The first three quarters of the calendar year are behind us, and investors have again been well rewarded for ignoring the noise and staying the course. It’s been a cracking period for investors, despite the volatility. World shares fell 16.3 per cent in the wake of President Trump’s tariff announcements in April. This was an…

The latest quarterly investor confidence survey from ASB has got a lot of attention in recent days, with media reports noting that optimism was at its lowest ebb since the pandemic. This survey covered the June quarter, and the ASB team pointed out that concerns were very high around April, near the beginning of the…

Gold continues to be a topic of conversation across financial markets, with the precious metal rising almost 40 per cent so far in 2025 and hitting fresh record highs. It’s doubled in value the last three years and even outpaced the mighty S&P 500 index in the US. That’s no small feat, with the US…

Typically, when I write about making the most of compounding, I talk about the power of compounding for someone starting at a young age. But what if you didn’t start young? What if you’re only now looking at investing at age 50, 55, or even 60? Is it too late to begin? The simple answer…

There’s hope emerging that our economy is turning a corner. Is that possible with so much bad news still around? As always, whether your glass is half-full or half-empty depends on where you’re looking and what you’re paying most attention to. If you prefer to listen to a podcast episode on this topic:  It’s also…

New Zealand‘s long awaited economic recovery has been delayed, rather than cancelled. A more prosperous period is likely ahead, although we do need to exercise some patience. The Reserve Bank not only cut the Official Cash Rate (OCR) last month, but it slashed its forecasts for where it goes from here. If you prefer to…

Three US stocks are now as big as four entire sectors. That’s not hyperbole, it’s the reality of today’s market. NVIDIA, Microsoft and Apple together make up more than one-fifth of the S&P 500. To put that in perspective, it’s more than the combined size of the four traditional defensive sectors of the market –…

World shares have hit fresh record highs in recent days, defying forecasts for a pullback and looking much stronger than many predicted a few months ago. The MSCI All Country World Index ended last week up 13.2 per cent in 2025, and more than 40 per cent higher than two years ago. I should note…

The local reporting season is heating up, and we’re all hopeful it’ll suggest the long-awaited economic recovery is in sight. It’s been a very challenging three years for many businesses. The economy contracted for eight consecutive quarters (on a per capita basis) until late last year, and since then it’s been a mediocre recovery. If…

This year, the focus of Money Month is on emergency funds. Whether you’re aiming to have 3 – 6 months of savings set aside for unforeseen expenses or prefer the security of 12–18 months, one thing remains constant; these funds should be kept in liquid, low-risk investments. Cash or short-term term deposits are ideal. The…