Markets

The pandemic combined with the invasion of Ukraine has sent global commodity markets into flux. Commodities ranging from grain to crude oil are surging to near-record levels with 2020’s demand weakness offset by 2022’s significant supply-chain issues. In an environment of growing volatility and inflation, investors are naturally seeking hedges for their portfolios with gold…

The price of nickel is going nuts, soaring past US$100,000 a tonne. The London Metal Exchange (LME) canceled nickel trading on Tuesday after an unprecedented 250% price rise was triggered by Western sanctions against Russia. The price surged to hit US$101,365 a tonne, the highest point ever seen on the LME. So, what’s going on?…

Investors are piling into the safe-haven asset following the crisis in Ukraine. Dubbed the “currency of last resort,” gold is often seen as a safe-haven asset in times of market turmoil, because it retains its value during a time of crisis. Going back in history, gold has been considered a store of value for quite…

Low-cost or ‘passive’ investing has been touted as the biggest innovation in finance for the last several decades. The idea is simple, mastered by the likes of BlackRock and Vanguard, which is to replicate a major index, like the S&P500 or S&P/ASX200, and offer this vehicle to investors at the lowest cost possible. This has…

ME Bank recently released the 21st edition of its Household Financial Comfort report, which seeks to measure how confident and comfortable Australians of many different backgrounds are with their financial position. Created more than two decades ago, the report provides a powerful insight into the trends and more importantly concerns facing Australian households at a…

ASX dividend shares are an essential part of all income portfolios. Especially when the official cash rate is just 0.10%. After accounting for inflation, money kept in a bank account is earning a negative return. Here are three ASX dividend shares I’d add to any income portfolio. 1. Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) Despite rising competition from neobanks…

With interest rates forecast to rise as early as next month, January provided a rude awakening for equity market investors, after markets fell as investors headed for the door. Chief investment officer of Montgomery Investment Management, Roger Montgomery, says, “It’s good news for investors.” Rising inflation combined with weakening economic growth was enough to cause…

The Magellan Financial Group Ltd (ASX: MFG) share price has suffered a lot. There is both a bull and bear case for what happens next. Magellan is one of the larger fund managers on the ASX, though its size is quickly diminishing. Others in the sector include Australian Ethical Investment Limited (ASX: AEF), GQG Partners Inc (ASX: GQG) and Platinum Asset Management…

When Russia’s military poured over the Ukrainian border last week, the market sell-off was as predictable as the almost unanimous global condemnation of this naked aggression against a sovereign state. Stocks were sold off – the bellwether S&P500 is down nearly 10% in 2022 although this has also been prompted by fears of higher interest…

We’re more than halfway through corporate interim reporting season, with the remainder of companies due to post results over the next few weeks. While the reoccurring thematic seems to be inflation, according to Martin Currie Australia, “the big surprise is not the inflation itself, but the varying ability for companies to pass on these costs.”…

Expert investment consultant Angela Ashton of Evergreen Consultants has flagged a return to traditional asset classes amid the first major armed conflict in many years. Commenting on Russia’s decision to invade Ukraine, she looks at history as a guide, highlighting that “markets often sell-off in the lead up to an armed conflict but tend to…

ASX shares have been reporting some impressive growth numbers today. Here are five ASX shares that caught my eye and I’ll be watching going forward. 1. Whispir Ltd (ASX: WSP) Communication platform Whispir – which assists governments and companies communicate with stakeholders – recorded a 70.4% uplift in revenue for the first half of FY22. The business is…