RBA rates decision stuck between jobs growth and household debt
Is the Reserve Bank of Australia’s monetary policy on a collision course with itself? Quite possibly. The key data and evidence this week were employment figures in Australia, retail sales in the United States, and minutes from the Reserve Bank of Australia board and US Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC). First, the data. ABS figures…
Gold Miners In A Sentiment Wasteland
Gold’s precipitous decline in the first half of 2013 sent shockwaves throughout the entire mining industry. Its scary panic-induced 28% plunge over just six months has forced the miners to revisit their development plans. And this will no doubt have an adverse impact on global mine production in the years to come. It’s actually quite…
Trump and the gold price
Just before Trump came to power, gold dramatically rose 4% to US$1316 per oz. It soared as gold investors bailed out of stocks world-wide. Trump’s policies, such as imposing tariffs on China and limiting immigration, were reported as reasons to back gold. But then investors reversed course; Trump’s pledge to cut taxes, reduce regulation, and…
The China Threat
There are no shortage of worries for investors these days but at the top of the list is China. The following chart illustrates how important China has become for our Gross Domestic Product (GDP): The Bank of America Merrill-Lynch survey of international fund managers polls large funds with assets under management in excess of $708…
5 government debt myths
Summary As we approach a rising rate environment, the scale of U.S. federal debt has some investors concerned about the sustainability of government finances in the coming years. In this bulletin we consider the most common myths about the government’s debt and discuss how investors can position their portfolios to withstand what we believe are manageable…
4 Reasons why we should expect a lower Australian dollar
By Geoffrey Garrett The response to US Federal Reserve Ben Bernanke’s comments about the possibility of ending its policy of quantitatitive easing has helped evoke a global sell-off as markets question his upbeat assessment of the US economy and express concern about a withdrawal of cheap money. Weaker manufacturing figures from China have also helped…
Gold bullion or gold equities?
Financial-market turmoil is strengthening the case to add gold exposure to portfolios as more “insurance” in the event of a sharper equities market sell-off. It is also providing an opportunity to capitalise on the precious metal’s improving medium-term prospects. Gold’s role as a ‘safe-haven’ has come to fore this year. The US-dollar gold price has…
3 ways to benefit from backdoor listings boom
The backdoor listings market on ASX is equal parts fascinating and frustrating. Fascinating because some promising technology companies are listing through the shell of failed miners. Frustrating because there is less information about upcoming listings. A backdoor listing typically involves a dormant listed company acquiring the shares or assets of an unlisted company, after shareholder…
Online Businesses The Winners This Earnings Season
Investors are always looking for clues for hot stocks to buy and the recent flurry of earnings reports points to a potentially powerful indicator of future growth – online presence. It is no secret that online sales are on the rise globally. Some of Australia’s best performing stocks operate exclusively online and in many cases…
Go on Defense with High Yielding Utility Stocks
The latest chapter in the never-ending saga of “Can the Greeks Pay their Bills” adds another brick in the wall of worry for Aussie investors. In reality many analysts claim a Greek Exit, or Grexit, from the Eurozone and/or the European Union will matter little. Add the Grexit to current concerns about our economy and…
