Insights

This week we look at Origin Energy, Corporate Travel Management, Caltex, Primary Health Care, Domino's Pizza and Sonic Healthcare.

Eureka's portfolios and Hyperion Small Growth Companies

Everyone is prone to the dark force of "sequencing risk", unless they take a simple step to lessen its potential to damage retirement savings.

Today's investor offering is a serving of commodity lead industrial weakness, on a bed of China growth fears, spiced with a hint of higher US interest rate panic.

It looks as though investors' Christmas rally has broken in the first week of the New Year. Traders finished 2015 contemplating the possibility of the ASX breaking out of the top of its well established trading range. A week later they are staring at the prospect of break below the support.

The Australian share market index appears headed for the lower end of the 4900-5400 trading range as fear dominates market action. The focus is China, but in the current hyperbole fuelled panic, otherwise market neutral events like another North Korean nuclear test or sabre rattling in the Middle East become yet another reason for investors to dump their holdings.

While, the nervousness created by yesterday's sharp share market selloff is likely to linger, moves by Chinese authorities to stabilise their stock market has brought temporary calm to international markets.

Investors' nerves are twanging. A combination of low enthusiasm and an inordinate focus on potential risks has Asia Pacific markets under pressure again today. The repercussions of a weak read on China manufacturing that saw mainland shares plummet continue to echo after European and US markets sagged.

Who would ramp up risk in retirement? An ATO survey has shown the average SMSF does exactly that. Good news: it's easily fixed.

Local traders have over looked the 1% decline in US markets on the last trading day of the year. While there is some profit taking in bank stocks in early trade, other sectors are holding the line as investors appear content to hold positions ahead of key data later in the week.

This year's Santa rally is doing what many of its predecessors have done. The stock market continues to push higher on thin volume and with no need for a macro catalyst. At the moment, the market is all about sentiment and perceived value.

After moving higher for 7 consecutive days the Santa rally in the ASX 200 index looked under threat, following this morning's weaker opening.

The Santa rally looks like regaining momentum with a seventh consecutive day of gains. This comes amid signs that short sellers have found themselves on the wrong side of recent moves in commodities and resource stocks.

You may have heard about the US Federal Reserve recently raising rates and we wrote about the surprising extent to which it will affect investors in Australian Government bonds. In truth no-one really knows what the Fed will do next and there will most likely be some miss-steps and uncertainty along the way. That means volatility - short term losses as well as gains.

A bounce in US shares and a second night of higher metals prices are fostering support from local investors today. Volumes in both shares and futures are low, and commitment from investors largely absent in thin trading.

Why is it that when China, Brazil, or the US Federal Reserve sneezes, our local stock market gets 'man-flu'?