We asked our portfolio managers to share their views on potential surprises for 2019 which on balance of probabilities are unlikely to happen but shouldn’t be written off entirely. Here are ten potential surprises for 2019. Show More
Trump
The fed is now unwinding the biggest monetary experiment in history, which saw $3.6 trillion of asset purchases from the Fed between 2008 and 2015. This is unknown territory, so when we sat down with Charlie Jamieson, CIO at Jamieson Coote Bonds we took the chance to get his perspective. Show More
Sometimes it seems like there’s nowhere to hide. Equity investors were smacked in the face over the month of October, with waves of selling hitting sharemarkets from Sydney to Shanghai and London to New York. Something like $7 trillion was wiped off the value of global sharemarkets. Tighter financial conditions,... Show More
2018 was another eventful year for markets around the world, but what lies in store for the next 12 months for investors? Andrew Milligan, Head of Global Strategy, outlines Aberdeen Standard Investments’ 2019 global markets outlook. Here are five key takeaways. Show More
You read a lot in the newspaper, but there’s nothing like getting views from someone who’s been at the coalface. One of those people is Michael Morell. As former Deputy Director of the CIA, Michael has been connected to some of the biggest issues in the world, including one of... Show More
Over recent weeks, we have highlighted that there are two main international macro events that will need to be closely monitored over the coming months. Each could impact the performance of investment markets in 2019. Show More
Is the next US downturn years away, or just around the corner? Either way, leading US economist, Professor Jeffrey Frankel, says it will be severe. And the reason, he says, is the Trump administration’s relentless pursuit of fiscal expansion and financial deregulation. Show More
The AUD dropped harder and faster than other Asian currencies on Friday reinforcing its position as a liquid and flexible proxy for the Asia region. Right now the Australian economy is performing at its best in years which should be good news for the AUD, but the currency is sending... Show More
Over the past few weeks, you may have noticed President Trump’s rhetoric has centred around trade and resulted in the escalation of tensions between the US and other economic powers of the world. Many investors are wondering what downside risk they might be exposed to and whether a recession is... Show More
Despite the rising trade tensions and escalating geopolitical risk, gold has remained largely range bound in 2018, so far unable to break through and hold above USD $1360oz, yet strongly supported (for now) above USD $1305oz. Show More
Trump lashes out at Amazon, stock markets suffer + Uber & Tesla’s fatal AV crashes. What does it all mean for investors? Show More
I’m on the way to Europe to see institutional clients for our new ESG L/S absolute return fund (we will look to make it available to Australian investors later this year) and I had a stopover in Dubai. It made me think of a previous comment about Dubai airport being... Show More
Get the full scoop on what Trump’s meeting with Kim Jong-Un, Labor’s $59b cash refund plan, and Spotify’s unconventional IPO means for you and your investments. Show More
Last week, the White House announced tariffs on imported steel and aluminum of 25% and 10% respectively – a move that sparked global indignation and threats of a trade war. But tariffs are more common than you may imagine. Show More
The prospect of a trade war has become more significant again. While China may fare worse than the US in this scenario, there are some broader implications that could enhance China's power on the global stage, not least via the One Belt One Road initiative. Here I discuss this and... Show More
The Trump trade wars threaten the global economy. This is not an exaggeration or headline-grabbing claim, but an economic slump based on a US-inspired global trade war is a distinct and growing possibility as it would dislocate global trade flows, production chains and bottom line economic growth. Show More
FIIG Securities guest economist, Saul Eslake looks at the current global shift by central banks in ‘advanced’ economies to increase inflation, rather than keep it down as seen in the past decade. He also details why tax cuts and Trump tariffs are likely to put the US under inflationary pressure... Show More
2017 saw a combination of solid economic growth without a significant pick-up in inflation. This let the Fed continue to raise rates, but at a measured pace, and it has flagged it’s likely to raise rates another three times this year. Other major central banks did not follow this path... Show More
Isn’t it time we changed the dialogue around millennials and money? Moved away from berating them for their supposed avocado-eating, latte-sipping, globe-trotting habits and offered some pragmatic strategies for building a sustainable financial future? We certainly think so. It’s why we’ve broken down 5 investing tips for millennials looking for... Show More
There’s an overwhelming sense of déjà vu as far as the gold market is concerned. Two years ago during December 2015, we witnessed the first US Fed rate hike since the 2008 GFC – a 25-basis point increase. This followed years of promises, threats and jawboning by the US Federal... Show More
