How China’s Five-Year Plan will impact investors
April 2011: What does China’s latest National People’s Congress and its 12th Five-Year Plan (FYP) mean for investors? The latest plan focuses on social spending and industrial upgrades as they will help shift China’s economy to a consumption-driven model which will benefit stocks in the consumer, property and infrastructure sectors. The 12th FYP remains highly
April 19, 2011
Jumpin’ Jack Flash and The Road Not Taken
Watching all the events of the last quarter, I couldn’t help but think upon the famous poem by Robert Frost, The Road Not Taken: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less travelled by, And that has made all the difference. 2011 has started with extraordinary volatility and has been
April 15, 2011
The Winds of Change in the Middle East
The winds of change are blowing across the Middle East as citizens across the region rise up in protest against their governments and ruling families. The winds in Libya and Bahrain in particular are sending shivers down the spines of Western governments. What makes the recent developments in these countries (as opposed to Egypt and
April 12, 2011
Why low cost can sometimes mean low returns
Daniel Liptak explains why low fees are not necessarily a guarantee of higher investment returns. While it appears the rest of the world is recovering from the shock of the global financial crisis (GFC), Australia should not rest on its laurels 'High cost investment opportunities tend to protect the downside'
April 01, 2011
Global financial crisis? What global financial crisis?
Financial markets are undervalued and it's time to look forward. The global financial crisis (GFC) is over - past history, for Australia at least It’s not relevant to our future investment decisions It’s time to look to the future. It’s not
April 01, 2011
I’m more than just a baby boomer
Matt Linnert looks at future trends in segmenting client bases. If I were a financial planner and you were my client, what is the most important thing you would want from me? Or in other words, what would you value the most?
April 01, 2011
A welcome return to normality
Quantitative analysis helps explain why the global financial crisis (GFC) has passed, says Ron Bewley. Quantitative research is designed to take some of the emotion out of decision-making Volatility tends to revert back to some mean level after these bursts
April 01, 2011
Philanthrocaptialists: a new gen of givers
The emergence of philanthrocapitalists - defined as “the new gen of givers” - has occurred through a realisation that it makes sense to use business acumen and wealth to contribute to the creation of new and innovative solutions to solve the world’s problems.
April 01, 2011
Longer-living clients provide challenges for advisers
Jeff Mitchell says knowing your client and understanding their product requirements are the keys to successfully getting them through retirement. Australians are living longer and want to live better in retirement
April 01, 2011
Distinguish a tactical view from a strategic one
Financial advisers need to “distinguish between a tactical view and a strategic one” in order to successfully manage investment portfolios, according to Victor Rodriguez, head of Australian fixed income at Aberdeen Asset Management. “The strategic view pertains to the very fundamentals of the asset class and when you’re thinking strategically, you’re allowing for all kinds
March 17, 2011
Making property fit the portfolio puzzle
Residential property is a lumpy asset class, and not one that always fits comfortably into the portfolio construction process Greville Pabst looks at how including property can be made simpler. Residential property has captured the hearts of many Australians as the ideal investment
March 01, 2011
