Investing

The ATO’s review of income tax returns show nine in 10 rental property owners are getting their return wrong. Property expense claims, as well as SMSF returns and crypto transactions, are all on the radar this year.

Stakeholders have welcomed a recommendation from the Senate Economics Legislative Committee that the government review its controversial plan to limit franking credits stemming from capital raisings and share buybacks.

The benchmark S&P 500 index is characterised by “narrow, concentrated leadership” by a handful of mega-caps, leading to the “optical illusion” of outsized performance by US equities, says private investment manager Neuberger Berman.

The recent re-embrace of active equity management by Australia’s sovereign wealth fund may herald a shift in the active-versus-passive debate, industry leaders said, as market volatility prompts greater dispersion and allows active management – at the right price – to prove its worth.

For the world to meet climate targets, the supply of battery-grade lithium will have to ramp up greatly, prompting expectations that the price will keep rising for years to come. And Australian companies with proven lithium deposits could do well as M&A in the sector stays hot, analysts say.

With a successful and orderly energy transition “far from guaranteed”, disruptive themes are set to profoundly affect financial markets for years to come, the asset manager said in a new report. Investors should act – and potentially reallocate – accordingly.

The surge in passive investment options in recent years, along with a record of underperformance by active managers, has pushed the ongoing active-versus-passive debate to the fore. Proponents of both styles agree, though, that how each approach performs in volatility will be the key question in 2023.

Although more Australian companies are paying dividends in 2023, many have reduced payouts, with the year-to-date total slightly behind 2022’s figures, according to CommSec research. The big miners are leading the cuts, while energy producers are lifting dividends to reflect record high gas prices.

Increased traffic volumes and higher earnings have provided valuation support for the infrastructure company, ClearBridge Investments’ Shane Hurst says, with the post-COVID-19 recovery positioning the business for solid growth.

As the RBA’s rate hiking campaign appears to approach its peak, investors looking to lock in term deposits should shop around to find the best rates, analysts say, warning that the complacent risk missing out.

US technology stocks have suffered steep losses over the last year as interest rates have marched higher. But with the Fed now signalling reductions in future rate hikes, value could emerge in tech stocks with strong fundamentals.

Disruptor wealth platforms like HUB24, Netwealth and Praemium have been taking market share from the mostly bank-aligned platforms for years. While waning investor sentiment has hurt inflows recently, analysts say these platforms are still well positioned in the shift away from incumbents.