Keating is right the RBA should do more
Former prime minister Paul Keating isn’t alone in wanting the Reserve Bank to do much more to ensure economic recovery. In an opinion piece for major newspapers he has said it ought to be directly funding government spending rather than indirectly by buying government bonds from third parties. But we think there’s something else the…
Why gold is still a safe haven in times of crisis
“Gold” said famed investor Warren Buffett in 1998, “gets dug out of the ground in Africa or someplace, then we melt it down, dig another hole, bury it again and pay people to stand around guarding it. It has no utility. Anyone watching from Mars would be scratching their head.” Yet for all that, we…
Petrol to challenge $1 a litre again
s has compiled a report “A series of unprecedented events – the June quarter, 2020”, outlining the impact of COVID-19 across the economy. China house prices: In the year to August, Chinese house prices were 4.8 per cent higher than a year ago. Movements in the petrol price can affect consumer spending, and in turn,…
Equities outlook: Mind the volatility
Last month we highlighted that one market dislocation to watch was the concentration of capital in tech stocks. This was further exacerbated in August as the S&P 500 reached a new record high, only to sharply reverse at the beginning of September as investors dumped big tech stocks. While this correction is an overall healthy…
Home loans lift most in 18yrs. Confused consumers.
Home loans lift most in 18yrs. Confused consumers. Lending; Monthly Consumer Confidence Home loans: The value of home loans rose by 8.9 per cent in July after a 6.4 per cent rise in June (consensus: up 2 per cent). It was the biggest back-to-back increase in home loans in 18 years of records. First home…
How we lost control of Australian house prices
Real home prices across Australia have climbed 150% since 2000, while real wages have climbed by less than a third. Sydney and Melbourne rank among the most expensive cities in the world. Australia-wide, home ownership levels have fallen from 70% to 65% in the last 20 years and home equity levels have fallen from 80%…
Biggest fall in new home building in 19 years. Victoria dominates regional job losses
Biggest fall in new home building in 19 years Victoria dominates regional job losses Construction work done; Regional Payrolls ¾ Construction activity: Construction work done fell by 0.7 per cent in the June quarter (consensus: -7 per cent). The value of construction work done is down by 2.2 per cent on a year ago to…
3 tax tips for Inheriting property
Inheriting property has the potential to significantly change your life – so make it count! In this article Catherine Chivers, Senior Manager of Strategic Advice at Perpetual Private addresses some of the biggest questions when it comes to inheriting property. She explores the complexity involved in receiving an inheritance and draws on her experience working with clients…
Defaults delayed, not defeated
As a second wave of COVID-19 rolls around the world, both consumers and corporates remain under pressure. A flood of liquidity and prompt government action have successfully delayed many defaults, but that does not mean the default cycle is over. Having benefitted from the recent rally in credit markets, we believe it’s important to remain…
The way forward is littered with landmines
Even though markets have seemingly settled down over the last two months, investors are still faced with a difficult environment to navigate. Simon Doyle shares how in his 30 years of investing, 2020 has been one of the most difficult environments to date. I have been in markets for over 30 years, and the first…
