This site endeavours to provide a perspective on investment choices and strategy for Australians. While the principles are applicable internationally, the site’s commentary with regard to taxation implications of investing, and rules pertaining to superannuation, will be limited to Australian law.
Topics that we will, over time, include the following:
- Comparison of investment opportunities
- Superannuation Rules made simple
- List of Financial Planners in each state
- Topical Market Commentary
- Derivatives
- Pre-Retirement Planning
- Estate Planning
- Investment FAQ
Market Commentary
Context – May 2025
Date: 17 May 2025
The SP500 index is up over 12% in the last month, and the ASX200 is up over 6%, both now with modest gains since the new year, though still a few points below the mid-February peak.
POTUS has walked back the Chinese tariffs another 3 months, giving markets an indication that he really is making it up as he goes along with little planning nor understanding of how all the economic factors are connected; interest rates, currencies, share valuations, bond yields and debt.
There are however still quality companies trading at a significant discount to their 12 month peaks. On the other hand, market volatility could return and some cash kept on the sidelines in a high interest savings account ETF might allow further volatility to be exploited. This is not a recommendation, just one we found after much searching. In USD, it is currently paying 4.22% pa. It was surprisingly difficult to find a capital secure ETF with a reasonable interest rate and low fees. You’re welcome, but please do your own research to be sure it meets your needs.
Context – April 2025
We find ourselves in the midst of market turmoil, the result of a US President who seems to be making up economic policy on the run. This is evidenced by the series of tariff back-flips he has performed in less than 2 weeks in regards to their application, severity, recall, escalation, pausing and exceptions. Let’s not forget the insider trading moment when he alerted his followers that “it’s a great time to buy”. Surely the Democrats are keeping that one warm for when the time comes.
Anyway, the golden rule in times like these are as follows:
- Don’t Sell, crystallising paper losses into real ones. The market will recover.
- Buy the Dip. If your bought a business last year at $1 and felt it was a good price, if the fundamentals of that business remain solid then buying more now at $0.80 is a bargain.
- There is no certainty about the market, other than at some time in the future the market will return to it’s February 2025 high and then keep going. Selling now hoping to buy back in lower could bring spectacular rewards, but where is that re-purchase point? Being greedy for bargains could result in hanging on too long. The general wisdom is to not sell, but invest periodically with extra funds when the market is depressed to increase the value of future gains.
Superannuation Fund Contributions.
If you have no investment skills or knowledge, then probably just leave the decisions around your industry or Self Managed Super Fund (SMSF) to the fund managers. If however you have some skills and awareness of the market turmoil, you may have a feeling about the nature of how the situation will play out.
- Consider taking control of your super fund. Unless you have a professioanl manager on board looking after your hand-crafted portfolio, the big funds will likely just keep buying shares when your monthly contribution arrives. While right now they are buying at a modest discount, tou may or may not want them to do that, preferring to accumulate cash until things settle. So you may care to step in.
- Similarly, if you are making salary sacrifice contributions, you migh want to hold them off and make the deposit to your super fund at a time of your choice.