Investing 101

Both houses of Parliament quietly passed what may well be the biggest changes to super contribution rules in a decade. With the Treasury Laws Amendment Bill only awaiting Royal Assent (that is, from the Governor-General, which is a mere formality), 2022 will see retirees and soon-to-be retirees provided with significantly greater flexibility in putting additional…

As the crisis in Ukraine deepens with Russian troops advancing slowly on Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, the war is having a huge effect on two metals: palladium and platinum. Moscow-based Nornickel is the world’s largest producer of palladium and platinum, both of which are used in catalytic converters to clean car exhaust fumes. According to ETF…

ME Bank recently released the 21st edition of its Household Financial Comfort report, which seeks to measure how confident and comfortable Australians of many different backgrounds are with their financial position. Created more than two decades ago, the report provides a powerful insight into the trends and more importantly concerns facing Australian households at a…

ASX dividend shares are an essential part of all income portfolios. Especially when the official cash rate is just 0.10%. After accounting for inflation, money kept in a bank account is earning a negative return. Here are three ASX dividend shares I’d add to any income portfolio. 1. Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) Despite rising competition from neobanks…

The Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK.A) annual letter to shareholders is must reading for any investor or financial professional. Despite nearing 100 years of age, both Buffett and his business partner Charlie Munger remain as astute and knowledgeable as they have ever been. Their annual letter is not without a few ‘whacks’, highlighting some of the excesses…

Gold as an inflation hedge? It’s a well-known investment strategy to buy gold during times of war and rising inflation. A risk that’s at the top of every investor’s mind today. Inflation has emerged as a primary concern for investors. And so, investors look to protect against it. With markets still battling COVID, rising inflation,…

Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are still as popular as ever, especially among retail investors who continue to drive the sector to record highs. According to Morningstar’s ETF Year-End Review 2021, Australian ETFs hit a dizzying high after recording a massive 23.9% increase in total assets, to $117 billion. It was led by strong-performing Australian equities pumping…

CIMIC (ASX:CIM) – Shares in the multi-national building and engineering contractor surged last week, with CIMIC up 30 per cent on the back of an overseas takeover bid to mop-up one of Australia’s largest construction companies. The Spanish giant ACS, has lobbed a $1.5bn bid to end CIMIC’s long-running history on the ASX (as Leighton…

Expert investment consultant Angela Ashton of Evergreen Consultants has flagged a return to traditional asset classes amid the first major armed conflict in many years. Commenting on Russia’s decision to invade Ukraine, she looks at history as a guide, highlighting that “markets often sell-off in the lead up to an armed conflict but tend to…

ASX shares have been reporting some impressive growth numbers today. Here are five ASX shares that caught my eye and I’ll be watching going forward. 1. Whispir Ltd (ASX: WSP) Communication platform Whispir – which assists governments and companies communicate with stakeholders – recorded a 70.4% uplift in revenue for the first half of FY22. The business is…

Pure Hydrogen (ASX:PH2) – With Hydrogen being pitched as the miracle fuel to solve all our climate change issues a flurry of small cap hydrogen stocks have emerged, ready to capitalise on the massive interest in the sector and its underlying technology. Pure Hydrogen came together in early 2021 via a merger of Real Energy…

The Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) share price is in focus after the supermarket business reported its FY22 half-year result. Coles HY22 result Coles reported several financial metrics for investors to look at: Sales revenue grew 1% to $20.6 billion EBITDA down 2.2% to $1.76 billion EBIT down 4.4% to $975 million Net profit after tax down 2% to $549 million…