The risk shares and bonds will no longer correlate

19 January 2018 The risk shares and bonds will no longer correlate There is an old saying that “diversification is the only free lunch in finance”. While this adage is often wrongly attributed to Harry Markowitz, it does a great job of articulating the essential insight in his Nobel Prize winning research. What people who’ve followed Markowitz’s know is the attractiveness of an asset in a portfolio doesn’t just depend on its own expected return …

Investors channel Millennials, call for an end to modern slavery

Investors channel Millennials, call for an end to modern slavery The spending power of the pivotal and perhaps most talked about generation in history – the Millennials – could ultimately put an end to the modern slavery endemic in the clothing industry. But it’s the investors in apparel and fashion companies that are paving the way for change by shining a light on supply chain transparency and sustainable practices, according to Kristen Le Mesurier, AMP …

Why we’re thinking about yield all wrong

Why we’re thinking about yield all wrong No doubt about it, institutions will have an edge over the Average Joe or weekend warrior when it comes to information and investment insights; financial institutions employ the best and brightest and draw on research garnered from all over the world using tools out of the reach of most of us individually. But there are times when it makes sense for individual investors to play to their strengths …

Could last year’s strong equity returns keep on rolling?

Could last year’s strong equity returns keep on rolling? Aussie battler On the home front, the economic cycle in Australia is less advanced than in other developed economies. Activity remains subdued as housing investment moderates and consumers remain cautious on account of anaemic wages growth. Nonetheless, the preconditions for an improvement in growth are in place. Business confidence has improved and there is evidence of broad-based acceleration in business investment. At the same time, large …

Plenty of value at the Hotel California

Plenty of value at the Hotel California Disruption is the buzz word of the modern era and San Francisco as the home of Uber, Twitter and Salesforce.com should know a thing or two about it. To that point, disruption of a very different kind has literally been tearing up the San Francisco skyline, but this is a very different real estate disruption and one that is only short term in nature, with opportunity knocking on …

How to invest here and now in the driverless car future

How to invest here and now in the driverless car future Investors might be looking in the wrong place for exposure to the revolution in driverless cars if they’re pouring over previews of the A$110,000 Tesla Model X. But the trend has prompted other compelling investment opportunities. Investors might be looking in the wrong place for exposure to the revolution in driverless and electric vehicles if they’re pouring over previews of the A$110,000 Tesla Model …

How to pick the top of the real estate market

How to pick the top of the real estate market Strong demand for the broader real estate segment is likely to help prices remain strong for at least another year as the aging population seeks regular annuity in a low interest rate environment, says Luke Dixon, AMP Capital Head of Head of Real Estate Research. “Real estate is still fairly priced,” Dixon says, a view informed by a detailed analysis published in the latest AMP …

Could our mortgage monster become the Christmas Grinch?

Could our mortgage monster become the Christmas Grinch? The disappointing retail sales figures from the last quarter could be just the tip of the iceberg for those watching the retail sector heading into Christmas, reckons Dermot Ryan, AMP Capital’s Portfolio Manager – Australian Equities. But it’s not likely to be the so called “Amazon effect” of internet shopping, nor competition from fast fashion retailers, or even unfavourable currency swings Ryan is factoring in when he’s …

Are we in another 1990s tech bubble?

Are we in another 1990s tech bubble? A quick look at the valuations of the so called FAANMG group of stocks – Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix, Microsoft and Google – and it certainly feels like it we’re in a tech stocks bubble a-la the late 1990s. However, if we compare valuations of this group to historical valuations during the major global asset bubbles over the last 40 years, it’s possible FAANMG and tech generally might …

China’s consumers swapping Christian Dior for campuses and kangaroos

China’s consumers swapping Christian Dior for campuses and kangaroos Big-ticket acquisitions of Australian resources, office towers and luxury homes by Chinese corporates and billionaires are grabbing headlines. However, it’s the country’s middle class that is powering a spending shift set to benefit Australia longer term, says AMP Capital Chief Economist and Head of Investment Strategy Shane Oliver. “Chinese consumers are showing signs of shifting their focus from status-linked luxury goods like a Christian Dior handbag …