TO BE RECATEGORIZED

Why have risk assets been so buoyant since April? No shortage of opinions, so which is right?

The requirement to quarantine created the perfect conditions to push virtual meetings past the tipping point to general adoption. Are they here to stay?

Market risks appear more balanced, quality companies poised to win market share.

The Australian share market and ASX200 (ASX: XJO) finished the week down 0.2%, with the renewed confidence following the extension of the JobKeeper program offset by China’s growing combativeness and weakness in the US technology sector.

The ASX 200 (ASX:XJO) finished off its lows for the day, falling 1.3%, as both Victoria and several US states hit record COVID-19 case levels, denting market sentiment.

Despite an increasing chorus of experts suggesting the technology sector has moved beyond reasonable levels, the rally continues. The ASX 200 (ASX:XJO) added 2.6%, hitting a six week high, with a 5.7% rally in the IT sector among the largest contributors.

As working from home has become the new normal for most people, there are still many opportunities for advisers and investors to cut through the noise and hear insights from some of the best investment managers and research teams with a range of webinars being hosted online every day.

The figures show quite a confusing picture. According to the data, an unemployment rate of 7.4 per cent is the worst rate Australia has seen since November 1998 despite the addition of 210,000 jobs, which is a huge increase.

A nascent asset class is emerging on the back of the roll out of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). NDIS is a welfare support scheme of the Australian Government that funds costs associated with disability.

The ASX 200 (ASX:XJO) continued its recent weakness, falling 0.5% on Monday, as concerns of a secondary outbreak in NSW and escalating deaths in the US hit investor confidence.

The South China Sea conflict has largely been a case of ‘failure to act’ whilst the law of the sea has been flouted. China continues to exert military control over its neighbours over the hotly contested waterways, completely unabated.

Liquidity is said to be the driver of this cycle. No hiding here as central banks provide largesse without restraint, while governments fret about re-election cycles to spew money at any likely voter.