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
For the past 16 years we have produced “The Big Issues” report – a report that has sought to highlight the issues that are expected to influence the economy over the forthcoming 12 months. Show More
In this article we look at some of the more topical subjects influencing financial markets and analyse a few interesting charts. We start with rising rates – the message being delivered by the Federal Reserve’s Janet Yellen in uncharacteristic straightforward terms. Then we cast an eye over President Trump’s tax... Show More
Prior to Telstra's FY17 result, media articles abounded speculating the company was going to announce the securitisation of its recurring NBN payments. The media cited various analyst reports that a securitisation of up to $18 billion was about to create a capital management bonanza for shareholders. Show More
As usual with a big fall you can analyse the overnight news and debate whether the drop is warranted, but when it comes to a free market that rides on sentiment the answer is not whether the market should fall 274 points because the National Economic Council director is going... Show More
Implied volatility is now trading at record lows across a variety of asset classes, especially in US equities. This means that option markets are priced in the belief that the economic and political outlook in America and the world is as stable as it has been for more than 25... Show More
Gold has been getting a lot of good press lately, with the escalation of tensions on the Korean peninsula seeing the yellow metal push back toward USD $1290oz, whilst in local currency terms we are back above AUD $1630oz. Show More
Populism hit the headlines a year ago when the UK voted to leave the European Union (EU), and it has cast a shadow over many political events since then. My colleague, political economist Talha Khan, discusses what could be in store for Europe, considers the effects on the US with... Show More
