Philanthropy: The secret to enjoying your giving
Like chess, or golf, or computer games, philanthropy can seem daunting at first but like all slow-burning passions, it’s the layers and the depth of philanthropic giving that make it so rewarding and enjoyable. According to Jane Magor, National Manager, Philanthropy and Non Profit Services at Perpetual Private, these layers are ones that many individuals…
Would Australians buy electric cars?
Only 5,532 of the 101,233 new cars sold in Australia last month were all-electric. While that number is an improvement on previous months, it is tiny compared to the 25% to 85% of new cars sold that are all-electric in European nations such as Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway. A lot has been written…
Long-term tailwinds in play for renewables
The long-term case for renewables was already well-established before the war in Ukraine began due to the need to decarbonise the economy. The current pressure on Europe to break its dependency on Russian gas has only strengthened the long-term need for green infrastructure. The long-term case for renewables investing has been mounting in recent years…
The RBA has lost its patience on rates
It is coming up to 18 months since Australia’s Reserve Bank last cut its cash rate. And what it did then was merely a further cut, from an unprecedented low of 0.25% to a fresh unprecedented low of 0.10% Since it last changed the direction of rates (started cutting instead of hiking) it has been…
Central banks are going green to questionable avail while stirring risks
A loss of autonomy to fight inflation is just one of the dangers. Finland’s forests, which cover more than 70% of the country, are the subject of a continent-wide debate on how to halve EU carbon emissions by 2030. Policymakers, environmentalists, companies and the public are arguing over whether the forests should remain untouched, and…
Will the world economy avoid an inflationary bust?
Today’s high inflation is being compared to the 1970s. However, robust consumer spending, fuelled by pandemic savings, makes for a different set of circumstances. Memories of the 1970s were evoked as the price of Brent crude oil temporarily climbed above $139 a barrel in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. That was a period…
Cutting the petrol tax and other budget things
Cutting petrol tax to bring down the cost of living used to be the political version of a joke. Failed US presidential candidates John McCain and Hillary Clinton both tried it in 2008. Their bipartisan advocacy of a “summer gas tax holiday” was derided as dumb, a turkey and a “metaphor for the entire campaign”….
How climate solutions could cut our energy bills
How climate solutions could cut our energy bills Tensions in the Ukraine and the threat to Europe’s gas supply are the latest chapter in the saga of volatile energy prices. For many policymakers, this will reinforce long-held concerns about the vulnerability of fossil fuel imports. But more immediately, it exacerbates the cost of living crisis….
Central banks face a difficult choice
With Russia and Ukraine at an impasse, commodity prices are surging and the risk of stagflation increases. Given the challenging backdrop, we remain defensive, liquid and focused on managing downside risk and preserving capital. Recent news has been dominated by the conflict in Ukraine. This is a humanitarian crisis, and our hearts go out to…
Acceleration to Asia
In the last two decades, Asia has become a powerhouse of global growth. Demographics and digitalisation have fuelled economic and business expansion, and this has played an important feature in the management of the COVID-19 crisis and the region’s resilient economy. Looking ahead to a post-pandemic world, we believe a new economic order will prevail,…
