Market Update 15 October Investment markets & key developments Global share markets mostly rose over the last week helped by a good start to the US earnings reporting season, solid economic data and US inflation data not being as bad as feared. The positive global lead also saw Australian shares rise led by materials, IT, health and property stocks. Bond yields pulled back a bit after their recent rise but oil, metal and iron prices rose …
The worry list for shares – how worrying are they? Key Points It’s still too early to say that the pull back in share markets is over. Some of the worries around US fiscal policy and politics, China, global supply constraints and central banks likely have further to run and could see the correction go further. Historically the main driver of whether we see a correction or a mild bear market, as opposed to a …
Market Update 8 October Investment markets & key developments Global shares mostly rose over the last week as the US debt ceiling was pushed out to December and there was some easing in concerns regarding the European energy crunch. The positive global lead saw Australian shares rebound led by energy, utility, financial and material shares. Consistent with a bit of “risk on” along with still rising inflation concerns bond yields continued to rise as did oil, …
Superannuation and divorce Whatever the age, separation and divorce can be a stressful and painful experience. According to the Australian Institute of Family Studies[1], the divorce rate has been trending down in the 2000s. However, the proportion of couples divorcing who had been married for 20 years and longer has been increasing, with one age group 55-59 doubling over the last two decades. This rising trend is referred to as “grey divorce” or “silver splitters”, …
Should you merge your finances with your partner? If you’re in a relationship, it can be tricky to work out when to start sharing income and expenses. Here are a few ways to successfully merge money as a couple. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed many aspects of our daily lives, and romance is no exception. While lengthy separations have led some relationships to end, other couples are choosing to move in together more quickly than …
Market Update 1 October Investment markets Global shares fell over the past week amidst a long worry list including the US debt ceiling, the impact of power shortages on global inflation and growth and rising bond yields. This saw Australian shares fall too with health, IT and property stocks leading the decline. As a result September lived up to its name of being a bad month for shares with the month seeing US shares down -4.8%, …
Why is Australian housing so expensive and what can be done to improve housing affordability? Key Points The key drivers of poor housing affordability and high household debt levels in Australia have been low rates and poor housing supply. Macro prudential controls to slow home lending now look imminent. But this is just a cyclical measure. More fundamental measures to improve housing affordability need to focus on boosting housing supply and decentralising away from …
Market Update 24 September Investment markets Global shares fell sharply early in the week but then rebounded as fears around China Evergrande receded and the Fed meeting was out of the way. This saw US, European and Chinese shares rise for the week, but Japanese shares fell. Australian shares also fell despite a mid-week rally as the weak iron price weighed on miners which along with falls in financial and property shares more than offset big …
How ‘Buy Now Pay Later’ affects your credit score What impact does ‘Buy Now Pay Later’ have on your credit score, particularly for people wanting to secure a home loan? Christopher Zinn explains. In recent years, ‘buy now pay later’ (BNPL) has become an increasingly popular method for consumers looking to purchase goods via installments without resorting to credit cards. These services are often billed as a safer and more convenient way for consumers to …
How to get help with your bills during COVID-19 If you’re one of thousands of people who has lost income due to COVID-19, you might be finding it hard to pay your bills. Here are some tips to help you get back on track. As COVID-19 lockdowns continue across much of eastern Australia, many people have once again found themselves out of work. Those working in service industries, and casual workers in particular, are doing …
