Insights

Since the Global Financial Crisis, Australian investors have flocked to the safety of cash, a trend that led to the phrase 'the Wall of Cash'.

We'd all like to see our investments double in value. The question is, how long will it take? There is an easy to find out.

It's been an exceptional few months in the property market. In February, values rose 2.1% nationally - the biggest monthly jump since 2003. March saw a 2.8% uptick, the fastest climb in 32 years. Thankfully, price growth for April settled down to 1.8%.

As the mercury falls, now's the time to turn up the heat on electricity bills

When it comes to investing, Australians are pretty conservative. Just over one in four of us invest directly in shares. This may seem high, but it's modest on a global scale.

Setting up investments for children can give kids a financial head start when they reach adulthood. The trouble is, many parents don't know where to begin.

Over the past 12 months, scams have cost Australians $201 million. In the first three months of 2021 alone, crims fleeced their victims out of $63 million.

There is no doubt that when many of us invest, we invest in 'silos', and by silos we mean you invest in just cash or fixed income or property or equities rather blending (diversifying) your investment fund across asset classes.

We dive into why all asset classes across the spectrum are so important to your future returns; Why diversification continues to come out on top; And the future of fixed income

It was a slightly strange quarter for the Conservative Portfolio in that it was its defensive assets that suffered falls while the growth side surged. It's rare to see a quarter of trade like the one we have just seen, and you need to put it into the perspective of your risk profile and your investment time horizon.

The portfolio returned 1.8% for the quarter including franking credits. The estimated running yield is approximately 4.75%, and estimated yield to call/maturity is 4.25%, including franking credits

A tough quarter for the interest income portfolio, but we do need to put this quarter into perspective.

It was a solid quarter for the Growth Portfolio with the growth side doing a significant part of the heavy lifting.

It was a solid quarter for the High Growth Portfolio with the international equities side doing a significant part of the heavy lifting.

The International Equities Portfolio picked up where it left off in the final quarter of 2020, adding 6.50 per cent after fees in the quarter and beating peers by 0.4 per cent. In the 52 weeks to the end of March 31, the portfolio is up 24.50 per cent after fees highlighting the incredible bounce back the world has experienced in the post-COVID world.

It has been a very wild ride for those of you in this portfolio and we fully understand that it has given you some big highs and lows. It is, after all, a portfolio made up of two sectors that have experienced the full effects of the global pandemic, both negatively and positively.