The need for a reliable source of retirement income is a demographic shift 70 years in the making. Yet, it is only one of three megatrends currently disrupting the retirement sector.
An ageing population is placing pressure on Australia’s superannuation and retirement system, while driving a sharp rise in demand for better aged care. Underlying these ...
Australia’s February reporting season should not have been much of a surprise. By the time companies started to report results, evidence for a strong reporting season had been piling up for months. Economic growth through the second half of 2025 was consistently firm, financial conditions remained supportive and business indicators were improving. ...
What happens to our super when we die? Most Australians have superannuation accounts but about one in five of us die before we can retire and actually enjoy that money.
If we do die early our money is paid out as super “death benefits”. They can be substantial. Even people who die young can have $200,000–$300,000 of death benefits through super life ...
SMSF borrowing requires timing and precision that would be unexpected for someone buying an investment property. The investment property in a DIY structure is not held in the borrower’s name but by the trust that administers the super fund.
Before engaging in a limited recourse borrowing, the superannuation trust deed may need to be amended before the ...
There are several studies that show that retail clients who get advice from brokers do not end up with better portfolios or improved performance. Here is a classic study from Canada that shows that while good advisers can create enormous value for clients, the average adviser does not. What made me perk up, though, was when I came across a study of ...
The AFL has announced a move this season to a Final Ten by adding a ‘wildcard’ round to its existing Final Eight format. But has it got the formula right?
First, a recap of the Final Eight system that has been in place since 2000, according to final ladder positions.
Week 1
Game One: 1 v 4
Game Two: 2 v 3
Game Three: 5 v 8
Game Four: 6 v 7
Week ...
I’ve written many articles on aspects of annuities. [For example, one on annuities, longevity risk and investment risk; another on the role of deferred annuities.] It occurs to me that there are psychological angles that are worth reviewing, some of which are financially relevant and others of which affect our thinking even if they’re not ...
The media continues to be filled with forecasts about the investment – and societal – implications of AI. Some of these forecasts are moving markets. On Monday the S&P 500 and Nasdaq sold off over 1% which was at least partially attributed to a dystopian vision of the future by Citrini Research.
The report outlined a scenario where heavy ...
Australia is in a housing quagmire. Each aimless and counterproductive lurch finds us mired deeper in a morass.
In my eleven years in Australia I’ve seen multiple attempts at increasing affordability. None of these affordability measures are designed to lower housing prices. Pretending there is a way to make housing more affordable without somebody ...
If asked to identify a stock that has achieved over a 500% total return, compounded earnings at an annualized growth rate of 10% or greater, traded at an earnings multiple of less than 15x, and maintained or raised its dividend for over 20 consecutive years, what names come to mind?
If you answered Microsoft, Apple, Alphabet, or Nvidia, you would only ...
This chart shows the inflation and policy cash rate picture in Australia from 1993. The dots in the upper section represent annual (rolling four-quarter) CPI inflation each quarter (as quarterly has been the main reporting interval for inflation in Australia).
Click to enlarge
Red dots for inflation above 3%; black dots for inflation below 2%; and ...
In 2025, with credit spreads normalising, and in some segments moving below long-term averages, a number of yield hungry credit investors responded by adding risk to meet investment objectives. The approach taken to sustain portfolio yields of 6%+ varied from increasing credit risk, interest/spread duration and/or leverage.
While mostly still at ...
The need for a reliable source of retirement income is a demographic shift 70 years in the making. Yet, it is only one of three megatrends currently disrupting the retirement sector.
An ageing population is placing pressure on Australia’s superannuation and retirement system, while driving a sharp rise in demand for better aged care. Underlying these ...
Australia’s February reporting season should not have been much of a surprise. By the time companies started to report results, evidence for a strong reporting season had been piling up for months. Economic growth through the second half of 2025 was consistently firm, financial conditions remained supportive and business indicators were improving. ...
What happens to our super when we die? Most Australians have superannuation accounts but about one in five of us die before we can retire and actually enjoy that money.
If we do die early our money is paid out as super “death benefits”. They can be substantial. Even people who die young can have $200,000–$300,000 of death benefits through super life ...
SMSF borrowing requires timing and precision that would be unexpected for someone buying an investment property. The investment property in a DIY structure is not held in the borrower’s name but by the trust that administers the super fund.
Before engaging in a limited recourse borrowing, the superannuation trust deed may need to be amended before the ...
There are several studies that show that retail clients who get advice from brokers do not end up with better portfolios or improved performance. Here is a classic study from Canada that shows that while good advisers can create enormous value for clients, the average adviser does not. What made me perk up, though, was when I came across a study of ...
The AFL has announced a move this season to a Final Ten by adding a ‘wildcard’ round to its existing Final Eight format. But has it got the formula right?
First, a recap of the Final Eight system that has been in place since 2000, according to final ladder positions.
Week 1
Game One: 1 v 4
Game Two: 2 v 3
Game Three: 5 v 8
Game Four: 6 v 7
Week ...
I’ve written many articles on aspects of annuities. [For example, one on annuities, longevity risk and investment risk; another on the role of deferred annuities.] It occurs to me that there are psychological angles that are worth reviewing, some of which are financially relevant and others of which affect our thinking even if they’re not ...
The media continues to be filled with forecasts about the investment – and societal – implications of AI. Some of these forecasts are moving markets. On Monday the S&P 500 and Nasdaq sold off over 1% which was at least partially attributed to a dystopian vision of the future by Citrini Research.
The report outlined a scenario where heavy ...
Australia is in a housing quagmire. Each aimless and counterproductive lurch finds us mired deeper in a morass.
In my eleven years in Australia I’ve seen multiple attempts at increasing affordability. None of these affordability measures are designed to lower housing prices. Pretending there is a way to make housing more affordable without somebody ...
If asked to identify a stock that has achieved over a 500% total return, compounded earnings at an annualized growth rate of 10% or greater, traded at an earnings multiple of less than 15x, and maintained or raised its dividend for over 20 consecutive years, what names come to mind?
If you answered Microsoft, Apple, Alphabet, or Nvidia, you would only ...
This chart shows the inflation and policy cash rate picture in Australia from 1993. The dots in the upper section represent annual (rolling four-quarter) CPI inflation each quarter (as quarterly has been the main reporting interval for inflation in Australia).
Click to enlarge
Red dots for inflation above 3%; black dots for inflation below 2%; and ...
In 2025, with credit spreads normalising, and in some segments moving below long-term averages, a number of yield hungry credit investors responded by adding risk to meet investment objectives. The approach taken to sustain portfolio yields of 6%+ varied from increasing credit risk, interest/spread duration and/or leverage.
While mostly still at ...
