8 January 2025 Welcome to Firstlinks Edition 593 The great wealth transfer has begun as Generation X has overtaken Baby Boomers for housing and shares in Australia, according to KPMG research. Though closer analysis suggests that’s incorrect and Boomers still rule the roost. Read More
7 January 2025 Howard Marks warns of market froth The renowned investor has penned his first investor letter for 2025 and it’s a ripper. He runs through what bubbles are, which ones he’s experienced, and whether today’s markets qualify as the third major bubble of this century. Read More
7 January 2025 What to expect from the Australian property market in 2025 The housing market was subdued in 2024, and pessimism abounds as we start the new year. 2025 is likely to be a tale of two halves, with interest rate cuts fuelling a resurgence in buyer demand in the second half of the year. Read More
7 January 2025 How to fix the Commonwealth Superannuation Scheme The scheme has not been updated since it was established and is no longer fit for purpose. Members now find themselves disadvantaged in several important ways versus those in other superannuation funds. Read More
7 January 2025 5 key investment themes for the next decade AI has helped markets to new highs and rightly dominated news headlines. Yet there are other themes, including niche ones such as gene editing, which are also expected to drive investment returns over the next decade. Read More
7 January 2025 New avenues of growth make 2025 exciting for investors Investors need to be more discerning this year as headline valuations are high and the economic cycle turns. Dig a little deeper, though, and there are big opportunities in overlooked shares with strong tailwinds. Read More
7 January 2025 The pros and cons of debt recycling strategies Debt recycling is a powerful strategy for those juggling the seemingly competing goals of debt reduction and building an investment portfolio. Yet it’s often misunderstood because it isn’t just a single strategy. Read More
7 January 2025 Australia is out of step on nuclear power Globally, nuclear power is gathering momentum as a differentiated power source in the energy transition to zero carbon emissions. Yet in Australia, a nuclear ban remains, making us an outlier among our Western Allies. Read More
1 January 2025 Welcome to Firstlinks Edition 592 with weekend update One of the best parts of Firstlinks is the community that we’ve created and the thousands of comments that our articles receive. Here is your chance to set the agenda for 2025: what topics would you like to see covered? Read More
31 December 2024 The 20 most popular articles of 2024 Check out the most-read Firstlinks articles from 2024. From ’16 ASX stocks to buy and hold forever’, to ‘The best strategy to build income for life’, and ‘Where baby boomer wealth will end up’, there’s something for all. Read More
31 December 2024 2025: Another bullish year ahead for equities? 2024 was a banner year for equities, with a run-up in US tech stocks broadening into a global market rally, and the big question now is whether the good times can continue? History suggests optimism is warranted. Read More
31 December 2024 Is travel your best investment? Is travel a luxury or a priceless investment? Reflecting on decades of family adventures and solo journeys, this explores how intentional travel creates cherished memories, meaningful connections, and personal growth. Read More
18 December 2024 Welcome to Firstlinks Edition 591 with weekend update Australia is at a crossroads: we’re one of the world’s richest countries, yet our wealth has stagnated over the past 15 years. A review of our history and how we became prosperous offers clues to the best ways to kickstart the economy. Read More
17 December 2024 9 lessons from 2024 Key lessons include expensive stocks can always get more expensive, Bitcoin is our tulip mania, follow the smart money, the young are coming with pitchforks on housing, and the importance of staying invested. Read More
17 December 2024 Time to announce the X-factor for 2024 What is the X-factor – the largely unexpected influence that wasn’t thought about when the year began but came from left field to have powerful effects on investment returns – for 2024? It’s time to select the winner. Read More
17 December 2024 Australian shares struggle as 2020s reach halfway point It’s halfway through the 2020s decade and time to get a scorecheck on the Australian stock market. The picture isn’t pretty as Aussie shares are having a below-average decade so far, though history shows that all is not lost. Read More
17 December 2024 Is FOMO overruling investment basics? Four years ago, we introduced our ‘bubbles’ chart to show how the market had become concentrated in one type of stock and one view of the future. This looks at what, if anything, has changed, and what it means for investors. Read More
17 December 2024 Is Medibank Private a bargain? Regulatory tensions have weighed on Medibank’s share price though it’s unlikely that the government will step in and prop up private hospitals. This creates an opportunity to invest in Australia’s largest health insurer. Read More
17 December 2024 Negative correlations, positive allocations A nascent theme today is that the inverse correlation between bonds and stocks has returned as inflation and economic growth moderate. This broadens the potential for risk-adjusted returns in multi-asset portfolios. Read More
17 December 2024 The secret to a good retirement An Australian anthropologist studying Japanese seniors has come to a counter-intuitive conclusion to what makes for a great retirement: she suggests the seeds may be found in how we approach our working years. Read More
11 December 2024 Welcome to Firstlinks Edition 590 with weekend update Investors love new companies yet it’s often the ones that have endured through generations that offer the best lessons. Here is a study of the world’s oldest-surviving businesses and the key characteristics that make them special. Read More
10 December 2024 Australian stocks will crush housing over the next decade, one year on Last year, I wrote an article suggesting returns from ASX stocks would trample those from housing over the next decade. One year later, this is an update on how that forecast is going and what’s changed since. Read More
10 December 2024 Addressing the gender super gap The harsh reality is that most women retire with significantly less superannuation than men. There are many reasons for the gender super gap and here are some possible solutions to fix the long-running issue. Read More
10 December 2024 Meg on SMSFs: Where are the risks in our major super sectors? Given the amount of money in super, it’s not surprising that there is a lot of focus on risk. SMSFs are often portrayed as the riskier option for the community as a whole, but does that tell the full story? Read More
10 December 2024 Global pension reforms and how Australia can improve With plans to retire next year, Mercer’s David Knox looks back at the global pension index he helped create, the key trends and developments since inception, and what Australia can to do to get better. Read More
10 December 2024 Cyclical stocks will drive markets higher in 2025 Magellan’s Head of Global Equities, Arvid Streimann, thinks that although stock price momentum will slow next year, cyclical companies will lead the pack. He outlines the risks to his forecast and the stocks he likes best. Read More
10 December 2024 How this GDP per capita recession compares to history GDP was 0.3% for last quarter but the real story is this was Australia’s seventh consecutive quarter of negative GDP per capita growth. How does this economic drought compare to past ones, and what can we expect in future? Read More
10 December 2024 The mispriced investment opportunity in global defence Markets benefitted from peace for 40 years, but a military resurgence is now underway, fuelled by geopolitical tensions and technological advancements. Defence spending is soaring, offering potential opportunities for investors. Read More
19 November 2024 Meet Robert Jenkins Robert Jenkins, a seasoned Business Development Manager, reveals how Stockspot’s transparent, tailored approach helps secure his family’s financial future while simplifying investing. The post Meet Robert Jenkins appeared first on Stockspot Blog. Read More
12 November 2024 Dollar-cost average or go all in? Everything you need to know about dollar-cost average investing versus lump sum investing. How does it work? Overview and examples. The post Dollar-cost average or go all in? appeared first on Stockspot Blog. Read More
7 November 2024 Meet Paul Irwin Paul Irwin, ex-CEO and business owner, shares how Stockspotās simple, diversified approach supports his long-term goals. The post Meet Paul Irwin appeared first on Stockspot Blog. Read More
4 November 2024 What are the odds of picking a Melbourne Cup winner? You have a better chance of picking a Melbourne Cup winner than an outperforming global fund manager. The post What are the odds of picking a Melbourne Cup winner? appeared first on Stockspot Blog. Read More
17 October 2024 Best Performing ETFs in Australia in 2024 These ETFs were the best performing ETFs in Australia in 2024. The post Best Performing ETFs in Australia in 2024 appeared first on Stockspot Blog. Read More
15 October 2024 Stockspot Performance Update: September 2024 Our five core options returned 16.2% to 21.9% after fees while our Sustainable options returned between 17.3% and 23.1%. The post Stockspot Performance Update: September 2024 appeared first on Stockspot Blog. Read More
15 October 2024 Stockspot Sustainable Portfolios: September 2024 Update Over the 12 months to 30 September 2024, the Stockspot Sustainable Portfolios have delivered returns of 17.3% to 23.1% (after fees). The post Stockspot Sustainable Portfolios: September 2024 Update appeared first on Stockspot Blog. Read More
15 October 2024 Helping friends and family discover the power of investing This article offers tools to highlight the importance of investing and to help you share valuable insights for becoming a successful investor. The post Helping friends and family discover the power of investing appeared first on Stockspot Blog. Read More
13 October 2024 What are the best high interest cash ETFs in Australia? How to invest in a high interest savings account through an exchange traded fund (ETF) on the ASX. The post What are the best high interest cash ETFs in Australia? appeared first on Stockspot Blog. Read More
12 October 2024 What are the best growth ETFs of 2024? We review the best high growth ETFs on the ASX and discuss whether growth ETFs are a good investment in 2024. The post What are the best growth ETFs of 2024? appeared first on Stockspot Blog. Read More