Deeply embedded human behaviours will ensure that everything in finance will always be cyclical. After a sustained period of good times, the cycle is turning, and investors should prepare for the bad times. Get ready for the upcoming lost decade. Show More
2018 has proven to be a tumultuous year for the Australian equity market. Key themes driving the market’s decline and heightened volatility have included the increase in government regulations, escalation in trade wars and attempts to control the global oil surplus. Show More
In a panel discussion at Livewire Live in 2016, which you can see here, I described my worst fear at that moment: the danger of a trade war. In this wire, I revisit my thesis and ask what it means for investors. Show More
As another year draws to a close, Australia looks forward to the arrival of summer, a much-needed break with family and ideally an Xmas rally. For investors who have weathered a particularly challenging last few months, thoughts will also turn to where the opportunities might be found in the year... Show More
As a provider of asset allocation advice to fund managers and advisors, Brad Matthews provides an expert view of the big picture for each asset class. Weeks before 'Red October', Brad gave Livewire readers an explicit early warning in his wire offering ‘Three reasons to lighten your equity exposure'. Show More
The late and great Sir John Templeton was a man who pulled himself up by the bootstraps and never forgot where he came from. He had a strong concept of thrift and calmly tackled obstacles and adversity. Show More
Some of the worst monthly market returns in history have occurred in the month of October, and I’m sure it will come as no surprise to you to learn that this year’s was one of them. The ASX200 fell -6.1% in October, its worst monthly performance in almost four years.... Show More
The current Fed rate hikes, combined with efforts to shrink its balance sheet, represent the first sustained tightening in US monetary conditions, and therefore much of the developed world, for at least 30 years. So what does this mean for investors and how should they change their investment strategy to... Show More
Getting your personal finances right can be a challenge. Here are 13 tips that may be of use: shop around when it comes to financial services; don’t take on too much debt; allow that interest rates can go up as well as down; allow for rainy days; credit cards are... Show More
October’s share market plunge confirms the view that traditional investment methodologies have their limitations and can be a very unsettling way to protect and grow your wealth. Here we argue that the long-established “endowment model approach” should be embraced for those in charge of their own destiny. Show More
Equity markets are inherently volatile. The flip side of a higher long-term return is higher risk. Circa 10% corrections are not uncommon for equity markets. When they happen they are invariably accompanied by calls of a bear market coming ahead of an impending recession. Occasionally, those calls are right, but... Show More
As of today, the All Ords will have pulled back more than 10% in less than two months. It’s officially a correction now. Here are four strategies on how to cope. Show More
Howard Marks of Oaktree Capital has recently released his updated view on the current market environment. The view of Oaktree is interesting, as they invest across most asset classes and in every part of the capital structure. Show More
In this note, we look at what the Bogle Model currently forecasts for average equity returns in the US and Australia over the next decade. Show More
The recent Lehman anniversary had market commentators everywhere asking how far away the next crash might be, leading to sleepless nights for investors of all stripes. There are however proven strategies available for these troubled times. Show More
Platinum Asset Management’s Founder Kerr Neilson is a fund manager who needs no introduction. Kerr recently sat down with Platinum's Julian McCormack to discuss timeless investment principles, the big issues today, and what he’s excited about ahead. We have prepared the following transcript for you, with a link to the... Show More
Much has been written about the plan by the Federal opposition (likely to be the next Government) to abolish franking credit refunds. Along with removing negative gearing for existing housing and a 30% minimum tax rate on family trust distributions, this amounts to a three-pronged attack on Australian investors. Show More
Earlier this year I reviewed my top ten investment books of all time on Livewire. My goal was to share some of the perspectives of the world’s best investors. In this wire, I summarise those reviews to identify the top five characteristics of the world's best investors, the 'Super investors'. Show More
I have to GASP when I look at the current valuations of some of the new generation disruptors; we are very clearly in bubble territory. And as with all bubbles, we don’t know when it will end but we do know what happens when it does. Show More
Using a party as an analogy for the current equity market, we think this ten-year ‘party’ is about to finish. While we don’t know what time the lights are going back on, what we do know is that the music is getting louder and the people are getting crazier. Show More