Markets

Discussion on the various areas of investment, such as shares, property, cash and collectables, as well as interpretation of those markets.

Investors are confused by strange markets

investors michaels musings USA 10 year bond market yield 12 months
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Investors in today’s markets are confronted with a barrage of information, opinions, statistics as well as claims from marketing and promotions that can make it very difficult to decide just what to do, and when. This post isn’t going to make your decisions any easier, I’m afraid – but it may just help you to…

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Property Value

Property Values
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How much do you think the property you live in is worth? How about the suburb or area in which you live – what do you think would be the combined value of all those properties? Ever wondered what all the property on earth is worth? Global Property Value As usual in an information filled world,…

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Musing on Interest Rates

Reserve Bank of Australia cash rates chart August 2013
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Australia’s cash interest rates are currently at record low levels. If your cash account earns that interest rate of 2.5% then you are probably just keeping ahead of official inflation rates – currently noted as 2.4%. If you are paying tax then that means your purchasing power is slowly being eroded. In other words, the…

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Risk on, Risk off but do you want to play the game?

risk on risk off it will lead to repetitive strain injuries if you let it
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“Risk on, risk off” is a phrase used to denote the massive trading shifts taking place at institutional levels in the post-GFC (“global financial crisis”) world. The phrase encapsulates the skittish approach investors have taken to the day-to-day news and data feeds that are highlighted on the evening finance news segment. The question for us…

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Australian Sharemarket Long Term Views

Long term investing involves the old trees and the forest idea
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Investors and their financial planners have now endured over 5 years of turmoil since the onset of the Global Financial Crisis. The extended nature of this slump in markets of all types has sapped the energy, patience and temper of everyone connected to the world of money. As i have a number of times before,…

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The Libor scandal and investor confidence

Bank fraud erodes investor confidence at all levels, and levies a cost on everyone
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What is the “Libor scandal” and what does it mean to you? The term “Libor” stands for “London Interbank Offered Rate” (no, it does not stand for Let’s Investigate Banksters’ Organised Rate-rigging…) and it is a benchmark commonly used to determine interest rates on business loans worldwide. The real impact on you and i, dear…

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What is the true value of a Euro?

What does a villa on the French Riviera cost these days?
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With all the ruckus that gets thrown into news headlines, it can sometimes be difficult to remember just what the longer term looks like. If anyone is in any doubt why Australian’s are currently NOT spending money in shops, and are instead going on overseas holidays or going online to spend their currency then this little…

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Economic World Title Fight for the minds of government

Two competing schools of economic thought
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Like it or hate it, our little blue planet spinning in space is currently focussed on money. Sport, gardening and cooking shows may interrupt for a while but all across the globe the big competition is money. Economic World Title Fight It is not really a stretch to say that looking at the way countries and…

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Rip-off or not a rip-off?

Are new car prices in Australia a ripoff?
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This is not something i am remotely familiar with but it IS Friday, and the start of a new financial year so why not look at something a little bit different? There is a group called Private Fleet, who offer a vehicle buying service. Their website has recently published an article suggesting the prices Australians are…

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