Global fund managers positive on the US

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The latest Wren Advisers portfolio poll shows that global fund managers are increasingly optimistic about the outlook for U.S. shares. The average weighting is now at a ten-year high of 50.5%, nearly 4% above the neutral benchmark. Although recent economic numbers from the U.S. are hardly outstanding, the flow of money into American shares has steadily gained momentum since the first round of … [Continue reading]

Worrying trends in latest profit results

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With the latest profit reporting season now over, apart from a few stragglers who haven't managed to file their accounts yet, it's a good opportunity to examine some of the broader trends taking place in corporate Australia. On the surface, the … [Continue reading]

NAB’s ‘pioneering’ Money Tracker

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Earlier today, National Australia Bank (NAB) issued a media release promoting its new 'pioneering' online personal finance analyser Money Tracker. According to the bank, the software is a 'free, self-service money management tool that takes all of … [Continue reading]

Should job cuts start at the top?

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It's less than a month into 2013 and the stream of job-cutting announcements shows no signs of letting up. Boral (BLD) is planning to cut more than two thousand jobs including 700 positions in Australia; there are unconfirmed reports that QBE … [Continue reading]

ASX: It’s not just for shares

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As investors become more aware of different investment opportunities, the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) has steadily expanded the range of funds and assets that it is prepared to list. Exchange traded funds (ETFs) are just like conventional … [Continue reading]

Tax certainty for deceased estates

In its recent Mid Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook, the Federal Government announced that it will amend the law to allow the tax exemption for earnings on assets supporting a superannuation pension to continue following the death of a fund member in … [Continue reading]

Average SMSF worth nearly $1 million

Today the ATO released its Self-Managed Super Fund (SMSF) statistical report for the year ended 30 June 2012. Here is a summary of the latest findings. Coverage There were 478,263 SMSFs in Australia holding the retirement savings of 913,550 … [Continue reading]

Spending cuts to save surplus

Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan handed down his fifth Budget last night promising to deliver a surplus of $1.5 billion in 2012-13. This is to be achieved via spending cuts worth $33.6 billion and ditching the planned 1% cut in the company tax … [Continue reading]

Guesstimating the outlook for 2012

We’re already more than three weeks into the New Year and from an investment point of view it’s a case of so far, so good. The S&P/ASX 200 has chalked up an impressive gain of 5.3% and the major U.S. stock indices are around 4% higher. … [Continue reading]

Are Australian banks too leveraged?

Standard & Poor's decision to review the credit ratings of Australia's major banks has clearly ruffled a few feathers. Local bankers have questioned S&P's methodology, declaring it to be fundamentally flawed, and also the rationale for the … [Continue reading]