Market and Economic overview Australia The coronavirus ‘curve’ of known cases has flattened out, suggesting social distancing measures have been successful in slowing the spread of the disease. The focus is now on a gradual easing of restrictions – people will gradually start returning to work as non-essential areas of the economy start to function … Read more
Since the financial crisis more than a decade ago, investors have had to search much harder for income as savings rates have plunged. Many have looked to the equity market to help them achieve better income returns, with large numbers of companies increasing dividend payments to shareholders as they have grown. It is likely that … Read more
While it can be hard to stay in the market when share prices plummet, now is not the time to panic. The COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic has triggered a share market crash, in Australia and internationally. Since 31 December 2019, when the first cases of the new virus were reported in China’s Hubei province, the disease … Read more
Introduction The blanket coverage of coronavirus and its impact on the economy can lead to a lot of confusion. Some reports are hopeful of anti-viral drugs, others say a vaccine is at least a year away. There is talk of curve flattening but still rising cases and deaths. There is news of an easing in … Read more
Key points: Global share markets have fallen into a bear market, but whether this turns out to be long or short depends on how long the hit to the economy from coronavirus lasts. There are big differences between the current disruption to economic activity – which could be very deep in the short term – … Read more
Introduction Along with the horrible human consequences, the coronavirus pandemic is having a huge impact on the way we live and, as a result, investment markets. This has raised a whole bunch of questions: why does a big part of the economy have to go into “hibernation”? how long might it be for? how big … Read more
March 2020 What it means for individuals, retirees and the Australian economy Here we explain some of the benefits you may be eligible for. With the COVID-19 coronavirus crippling the Australian economy and affecting livelihoods, the Australian Federal Government has announced a range of measures to support both businesses and individuals. The total stimulus announced … Read more
Key points Successful investing can be really difficult in times like the present with immense uncertainty around the impact of coronavirus on the outlook. This makes it all the more important to stay focussed on the basic principles of successful investing. These five charts focus on critical aspects of investing that are insightful in times … Read more
Key points While reported new coronavirus cases in China have slowed, the pickup in cases outside China has led to a renewed sharp fall in share markets and bond yields. Our base case is that the outbreak will be contained allowing share markets and bond yields to rebound in the June quarter. However, the hit … Read more
In the simplest terms, investing your money means buying an asset with the expectation of earning returns from ownership of that asset. If you own an investment property, for example, you can expect to receive rent as income. But if you then sell the property for a higher price than you paid, you’ve increased your … Read more