Global growth weighted in favour of emerging markets
With emerging markets set to make up more than 62 per cent of world GDP by next year – up from 54 per cent – now is perhaps the time to seriously look at including an emerging market exchange traded fund in your portfolio. Rachel White, head of product management for Vanguard Australia, says there…
Reserve Bank remains confident despite Delta
Reserve Bank remains confident despite Delta Reserve Bank Board meeting minutes; Overseas arrivals & departures What happened? The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) Board released the minutes of its August 3 meeting. The Board re-affirmed its decision to pare back bond purchases, noting that fiscal policy was more appropriate than monetary policy to provide temporary…
Consumer inflation expectations hit 26-month high 11:27 am
Consumer inflation expectations hit 26-month high Consumer confidence; CBA card spending data; CBA Household spending intentions What happened? The weekly ANZ-Roy Morgan consumer confidence rating rose by 2.5 per cent – the most in 18 weeks – to 101.1 (long-run average since 1990 is 112.5). Sentiment is now back above the neutral level of 100….
Lockdowns hit consumer confidence and home sales
Lockdowns hit consumer confidence and home sales Consumer confidence; Home sales What happened? The Westpac-Melbourne Institute Index of Consumer Sentiment fell by 4.4 per cent in August to an 11-month low 104.1. All five major components of the index fell. The biggest falls in sentiment were for para-professionals and tradies (-15.2 per cent), sales and…
Predicting the future: Astrologers or economists?
If you ask most people what economists do, they might tell you it has something to do with money. Or perhaps forecasting what the economy will look like a year from now. Most of the other comparisons would be less charitable. I’ve heard plenty that can’t be printed. The reality is very different. For example,…
What’s next for Chinese equities?
Shares in many Chinese companies sold off sharply in recent sessions, after the publication of harsher-than-expected regulations targeting education companies fuelled fears of deeper policy uncertainties across China’s corporate space. At first glance, the market’s shiver is understandable given the severity of regulatory measures that threaten to effectively bring a halt to private tutoring services…
Support to fossil fuel research is more than apparent
Australian governments direct billions to fossil fuel companies. Among the projects funded by Commonwealth and state governments are work on coal ports, railways and power stations, and research into “clean coal” or “coal innovation”. Whether worthwhile or not, this funding is visible and can be debated on its merits, as The Australia Institute has done…
Investor Signposts: Week Beginning 12 July, 2021
Australia: Jobs data is the highlight The highlight in the coming week is the June jobs data. But both consumer and producer sentiment gauges vie for attention. The week kicks-off on Monday when the Australian Institute of Petroleum (AIP) issues the weekly data on petrol prices. And Datium Insights issues the weekly update on used…
ESG investing – Fad or future?
From time to time, investors become irrationally enthusiastic. The important thing to note about these manic moments is that the investment theme underpinning them makes perfect sense. The narratives are rational; it is the market excess surrounding them that is not. In the early 1970s investors became transfixed by a group of seemingly bullet-proof stocks,…
Implications of soaring crude oil prices
Implications of soaring crude oil prices Oil market; Resources Quarterly; Regional migration What happened? Global oil prices posted a fifth straight weekly gain. Brent crude rose by 3.6 per cent to US$76.18 a barrel and the US Nymex added 3.4 per cent to US$74.05 a barrel. Of importance to Australia, the Singapore gasoline price rose…
