Insights

US Fed chair Janet Yellen played the perfect central bank game overnight, fine tuning the Fed's stance, preparing the markets for higher interest rates and simultaneously weakening the US dollar and producing a significant rally in bonds, shares and commodities.

One forecast for the local currency contains a warning for investors.

Merger activity has a long way to go in the buzzing telecom sector.

Why is the value of some investment properties so often distorted?

Nowhere in the RBA charter is any mention of investors. They need new blood, and Alan Kohler could help.

The casino group's chairman will be on the hook for a substantial sum.

Some economists have downgraded growth forecasts, but this is misleading.

A surge in low cost 'robo-advice' in wealth management has upmarket US advisers creating new models. It's a trend which will be reflected in the Australian market very soon.

Weighing up the Rio Tinto buyback and considering the case for Brickworks.

Chinese economic data is off to a soft start this year. However, there are reasons for optimism that growth this year will still come in "around 7%".

Following the Reserve Bank of Australia's decision to cut interest rates last month, ongoing weakness in commodity prices, and heightened expectations that the United States Federal Reserve will raise interest rates within coming months, it's no surprise the Australian dollar has taken a tumble of late.

With the speculation about central bank actions the current key driver of market performance, overnight data releases were not bad enough to spur further buying. US and European markets eased back from recent highs as oil prices slid to new six year lows.

The ASX200 is trading is around 10 points lower, at 5834, heading toward the close. The central theme today is one of caution, as investors anticipate the Federal Reserve's rate decision, FOMC statement and press conference early tomorrow morning.

Hong Kong's decade-long increase in property prices is coming to an end as spending by mainland tourists declines and mortgage costs rise, according to UBS Group AG. The CHART OF THE DAY tracks the city's monthly rental gauge for shops and restaurants against a sales price index of the smallest apartments. Both measures were at record-highs in January, according to the most recent government data.

The Dow has virtually no investment market share — the $33 billion tied to it as of year-end 2013 is barely a rounding error compared with the $1.87 trillion tied to the S&P 500 — but boy, does it have mindshare. What will happen when Apple joins on Wednesday night?

Central bank support, adjustment to the US tightening timetable and mergers and acquisitions drove strong gains for shares overnight. A weaker USD provided relief after four weeks of strong gains, and Asia Pacific futures markets are pointing to gains of around one percent at openings across the region.