Twenty years ago I made my first investment in an IPO*. It was 1996 and I'd not long finished my economics degree. I was young and dumb but armed with just enough knowledge to be dangerous. My grandfather had been a long time investor and he sparked what until then had just been a passing interest. The … Continue reading Red or Black, Buy or Sell
Each year the shareholder letter written by Warren Buffett's for his company, Berkshire Hathaway is highly anticipated. The latest Forbes Rich list has named him as the 4th richest person in the world. When he speaks about markets and investing - everyone listens. The latest letter released last Saturday has the usual update on Berkshire's major … Continue reading Investment Wisdom from Warren Buffett’s Latest Shareholder Letter
"Life's tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late" Benjamin Franklin When I was 19 I started investing in shares. My grandfather was a lifelong sharemarket investor and he encouraged me to get me started. When I say lifelong investor I mean he bought and held forever - he hated selling. He … Continue reading Investment Lessons from my Grandfather
When deciding which investments are right for you, it is important to understand the trade off between risk and return and how to manage investment risk. A risk profile can help identify the type and mix of investments that will best help you achieve your financial and lifestyle goals. What is risk? Investors face many … Continue reading Risk and Return
Below is the link to a feature story I have written for latest B2B Magazine. In this article I cut through the noise to focus on two investment concepts that are crucial for today's market. GFC Hangover - Where to Invest
Well it's the time of year to be guessing what might happen in the next 12 months. There are tips on what's in store for technology, the grand final winners and of course the sharemarket. The major newspapers and investment magazines contain various predictions for where the ASX will finish 2012. But how useful is it? … Continue reading Fearless Forecasts for 2012
With recurring headlines of the demise of Europe and sharemarket volatility remaining high, this is a common question. Would I be better to move all my equities to cash so I don’t have to worry? With the benefit of hindsight it is easy to say we should have been in cash for the last 5 … Continue reading Should I Move Everything to Cash?
ETF's have become the latest big investment trend on the ASX and the growth looks set to continue. Over the past 9 years the ETF market in Australia has increased in value from around $500 million to over $4 billion. In the US the market is far greater having grown by 34% pa over the … Continue reading What are ETF’s?
While I don't intend for my Blog to focus only on market updates I think the current volatility we are seeing requires frequent communication. An important aspect of ensuring our financial lives are in order is to make sure we have money when we need it. We do this by managing our savings, investing and spending. We can control two of … Continue reading Financial Market Volatility and Global Growth
Recently I had a discussion with BT Investment Management (BTIM) regarding the current state of the markets both in Australia and globally. BTIM manages a significant pool of funds for investors, currently more than $40billion. I asked them the following questions: How do you see the situation playing out in the US and Europe? US The … Continue reading My Q and A with BT Investment Management
