Investment: 2017 Outlook
In November, markets were startled and then supported by the election of Donald J Trump as President of the United States. The program that Trump intends to introduce is not widely understood. The President’s budget…
Would you buy a house with friends or family?
It’s not uncommon for friends and relatives to band together to capitalise on the investment property market. But what happens when it all goes wrong? The Housing Industry Association shows that it now takes 2.04…
Strong finish to the Year
2016 has been a year of surprises. From the political environment to the sporting field, there’s been no shortage of outcomes that looked highly improbable at the beginning of the year. Meanwhile, the market has…
Equities battling moderate outlook
Australian shares have been fickle. Market confidence has drifted lower since August as investors ponder the unknowns around the US election and likely interest rate movements. There is still no definitive sign of a breakout…
Cutting through noise in financial markets
Despite central banks staying the course with accommodative policies, many asset classes, both at home and overseas, encountered some turbulence over the past month, principally because markets started to confront the reality rather than the distant prospect of…
Surviving the Brexit Hangover
History frequently unfolds by accident rather than by design. The decision to enact on ‘Brexit’ has thrown a cloak of uncertainty over the future of the European project. The redefinition of the UK’s relationship with…
Investor Attention Turns to Results Season
Attention turns this month from global factors to the domestic results season. Investors have had a lot to consider recently and increased trading volumes (2015 Q4 trading 7% higher than 2014 and 13% higher than 2013) indicate that…
Managing in Uncertain Times
How do you create certainty in uncertain times? Much of what we do personally to grow and protect our wealth, and commercially for the businesses we manage is subject to unpredictability and change. The answer…
Capital Gains & Property: Q&A
The thought of the Australian Tax Office (ATO) sharing up to 50% of any gain you make on an investment decision is enough to strike fear into the hearts of most people. Given Australia’s love…
Tempering Investment Expectations
Global market turmoil turned what was always going to be a hectic August into a chaotic one. Macro volatility aside, there’s no hiding the fact that the corporate reporting season was patchy at best and concerning at worst. Reporting season gave…
