In this edition of Points of Interest, we review the impact that rising interest rates have had on the global economy, and more specifically, the stock market both here and abroad. Valuations of bonds, shares, property and most other asset classes have fallen heavily as global interest rates remain high.

In this edition of Points of Interest, we discuss the very poor performance of global stock markets over the previous three-month period, which saw the US stock market suffer its worst six-month return since 1970. We expect market volatility to be high for at least six to twelve months, until there is greater clarity around the direction of interest rates.

In this edition of Points of Interest, we again discuss the potential impact of rising inflation and interest rates. Stock markets have reacted poorly to the prospect of significantly higher interest rates, with steep falls on all major markets.

In this edition of Points of Interest, we review the major economic and financial events of 2021, where the impact of the pandemic was again the most significant factor. We also look ahead to 2022, where we see rising interest rates as being a potential issue for the stock market in coming months.

In this edition of Points of Interest, we discuss the Chinese property market, where concerns over developer Evergrande are causing problems for financial markets. We also consider the inflationary pressures that are building in the global economy. At this stage it is not clear if inflation will be transitory or here to stay, with differing outcomes for financial markets.

In this edition of Points of Interest, we discuss the impact of the pandemic and falling fertility levels on population growth in Australia. We also consider the shift to ‘work from home’ and the impact on the commercial property sector.

In this edition of Points of Interest, we consider some of unusual examples of investor behaviour, including the Bitcoin craze and other irrational investor actions. We also discuss the first ominous signs of rising bond yields, and what this means for global equity markets.

In this edition of Points of Interest, we look back over the year that was 2020, which was naturally dominated by the pandemic and its impact on world health, the global economy and stock markets. We also explain the impact that ultra-low interest rates is having on investor behaviour, where investors are forced to accept higher risk in order to earn returns that in years past would have been considered as relatively modest. We also consider whether or not global stock markets are near the top of a bubble, evidenced by significant increases in share prices of companies such as Tesla and others.

In this edition of our quarterly newsletter, Points of Interest, we discuss the very unusual nature of the pandemic, which has led to significant increases in sales and profits for certain sectors and firms, while others have struggled to survive the impact of the pandemic and efforts to contain its spread. We also review the Australian government’s budget and discuss the performance of the market over the quarter.

In this edition of our quarterly newsletter, Points of Interest we discuss the gradual recovery from the pandemic-induced market crash and economic slowdown experienced over the preceding four months. We also discuss the impact of falling interest rates on portfolio construction and how this influences our decisions regarding asset allocation and investment selection.