For years, term deposits have been the go-to recipe for many Kiwi investors, providing a reliable and steady income generating investment option. With interest rates reaching their highest levels in over a decade, term deposits have offered impressive returns over the last two years. However, the economic winds are shifting. The Reserve Bank of New…

After slumping close to 19 per cent in the wake of the “Liberation Day” announcements in early April, the US sharemarket has come roaring back to life over the past few weeks. A 90-day pause on tariffs for most countries a week after the initial proposals spurred the initial recovery, but the biggest news came…

There has been increasing talk of a US recession in recent weeks, with one major global bank suggesting the odds of this are 60 per cent. It’s certainly possible if harsh tariffs remain in place, although the outlook could brighten quickly if we see further de-escalation. Recessions are an inevitable part of the business cycle,…

A lot of people are frustrated with US President Donald Trump, but there’s one who has a more genuine case than most. That’s Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, and it’s not just because Trump wants to fire him. Until recently it looked like Powell and the Fed might’ve done the impossible, or at least the…

It’s been a very volatile few weeks for investors, and some markets and asset classes have fallen heavily amidst the uncertainty. All declines are different and it’s impossible to say when or where this one ends. However, here are a few suggestions for navigating this one. Resist the urge to panic. One important piece of…

As we navigate the current landscape, it’s essential to remember that market fluctuations are a natural part of investing and annual returns often look nothing like the long-term average. Market fluctuations are normal Although the long-run trend is upwards for sharemarkets, along the way there will be small declines, corrections (falls of 10% or more)…

The last several trading days have been extremely volatile for global markets, with US President Donald Trump unveiling a harsher set of tariffs than expected on “Liberation Day”. The S&P 500 index in the US fell 10.5 per cent in the two days following the initial announcement. We’ve only seen a move like that a…

The first quarter of 2025 is behind us and if it’s any guide of things to come, we’re in for an eventful year. The last three months have been punctuated by policy uncertainty, shaky confidence readings and volatile markets. After cheering a strong victory for Donald Trump at last year’s presidential election, investors have turned…

Last week’s gross domestic product (GDP) report was comforting, coming in above expectations and pointing to the strongest improvement in 18 months. That was a welcome piece of good news, following a difficult February reporting season littered with cautious comments from management teams. In contrast, business confidence measures have rebounded strongly, which seems out of…

As of last week, the S&P 500 in the US had fallen ten per cent from its February highs. A fall of that magnitude is generally considered a market correction, so we’re officially in one of those now. Market corrections are normal. This is the 34th that the S&P 500 has experienced since 1960, so…