In Focus: Gearing up for the rebound
Margin lenders are keen to remind planners that by the time markets are soaring again it may be too late to get clients set.
April 23, 2012
Does froth and bubble mean turmoil and trouble?
Schroder’s Andrew Fleming compares Australian equities with their global peers and finds that while the trends are clear, the answers are not. Amid global froth and bubble, and then turmoil and trouble, the past decade has been a consistently blessed period for corporates and consumers in Australia
April 19, 2012
Independents lose out as confidence remains stalled
A majority of Australians continue to rely on their own judgment when it comes to financial matters and those who make use of professional advice are increasingly unlikely to be getting it from a non-aligned financial planner. Four in 10 respondents (42.1 per cent) feel financially insecure, up slightly from 41.0 per cent in the last quarter.
April 12, 2012
Can equities lure investors from 1990s funk?
Zurich Investments’ Patrick Noble says the performance of equity markets over the first quarter has confounded investor sentiment. According to the survey, a paltry 5 per cent think now is a good time to invest in shares, levels not seen since the 1990s.
April 10, 2012
In Focus: Options for gearing with less risk
Margin lenders are keen to remind planners that by the time markets are soaring again it may be too late to get clients set. Full In Focus feature, Options for gearing with less risk, available here When sentiment in invest- ment markets turns, it can turn quickly. And there’s plenty of historical evidence to sug- gest
April 01, 2012
In Focus: Opportunity in mortgage trusts
As the Federal Government turns to the issue of meeting the income needs of retiring Australians, one sector of the managed funds industry designed to do exactly that is crying out for a review and reappraisal. Please CLICK HERE to download a PDF of this Special Report Mortgage funds, for so long the darlings of the income-and-capital-stability
April 01, 2012
In Focus: Investing in China remains a long-term game
It is impossible to frame an economic outlook and hence a long-term asset allocation picture for domestic or international assets without understanding what is taking place – and what may continue to take place – in China. Full In Focus feature, Investing in China remains a long-term game, is available here China is rightfully regarded as an
April 01, 2012
Plotting a path through
the maze of hedge funds
David Smythe explains why investors should not abandon hedge funds just because of their experiences since 2008.
March 29, 2012
Emerging markets have
a long way to grow
Last year was a tough one for global economic growth and markets I think we’re starting to see the early signs of at least the US economy turning a corner If we see a continued recovery in US housing, we’ll start to see a US construction-led recovery
March 27, 2012
Here be dragons: don’t lose your head in China
Professional Planner Online editor Andrew Starke this week reports from China as part of a group study tour hosted by Portfolio Construction Forum. Since 2006, Portfolio Construction Forum has led more than 80 practitioners on its Study Tour China program with many more attending similar weeks in Brazil, Russia and India.
March 26, 2012
Profits heading south as debt crisis continues
Despite the claims by many market analysts, global equities are not cheap because earnings forecasts are much too high. In his view, dividends are a better way of measuring valuations and on that basis equities are not cheap.
March 22, 2012
Market pulse key to investment health
Australia’s GFC fall was less severe than most and its recovery has been more tangible, but markets still require skill and a finger on the pulse, writes Alan Shields. Your pulse is one of the most important indicators of your health
March 15, 2012
