Trending On Livewire: Weekend Edition - Saturday 10th May

As a child of the 80’s and a car lover, one of my favourite movies was Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. A famous line from said movie is “Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it”.

After a wild three months in markets, which saw the ASX 200 drop more than 15%, the index has ripped back and now sits a much less offensive 4% off the mid-February high. Now is the time to look around to make sure you’re not missing it.

My colleague Tom Stelzer wrote a wire this week for those still holding cash and how the pros use it both as a sword and shield, whilst there have been plenty of wires on how fund managers navigated the volatility and how they’re positioning for what comes next.

So, where are we now? The bulls will point to the de-escalation of trade tensions and the late week trade agreement between the US and UK as positive signs, whilst resilient dip-buying and resumptions of corporate buybacks in the US are other positives.

The bears will likely take a line similar to the Fed: that risks remain, as does uncertainty, and that a wait and see approach is warranted. For what it’s worth, I can’t help but hear the words of former boss and Livewire favourite Marcus Padley ringing in my ears – “chickens don’t make money”.

Have a great weekend and happy Mother’s Day to all the mums out there.

If there's one thing to take from the recent market mayhem it's that volatility breeds opportunities. But if you’re waiting for a sign that everything is alright, you may have already missed the boat. For Market Matter's James Gerrish, the biggest lesson he's taken from over 20 years in the markets is that 20% corrections happen more often than you expect and that's when you should be leaning in. In this wide-ranging interview, he discusses everything from Trump and Australia’s position in the trade war, to gold, confession season and where he sees the ASX 200 by Christmas.

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Meet David - He’s taking on Australia’s ETF Goliaths (with just 10 stocks and a bold plan)

Australia’s ETF industry is booming - up $53 billion in the past year alone - and a new player is stepping into the ring. David Tuckwell, son of ETF pioneer Graeme Tuckwell, has launched ETF Shares to challenge the giants like Vanguard and Betashares. His weapon of choice? Low fees and ultra-focused US tech exposure. One fund holds just the top 10 Nasdaq stocks - an audacious bet on concentration over diversification. Is there room for another player in an increasingly crowded market? We explore the strategy, the story, and the stakes behind ETF Shares’ bold launch.

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With global equity markets showing signs of extreme concentration and heightened volatility, where do you see the best opportunity for Australian investors over the next 6–12 months?

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