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
The S&P 500 Index has finished lower in September more than any other month, or 55% of the time, for an average return of negative 1.01% according to Dow Jones Data Group. Their seasonality chart reproduced below shows the average monthly returns for the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the S&P... Show More
You make an investment, and it goes well for a while, but then it gets shaky. So you have to make a judgment call: Has the story changed, in which case you sell; or has the story stayed the same, in which case you hold, or buy more to exploit... Show More
Scott Haslem started his career in 1991 as an economist working alongside the likes of Glenn Stevens and Bernie Fraser at the RBA. Today he is the Chief Investment Officer of Crestone Wealth Management, a firm that oversees ~$16 billion of assets on behalf of wealthy individuals and not for... Show More
For the last two calendar years, the Australian dollar has defied our expectations for weakness. But after hitting $US0.81 in January it’s been trending down as US interest rates fell below the Australian cash rate, the threat of a US-driven trade war increased and it recently broke below a short-term... Show More
What exactly is a defensive asset? The answer to this depends very much on who you ask. For some people the priority is liquidity so just holding cash might make sense. For others, it means they have very limited performance volatility so perhaps you could consider a term deposit. And... Show More
The Kilauea volcano has been erupting almost constantly for the past 35 years. The current investment landscape reminds me a lot of Kilauea, with numerous ongoing geopolitical eruptions and their financial ‘lava’ threatening to recast the map of long-standing investment strategies. Show More
It’s ironic I’m writing my first wire to outline techniques you can use to beat professional fund managers. The fact is, most people assume that professional fund managers have an informational edge over everyday investors. This isn’t true. Show More
April was a volatile month indeed – or so you would think if you have been following the news. While sensationalised reporting generates readership, a comprehensive assessment of the data often doesn’t support the narrative. Show More
The assumption that Amazon would sweep away all retailers that stand before it resulted in many US retailers being sold down. This hysteria created some interesting opportunities in the retail segment, one of which is Dollar General. Show More
