Vale Hybrid Notes
Hybrid notes are being phased out by APRA, Australia’s bank regulator. That is a pity because hybrids have been terrific for investors who want higher returns than term deposits deliver, without too much risk. That is especially true since the RBA flooded the banking system with cash during Covid, making term deposits less attractive. The […]
Why Are CBA and Other Banks Slashing Deposit Rates by 50 Basis Points?
The AFR reported today that CBA cut its term deposit rates by 0.50% (50 basis points) and other banks are following. The AFR article attributes this to the banks getting ready for a cut in the Cash Rate. However, there is something else going on with deposit rates as shown in the two charts below, […]
Housing supply and future price trends: What to expect
The continual decline in the supply of housing over the last 40 years was a big driver of house price increases. The graph shows quarterly approvals per 1000 persons. Approvals correlate very closely with actual construction. House prices rose at an inflation-adjusted (real) rate of 3.2% per year in the 40 years to 1 Jan […]
What causes the Fear Index surge?
The Fear Index (aka Vix Index) surged last week to the highest level since the Covid panic in March 2020. It hit 55 at one stage. The Vix Index (Fear Index) measures the price that investors will pay for protection against falls in their portfolios. US stock market investors were suffering a short-lived panic and they […]
HECS: Should you pay down your student debt early?
The short answer is No. There is always a better way to use your savings than paying down your HECS. You have to make the compulsory repayments, but don’t make any extra payments.
The First Home Super Savers scheme
First home buyers can save $10k, or $20k as a couple, using the First Home Super Saver Scheme. It allows savers to send before tax money into their super fund and later withdraw up to $50k per person for a deposit on a first home, without ever paying income tax. Its brilliant, and every saver […]
Bitcoin Versus Gold
Bitcoin investing is now much easier through large, liquid, well-regulated ETFs. But do investors want Bitcoin (BTC) in their portfolio in any case? The value proposition of BTC is examined in this video with a simple but meaningful framework which shows that Bitcoin competes with Gold for a place in investors’ portfolios. Both are stores […]
Investment Bonds Vs Education Bonds
Are investment bonds and education bonds a good way to save for the future? This latest video in my Australian Investor series compares investment bonds, education bonds and family trusts to see what works best, and where. Please click on the image below to see the full video on my Youtube channel. Don’t forget to subscribe if you […]
The Home Equity Access Scheme
This first video in my Australian Investor Series explains the opportunity afforded by the Home Equity Access Scheme (HEA Scheme). Most Australian households can expect to increase their wealth by between $200k and $1.2 million if they use the HEA Scheme fully across their retirement. It is the lowest hanging fruit for Australian investors, and the video explains it […]
Unsustainable US Debt is now looming on the horizon
Below is the unedited version of my article which was published in the Australian Financial Review in October 2023. The global bond market is watching the turmoil in the US Congress very closely. With Republicans in the House of Representatives unable to choose a leader, more and more bond market investors are concluding that US […]