The backstory To say that it’s been a challenging period for bond investors for the best part of a decade, is not an exaggeration. If we cast our minds back to 2008, the world was in a precarious situation as the Global Financial Crisis took effect. Central bankers were busy thinking of ways to avoid […]
Author Archives: Stuart Jones
Key points – The theory is that inflation expectations influence future actual realised inflation. – Central banks pay close attention to inflation expectations, especially in the recent period of high inflation, out of concern that inflation expectations will become “unanchored” and lead to prolonged high inflation. – But, recent RBA research showed that consumers have […]
It’s early 2024 and that means resolutions – your chance to change things up and make a positive difference to your life. You might be thinking of hitting the gym to get fitter or jumping online to look for that dream job. But many of us are focusing on money matters – a Forbes Health […]
One of the main roles a financial adviser plays is to give you licence to enjoy the thrill of retirement. A key part of that work is eliminating income shrinkers, sub-optimal choices that can cramp your retirement lifestyle. Here are three common income shrinkers and how you can avoid them with the help of your […]
Cost of living pressures coupled with rate rises have made it more difficult to save for a home deposit and afford the lifestyle you’ve either become accustomed to or are dreaming of. Budget Direct’s Cost of Living Survey & Statistics 2023 found that despite the living cost index for employee households recording its largest quarterly […]
A self-managed super fund (SMSF) is a private super fund that you manage yourself. SMSFs are different to industry and retail super funds. When you manage your own super, you put the money you would normally put in a retail or industry super fund into your own SMSF. You choose the investments and the insurance. […]
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced proposed changes to address ongoing cost of living pressures with all 13.6 million Australian taxpayers receiving a tax cut from 1 July 2024, compared to the tax they paid in 2023-24.i Now is the time to assess what it means to your hip pocket and what implications it may […]
Investing successfully and improving your investment portfolio can be as much about minimising mistakes as trying to pick the ‘next big thing’. It’s all about taking a calm and considered approach and not blindly following trends or hot tips. Let's delve into some of the most prevalent investment mistakes and look at the principles that […]
Bonds can provide a stable source of income and can protect the money you invest. They are considered less risky than growth assets like shares and property, and can help to diversify your investment portfolio. What is a bond When you invest in bonds, you’re lending money to a company or government. In return, you […]
Give me the main points The most important reason to consider taking out life insurance is to protect your family if you die or become unable to work. There’s a good case for anyone with dependants or people who plan to have dependants to take out life insurance. Life insurance policies can be bought through […]