Notes and discussion on all issues facing those seeking to earn a return by investing their money
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,…
Self Managed Superannuation Funds (“SMSF’s”) have long lived under a very harsh penalty regime. If a trustee failed to meet their obligations then the Australian Tax Office (ATO) was able or even required to declare the fund “non-complying”. That was a nuclear bomb option as it resulted in the fund assets being taxed at the…
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…
Is the market ‘high’ or is it ‘low’? Is it ‘time to re-enter the market’ or should you be buying cans of baked beans, a shovel and a gun? This site sticks with the Great Disclaimer – nothing here can be considered personal advice, so the title is more correctly referred to as a ‘rhetorical…
Regular readers would be aware of my penchant for rubbishing the political (leaders?) folk who vie for our votes, and who decide on how legislation and laws that govern our lives are drafted. It’s maybe a tad disrespectful of me, and more than a little unfair to those individuals who strive to do their best, and…
The good news is that the budget is going into surplus. Small yay! for prudent financial management and responsible government. Big “what the?” for the usual smokes and mirrors that seem to appear any time a Treasurer releases a budget update. So far this morning, i’ve received many, many, many pages of insight, research, analysis…
Here’s a little thought… The RBA announces inflation outcomes. If quarterly inflation falls, and the annual rate falls, is inflation higher? As Simon in our office has today pointed out, it depends on who you read, and what they are trying to say. BBC News suggests inflation is easing, so i guess it’s lower. The…
There has been a great deal of attention directed over the last couple of years towards a strategy known as “buy/write”. This post will look at how such a strategy has worked, and how the current market impacts such a process. The reason for this post is the strong market focus by advertisers and promoters…
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…
Marketing is often most effective when it glosses over the smaller details and focusses on just one or two key points… does that lead to better outcomes or is it misrepresentation?
