Market and Economic overview Australia CPI rose 0.4% in the September, but the annual pace of Australian inflation has slowed to 1.9%. This reduces the likelihood of policy tightening by the Reserve Bank of Australia. For now, official interest rates remain at 1.50%, where they have...
While a Will states how you would like your hard-earned assets to be distributed, it doesn’t automatically include your super. That’s because, unlike directly owned property or shares, super doesn’t necessarily form a part of your estate. The super fund trustee will distribute it in...
An ETF is an investment fund that holds a basket of securities – such as shares or bonds that tracks a specified index – and is itself a listed share, traded on a stock exchange. ETFs are low-cost, simple vehicles that can offer exposure to a...
With tap and go payments becoming ever more popular and the advent of instant transfers between domestic bank accounts, how much longer will we be using cash as a form of payment? According to recent survey results produced by You Gov Galaxy and commissioned by payments...
It may seem that the worry list for investors is bigger and more confusing than ever before. Some of this may relate to US President Trump’s disruptive and “open mouth” approach as highlighted by the “trade war” and his frequent and sometimes contradictory tweets. For example,...
It’s understandable that the recent sharp sell-off on financial markets has left investors feeling particularly nervous. The main concern has been the US Federal Reserve’s shift in monetary policy from low rates and printing money to rising rates and the withdrawal of that printing policy. But...
A divorce from your husband or wife, or a separation from your de facto, could mean a division of your assets and debts, whether they’re held separately or together, and superannuation is no exception. Another thing to note is even if one of you hasn’t contributed...
It’s tempting not to think too much about your super when retirement is still a long way off. After all, it’s growing just fine by itself … right? But the reality is, if you don’t take control now, you might be left with less than...
It’s no secret that saving for a house is tough. Raising the money for a deposit can seem to take forever, even if you’re consistent with your savings plan. Want some good news? There’s a new way to save, and it’s called the Government’s new...
The old saying “penny wise, pound foolish” couldn’t ring truer than in today’s throw-away world of overconsumption and excessive production of disposable items. Did you know that many manufacturers have been using techniques to deliberately reduce the life of a product to increase its replacement rate...
