Investing 101

Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have been all the rage in Australia and around the world for several years now. Despite their success and popularity, the sector at last count represents just $100 billion of a $4.3 trillion broader asset market in Australia. By and large, the vast majority of assets remain invested in traditional managed funds,…

Unlisted Australian Direct Property has emerged as the standout investment sector throughout Covid-19. The cream of the sector has rewarded investors, with some returns above the 40 per cent mark, outpacing most ASX sectors. And it comes at an opportune time, just as the RBA announces an interest rate rise on the back of a…

Australia’s leading micro-investing app, Raiz (ASX:RZI), posted its 3Q financials late last week, and they came in largely as expected. The platform has burst through the $1 billion funds under management (FUM) level, recording a rise of 46.7 percent year on year to $1.02 billion at the end of the quarter. Some of the highlights…

Last week’s CPI print from the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) revealed a 5.1% increase, well above the central bank’s target band of 2-3%. The increase had been anticipated by the market given the flurry of quarterly updates by ASX during April highlighted inflation across various sectors with no clear end in sight: Audinate, the…

Stockbroker and wealth manager Morgans has released its “best ideas” paper, which outlines the broker’s best ideas offering the highest risk-adjusted returns over a 12-month timeframe supported by a higher-than-average level of confidence. They are also the broker’s most preferred sector exposures. Here are six of its best picks: Wesfarmers (ASX:WES) – Large-cap idea –…

Only those who completely avoid any sort of media, social or traditional, would not be aware that the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) this week hiked rates for the first time in more than a decade. Tuesday’s decision, which moved the cash rate from 0.1 to 0.35 per cent, has reverberated through the markets, however,…

Australia, being a major global commodity producer, has the potential to become a ‘superpower’ in the new commodity currency order. This is especially true if we consider the current geopolitical events that are taking place: Australia’s strong position should benefit from the renewed focus on gold. Jodi Stanton, CEO of Rush Gold says, “As a…

One of the more interesting and powerful implications of the pandemic, relating to investment markets at least, is the velocity at which every new piece of news or data is priced-into markets. We only need to look back at the events of March and April 2020 to be reminded that we experienced both the fastest…

While the crisis in Ukraine enters its fourth month, the knock-on effect caused by supply disruptions to energy and commodity prices has been a positive windfall for companies listing in April. In total there were 13 companies that listed on the ASX, with the majority being either energy- or materials-focused, in particular, battery minerals (lithium)…

I believe there are a few ASX blue-chip shares that have better futures than the market is giving credit. Every business on the ASX (and other global stock exchanges) has a share price. That share price has expectations built into it – the future profit margins, how much revenue could grow, market share, potential dividends,…

The Australian economy has rebounded quickly after the Omicron lockdowns, which saw many predict another technical recession (two consecutive quarters of shrinking GDP) in 2021. With restrictions released, the consumer contributed to a 3.4% jump in economic growth in the December quarter. Consumer spending jumped 6.3%, however, exports fell and private investment reversed due to…

Value managers are seeing somewhat of a renaissance in 2022; at the very least, those which have been overweight underperforming materials, financials and traditional cyclical companies have done exceptionally well. Platinum Asset Management (ASX:PTM) remains one of Australia’s most well-known value managers, but the last decade has not been easy for the firm. In fact,…