Opinion

Shock events like the Israel-Palestine and Russia-Ukraine conflicts are not a reason for investors to panic sell, as history tells us geopolitical risk, which is always present and therefore factored in by markets, has little correlation with long-term economic upheavals.

Higher bond yields are making fixed income fundamentally more attractive than it was during years of ultra-low interest rates. AMP’s Diana Mousina and Chris Baker recently discussed the opportunity set as investors look to add income and defensiveness in a new paradigm.

Repeating his warning that markets are undergoing a “sea change” that will see a new set of winners and losers emerge in short order, the famed distressed-debt investor said it’s time to consider a profound shift from asset ownership to lending and credit.

Australian retail investors are trading less since the height of the pandemic, as uncertainty over the direction of markets prompts them to accumulate cash. But while even the pros may be tended to blink, the overwhelmingly buy-and-hold retail cohort is proving its savvy, says nabtrade’s Gemma Dale.

The rise of AI is part of a global knowledge revolution that is reshaping every aspect of our lives, according to AI thought leaders at the Australian Investor Association’s recent investX conference. While it’s new territory, the same investment principles should apply in picking the winners from the losers.

With Australia facing difficult conditions as the impacts of rising interest rates continue flowing through the economy, credit remains one of the most reliable and attractive ways to add defensiveness to a portfolio, strategists from SQM Research and ICG told a recent Inside Network symposium.

With Alan Joyce’s departure, it’s now up to incoming CEO Vanessa Hudson to restore the airline’s battered reputation after a series of high-profile trust breaches. But getting the Flying Kangaroo back on top will take some intestinal fortitude from the board.

With global growth expectations already under pressure, drought-fuelled disruption to the Panama Canal shipping route is bringing supply-chain slowdowns back to the fore, just in time to do maximal economic damage.

With recessionary fears still dominating the outlook, investors looking to dip their toes into private credit should consider senior secured loans, which offer compelling relative value and added risk mitigation, Invesco said.

Recent economic turmoil has had the positive effect of giving fixed-income back its traditional defensive kick, says Western Asset’s Anthony Kirkham. Investors should be ready to reallocate as needed to take advantage of the renewed diversification benefits.

With monetary policy returning to what could best be described as normal settings, investors need to adapt to the changing circumstances, writes Wattle Partners principal Drew Meredith. It’s time to move away from risky growth assets and stop building portfolios for a ‘zero-rate’ environment.

Following an increase in income test thresholds, many more Australians are now eligible for the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card and other concession schemes that provide valuable discounts. But many don’t realise they qualify even if they’re too wealthy to receive the Age Pension.