In this edition of our quarterly newsletter, Points of Interest, we review the performance of the stock market during 2019. Despite significant concerns over the geo-political situation, the Australian stock market recorded its highest annual return since 2009. This was to a large extent the result of monetary stimulus from the Reserve Bank. Looking ahead to 2020 we expect low interest rates to continue to push investors towards higher-risk investments in a search for a reasonable yield.

In this edition of our quarterly newsletter, Points of Interest, we discuss ongoing geo-political tensions which have weighed on markets over the quarter. The ongoing trade dispute between the US and China is one cause for concern, while the Brexit issue only adds to the sense of uncertainty.

In this edition of our quarterly newsletter, Points of Interest, we highlight the positive impact that falling interest rates in Australia (and overseas) has had on the domestic stock market, although pointing out that higher share prices are not necessarily a good indicator of the strength of the economy. We also discuss the positive impact of the recent Federal election on the domestic stock market.

In this edition of our quarterly newsletter, Points of Interest, we discuss the performance of financial markets over the first quarter of 2019, which saw significant gains in both the Australian and overseas stock markets. We review the primary reasons for this improvement over the December quarter, including the unexpected decision by the US Fed to provide additional monetary assistance to the US economy.

In this edition of our quarterly newsletter, Points of Interest, we review key financial events and the performance of markets over the past year. 2018 proved to be a disappointing year for investors, with significant falls in almost every asset class. We discuss some of the key reasons for this performance and look ahead to 2019.

In this edition of our quarterly newsletter, Points of Interest, we take an in-depth look at interest rates and the relationship between changes in rates and bond yields. As part of this, we discuss the issue of the ‘inverted yield curve’, which is a financial signal which has been quite reliable in predicting a recession within 12 to 18 months.

In this edition of our quarterly newsletter, Points of Interest, we adopt a rose-tinted view of the world, highlighting reasons to be cheerful regarding financial markets and the global economic situation.

In this edition of our quarterly newsletter, Points of Interest, we review the risks posed by the US-China trade war. We also discuss the impact of proposed changes to tax legislation. We conclude with a review of the market’s performance over the past quarter.

In this edition of our quarterly newsletter, Points of Interest, we discuss the performance of the market over the past year. We also consider the geo-political risks which continue to be an issue, although in many cases worst-held fears did not eventuate. We also highlight our concerns over continuing easy monetary policy risks, particularly in regard to asset pricing.

In this edition of our quarterly newsletter, Points of Interest, we consider the relative under-performance of the Australian stock market, which has lagged its peers over the past year. We also discuss the search for investments which have no exposure to the stock market.