How to be an ethical consumer and save money Want to use your spending power to make a difference? By shopping more ethically, you can do your bit and save money. Whether you want to change the world or just reduce your impact on it, it seems more and more of us are considering the provenance of what we buy and how it’s produced when making purchasing decisions. And the best news is that spending …
Why passive investing now won’t deliver all your goals Passive investment funds used to be a relatively obscure part of the market. But with their popularity soaring in recent years, many investors might now be sceptical about paying for active investment. Market performance over recent years would reinforce that scepticism. Holding a passive mix of mainstream assets has performed very well over the last 5 years. For example, an investor who suffers a permanent 25% …
Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Wrap 15 March 2018 Welcome again to the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Wrap, where our team share the latest ESG issues in the media and their implications on investment. This month the key ESG issues making headlines are: ‘Silent boycott’: Gen Ys dump scandal-hit brands but stay quiet about it How blockchain is strengthening tuna traceability to combat illegal fishing Plastic and Waste in the Spotlight The Pimlico Plumbers case …
Separating fact from fiction when it comes to superannuation If you’re wondering whether super is improving retirement outcomes for Australians, we take a look at some of the findings. If you’ve got compulsory super contributions coming out of your wages or salary, or you’re making voluntary contributions, or both, you’re probably keen to know how super is making a difference to everyday Aussies, if at all, given it’s a system that has now been in …
What you need to know about buy now, pay later services Take your product home, pay for it within the specified timeframe, get charged 0% interest. What could go wrong? Branded the modern-day layby, ‘buy now, pay later’ services essentially offer the same thing, except you get the product up front—the outfit, the watch, even certain domestic flights within Australia. If you haven’t heard of buy now, pay later services, or are keen to know …
A slip in house prices is no reason to panic The current slide in Sydney and Melbourne residential property prices will fall far short of a housing bust, according to AMP Capital Head of Investment Strategy and Chief Economist, Shane Oliver. House prices in Sydney have fallen about 5 per cent this year from last year’s peak, and eased slightly in Melbourne according to Oliver, who adds that both markets may have further softness ahead. “I …
Tariffs, Trump, North Korea and other global political risks in the Year of the Dog Key points Geopolitical issues generate much interest as dinner party conversations but don’t necessarily have a significant impact on markets, apart from a bit of noise. But given a backlash against economic rationalist policies, the falling relative power of the US & the ability of social media to allow us to make our own reality, geopolitical risks are higher than they used to be. Key …
Where’s all the share market volatility coming from? There is quite a lot of talk about volatility coming back to share markets all of a sudden, and with the talk there’s also bit of conjecture about where the volatility originates from. Some say it’s because interest rates and bond yields are beginning to rise; others will point to the end of quantitative easing in the United States and elsewhere for the bumpier ride. The return …
Spread your money, reduce risk Six out of ten Australians own investments outside of the family home and super. That’s good news. The only problem is that many people are still putting all their eggs in one, or just a few, baskets. The latest investor study by the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) found 40% of investors admit they don’t have a diversified portfolio. Almost one in two investors think their portfolio is diverse, yet …
What are the benefits of a split home loan? If you can’t decide between a fixed or variable rate, a split rate home loan could provide the best of both worlds. If you’re about to take out a home loan and are looking for some protection against interest rate rises, a fixed rate home loan may sound like the loan for you. On the other hand, if you don’t want to miss out on the benefits of …
