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Fabulous February – Equities accelerate globally
Commentary & Opinion, Economic Market
February proved to be a great month for equities. Many records were broken and markets are posting their best monthly performance in years. Here's a roundup of some of the major markets around the world:
Fatigued markets sit and wait
Commentary & Opinion, Economic Market
Equity markets are looking fatigued, lumbering along with little volatility as they wait for the US election result.
The Australian market has done very little in recent years. The ASX200 is pretty much the same level it was three years ago. Whilst we haven’t been rewarded through capital appreciation, we have at least had dividends that are generally higher than the rest of the world.
Fed holds rates, upsets markets
Commentary & Opinion, Market Economic
Chair of the US Federal Reserve, Janet Yellen, has sought to calm markets by saying a US rate rise is likely to happen this year. Her comments come after the Fed kept rates steady at its September meeting, which added to the volatility we are currently experiencing in the market.
Many may have thought steady rates would be good news for global markets, but not so. The Fed's failure to raise rates reinforces investor concerns about the health of the world economy, particularly China.
If the Fed really wanted to alleviate concerns, it should have hiked rates at their meeting.
Finding the right adviser
Wealth Creation, Financial Advise
Choosing a financial planner is just like choosing any other professional service: you want to know, first of all, that the provider is competent, but also, that there is a personal suitability.
First meeting with a financial adviser
Wealth Creation, Financial Advise
Remember when you first meet a financial adviser, even though you are both sounding each other out, you are employing them.
The financial adviser will ask a lot of questions: this is their job. The adviser is required by law to collect lot of information about your personal finances and preferences, so the advice provided is suitable for you. This means, of course, that providing accurate information to the adviser will only benefit you. It is a two-way street: the adviser is entitled to expect that you are being completely honest with them in the information you provide. If you are not honest with your adviser or leave something out, you could get advice that's wrong for your situation – not to mention start off on a bad personal note. So tell the adviser if for whatever reason you can only give limited or incomplete information.
Foreign exchange for travel
Wealth Creation, Foreign Exchange
If you’re one of the nine million Australians who travelled overseas last financial year, you’ll know that foreign exchange rates can play a big part in your holiday. Whenever you spend money overseas – be it in US$, euro, pound or yen – you’re running foreign exchange risk, because you’re converting A$ into those currencies. If the A$ falls against those currencies while you’re travelling, you're losing spending power.
Foreign Exchange – travel cards
Wealth Creation, Foreign Exchange
A travel card can be an easy and secure way to manage the costs of FX while travelling. They're the travellers cheques of the 21st century. They’re easy to use because you can load multiple currencies onto the card before you go: once loaded, the travel card can be used to pay for items at point of sale, online and where credit cards are accepted.
Franking Credits
Income you receive from share dividends will generally be taxed at your marginal tax rate. Australia also has a system of dividend imputation. This gives investors who’ve been paid a dividend personal tax credit on the Australian Company Tax already paid by the company. If the company pays tax overseas there will be no tax credit associated with offshore tax.
French election bumps Euro higher
Commentary & Opinion, Economic Market
After a nail-biting campaign, the first-round of voting in the French Presidential election took place over the weekend. The centrist Emmanuel Macron and euro-sceptic Marine Le Pen winning the most votes.
The French people will now be choosing between two radically different visions for the country in the second round of voting on the 7th of May.
If Macron wins, he will be the first independent President of the Republic in France. This would delight France’s EU partners and reassure investors. This is the most likely outcome, but anything is possible.
The world economy looks like it should expand at a healthy pace over the next two years if the latest forecasts from the International Monetary Fund are anything to go by.
Fabulous February – Equities accelerate globally
Commentary & Opinion, Economic Market
February proved to be a great month for equities. Many records were broken and markets are posting their best monthly performance in years. Here's a roundup of some of the major markets around the world:
Fatigued markets sit and wait
Commentary & Opinion, Economic Market
Equity markets are looking fatigued, lumbering along with little volatility as they wait for the US election result.
The Australian market has done very little in recent years. The ASX200 is pretty much the same level it was three years ago. Whilst we haven’t been rewarded through capital appreciation, we have at least had dividends that are generally higher than the rest of the world.
Fed holds rates, upsets markets
Commentary & Opinion, Market Economic
Chair of the US Federal Reserve, Janet Yellen, has sought to calm markets by saying a US rate rise is likely to happen this year. Her comments come after the Fed kept rates steady at its September meeting, which added to the volatility we are currently experiencing in the market.
Many may have thought steady rates would be good news for global markets, but not so. The Fed's failure to raise rates reinforces investor concerns about the health of the world economy, particularly China.
If the Fed really wanted to alleviate concerns, it should have hiked rates at their meeting.
Finding the right adviser
Wealth Creation, Financial Advise
Choosing a financial planner is just like choosing any other professional service: you want to know, first of all, that the provider is competent, but also, that there is a personal suitability.
First meeting with a financial adviser
Wealth Creation, Financial Advise
Remember when you first meet a financial adviser, even though you are both sounding each other out, you are employing them.
The financial adviser will ask a lot of questions: this is their job. The adviser is required by law to collect lot of information about your personal finances and preferences, so the advice provided is suitable for you. This means, of course, that providing accurate information to the adviser will only benefit you. It is a two-way street: the adviser is entitled to expect that you are being completely honest with them in the information you provide. If you are not honest with your adviser or leave something out, you could get advice that's wrong for your situation – not to mention start off on a bad personal note. So tell the adviser if for whatever reason you can only give limited or incomplete information.
Foreign exchange for travel
Wealth Creation, Foreign Exchange
If you’re one of the nine million Australians who travelled overseas last financial year, you’ll know that foreign exchange rates can play a big part in your holiday. Whenever you spend money overseas – be it in US$, euro, pound or yen – you’re running foreign exchange risk, because you’re converting A$ into those currencies. If the A$ falls against those currencies while you’re travelling, you're losing spending power.
Foreign Exchange – travel cards
Wealth Creation, Foreign Exchange
A travel card can be an easy and secure way to manage the costs of FX while travelling. They're the travellers cheques of the 21st century. They’re easy to use because you can load multiple currencies onto the card before you go: once loaded, the travel card can be used to pay for items at point of sale, online and where credit cards are accepted.
Franking Credits
Income you receive from share dividends will generally be taxed at your marginal tax rate. Australia also has a system of dividend imputation. This gives investors who’ve been paid a dividend personal tax credit on the Australian Company Tax already paid by the company. If the company pays tax overseas there will be no tax credit associated with offshore tax.
French election bumps Euro higher
Commentary & Opinion, Economic Market
After a nail-biting campaign, the first-round of voting in the French Presidential election took place over the weekend. The centrist Emmanuel Macron and euro-sceptic Marine Le Pen winning the most votes.
The French people will now be choosing between two radically different visions for the country in the second round of voting on the 7th of May.
If Macron wins, he will be the first independent President of the Republic in France. This would delight France’s EU partners and reassure investors. This is the most likely outcome, but anything is possible.
The world economy looks like it should expand at a healthy pace over the next two years if the latest forecasts from the International Monetary Fund are anything to go by.