as a guide for what’s next.
Our cost-of-living pressures go beyond the RBA: surging house prices, excessive migration, and expanding government programs, including the NDIS, are fuelling inflation, demanding bold, structural solutions.
The capital gains tax discount is under review, but debate should go beyond its size. Its original purpose, design flaws and distortions suggest Australia could adopt a better, more targeted approach.
A more rational taxation system that supports home ownership but discourages asset speculation could provide greater financial support to first home buyers.
This is my last edition as Editor of Firstlinks. I’m moving onto a new role though the newsletter will remain in good hands until my permanent replacement is found.