With the prospect of a recession in Australia still looming large, SMSF investors might take comfort in new research showing that while their sector underperformed APRA-regulated funds in a booming 2021, SMSFs weathered the last contractionary environment, in 2020, better than larger funds did.
Women continue to close the gap on men when it comes to superannuation, with new Roy Morgan research showing the gender gap in balance levels and super ownership declining over the past 10 years. But for the gap to be eliminated any time soon, the catch-up rate will have to greatly improve.
Nearly 32,000 customers of Australia’s four major banks fell victim to scams in the 2022 financial year, bearing 96 per cent of the losses as reimbursement and compensation rates remain extremely low. ASIC is now pushing financial institutions to improve their approaches to scams and better support their customers.
In the first external review of the central bank in four decades, an expert panel has recommended a major shake-up, including the establishment of a new board responsible for monetary policy. RBA Governor Philip Lowe welcomed the changes while defending the current board’s decision-making capabilities.
Treasury’s plan would increase the headline tax rate to 30 per cent from 15 per cent for earnings on superannuation balances above $3 million. The SMSF Association and others have called it unsustainable and discriminatory to SMSFs.
While small and medium enterprises remained resilient in March, concerns about rising input costs and the growing chances of recession have businesses toning down their hiring plans.
AMP recently promoted senior economist Diana Mousina to a new role, deputy chief economist, in recognition of her achievements and succession path. Like other economists, Mousina sees a recession on the cards for Australia, although the timeline may be longer than many hope.
While the housing market shows faint signs of recovery following the RBA’s decision to pause interest rate hikes, those benefits have not yet begun to flow through to Australia’s rental market, new research shows, with all signs pointing to a long-term rental crisis.
With rising financial stability risk complicating the already uncertain outlook for global economies, the IMF warns a hard landing is becoming more likely, while Australia is set for particularly weak growth in the short-term. Inflation remains the prevailing concern.
With China’s recent policy shift prioritising domestic businesses over foreign alternatives helping to drive growth, investors should look for companies and sectors set to benefit from policy tailwinds, according to Ninety One’s Charlie Dutton and Mendy Zhang.
