Category: Australian Shares

1-22 out of 22 results.

International sharesBondsAustralian shares Asset classes, asset class returnsInterest ratesInflation

April 2024 snapshot - rate cut hopes finally dashed - is this the big one?

Here is my essential 1-page snapshot for Aussie investors - covering Australian and US share markets, short- and long-term interest rates, inflation, and the Aussie dollar. Share and bond markets fell back a little as investors finally realised that central banks are not going to cut rates hard and fast. 'Is the is the start of the big correction?' - or 'Are we done for now?

Ashley Owen May 02, 2024

Investment bubbles/busts, cyclesInternational sharesAustralian shares

Dozens of world share markets are hitting new highs - the myth of the Magnificent-7

It's not just the 'Magnificent-7' US tech giants, and it's not just US shares. There are dozens of share markets hitting new highs all over the world. Want proof? Here they are!

Ashley Owen Apr 03, 2024

Wars & military conflictsStock storiesAustralian shares MiningCommodities

Political Risk case study: Bougainville - richest gold mine in the world - but you can't touch it

This company is sitting on the richest copper-gold mine in the world, but it has been locked up for 35 years and can't touch it. Political risk crippled what was once a highly profitable 'blue chip' stock. All investing involves political risk, but political risks can be the most volatile, hardest to quantify, and most wealth-destroying. Or perhaps wealth creating - in the right circumstances and at the right price!

Ashley Owen Mar 19, 2024 2

International sharesAustralian shares Asset classes, asset class returnsAustralian economy

Feb 2024 Snapshot - early rate cut hopes dashed but shares surge on confidence from US profits

He's my quick wrap-up of key developments in investment markets in Feb 2024.

Ashley Owen Mar 03, 2024

ESG, renewables, climate changeStock storiesAustralian shares Social & Environmental

Woolworths ESG case study: Duties to owners -v- suppliers, customers, staff

Woolworths CEO forced out early - despite good profit margins and returns on equity. How to balance maximising shareholder value versus other key stakeholders.

Ashley Owen Feb 23, 2024

InflationAustralian shares Investment & Wealth Mgmt

Dr Don Stammer's 60 years of investing

In Dr Don Stammer's speech this week, capping off his 60 year career, he only used 2 charts. Both were mine!

Ashley Owen Feb 22, 2024

Stock storiesAustralian shares Australian economy

Case Study: JB-Hi-Fi: Misunderstood growth star, or the next Myer?

JB Hi-Fi: Misunderstood growth star or the next Myer?

Ashley Owen Feb 14, 2024 2

CryptoInternational sharesAustralian shares Interest ratesInflationAustralian economy

January 2024 snapshot - shares climb on hopes of early rate cuts as inflation falls

January 2024 snapshot - shares climb on hopes of early rate cuts as inflation falls. Essential 1-page snapshot for Aussie investors – covering Australian and US share markets, short- and long-term interest rates, inflation, and exchange rate.

Ashley Owen Feb 05, 2024 2

Wealth, InequalityPopulation, demographics, immigrationAustralian shares Exports, tradeAustralian economy

Australia's remarkable population-led growth

Australia’s population just hit 27 million, 18 years sooner than planned. Australia has the highest population growth rate outside of Africa, but it is still the sparsest country on earth.

Ashley Owen Jan 31, 2024 2

Australian shares Australian economyMiningExports, tradeWealth, Inequality

Reflections on Australia - lucky country for investors!

In Australia we tend to take a lot for granted. Australia is the richest country in the world per capita (a record we have held since 1890) - but why? It's not just resource riches and/or British colonisation - there are plenty of resource-rich countries, and plenty of ex-British colonies that are economic basket cases today. How I personally got lucky - twice - in the great lottery of life.

Ashley Owen Jan 27, 2024 2

International sharesAustralian shares Asset classes, asset class returns

Share Market Pricing per Country - how do we rate?

The US dominates world markets and is the sole reason why the global share market as a whole appears very expensive. On the other hand, Australia appears much better value – but is it?

Ashley Owen Jan 22, 2024

Stock market crashesWars & military conflictsInvestment bubbles/busts, cyclesInternational sharesAustralian shares Asset classes, asset class returnsRecessionsRetirement planning

124 Reasons NOT to invest! - This time is different - or is it?

Every year there are ‘End of the world’, or ‘End of life as we know it’ crises and threats that scare investors into waiting and watching from the sidelines, but share markets have always seemed to power through them. Are the current batch of threats and fears different this time?

Ashley Owen Jan 17, 2024

Australian shares Asset classes, asset class returns

Australian Share Market Annual Returns Pyramid

2023 was a good year for the Australian share market, but where does it sit in historical terms? The past five years were actually rather boring and ho-hum for the share market – despite a host of extreme events like the Covid lockdowns, steep recessions, inflation spikes, aggressive rate hikes, wars, rising military tensions, bank collapses, etc.

Ashley Owen Jan 12, 2024 2

Australian shares Currency

1-page snapshot for Aussie investors – end November 2023 – Shares, Bonds, AUD surge

Here is my 1-page snapshot for Aussie investors – covering Australian and US share markets, short- and long-term interest rates, inflation, and the USD/AUD exchange rate - since the start of 2020.

Ashley Owen Dec 03, 2023

Australian shares RecessionsAustralian economyFinancial MarketsEconomicsStock market crashes

Why do share markets crash? – A: Update on the US

Recessions do NOT cause or trigger share market sell-offs. Nor do share markets crash because, or when, they become expensive. Share markets fall when shareholders en masse suddenly start to expect imminent big cuts to profits and dividends.

Ashley Owen Nov 23, 2023

Asset classes, asset class returnsAustralian economyAustralian shares

Australian share market has gone nowhere for 16 years? Is it ‘broken’? Has it lost its mojo?

The All Ordinaries index hit a peaked of 6,853 on 1 November 2007, but it is barely above that 16 years later. Why? Is the local share market in terminal decline? Has it lost its mojo? Is it ever going to get back to growth? Is it time to give up on the local share market and look elsewhere?

Ashley Owen Nov 10, 2023

Asset classes, asset class returnsAustralian economyAustralian shares

Market Monitor - October 2023 wrap-up: Central banks not done yet with rate hikes

Welcome to the Monthly Market Monitor for October 2023. First, here is our quick snapshot of Australian and US share markets, short- and long-term interest rates, inflation, and the AUD since the start of 2020

Ashley Owen Nov 02, 2023

Stock storiesAsset allocation, portfolio constructionAustralian shares

Case study: CSL – growth superstar at a rare bargain, or over-priced mature low-growth behemoth?

Ashley Owen Oct 17, 2023

International sharesInflationAustralian shares

Australian shares ‘Shiller/CAPE’ ratio: not over-priced like the US. Uncle Sam still calls the tune

Australian share market ‘Shiller/CAPE’ ratio – not over-priced like the US. Uncle Sam still calls the tune, but Australia is better placed for growth.

Ashley Owen Oct 11, 2023

International sharesInflationAustralian shares

US market - ‘Shiller/CAPE’ ratio update: It’s flashing orange. . . but what action should we take?

Ashley Owen Oct 06, 2023

Australian shares Investment & Wealth MgmtAsset allocation, portfolio construction

‘Frankly my dear . . . we need to include Franking Credits in reporting and portfolio planning’

Franking credits on dividends on Australian shares can add more than 1% per year to returns for Australian shareholders. But many professionals don’t include the value of franking credits in their clients’ returns – either historical, or forecast.

Ashley Owen Sep 26, 2023

Stock market crashesInvestment bubbles/busts, cyclesAustralian shares Recessions

ASX reporting season in 4 charts - $40b wiped off profits! - where did it go, and why?

August is the main full-year reporting season for Australian listed companies, as most companies have June reporting years. For ASX100 companies that reported their June full-year results in August, total profits fell by one third from $116b to $76b.

Ashley Owen Sep 01, 2023

“What sets Ashley Owen’s analysis apart from investment banks and the financial press is his deep fact-based understanding of long-term financial data, rather than getting caught up on the daily noise over issues that may generate trades or sell newspapers today, but will be irrelevant and misleading two years from now.”

Hugh Dive, CFA. Chief Investment Officer, Atlas Funds Management, and frequent expert commentator quoted in the AFR.

“Ashley’s unique fact-based analyses and insights into Australian and global markets are always worth reading. He has an incredibly deep and comprehensive store of financial markets data.”

Chris Cuffe, AO – One of Australia’s best known and most experienced investment managers – former CEO of industry giants Colonial First State, then Challenger Financial; founder and Chair of Australian Philanthropic Services, and Third Link Growth Fund; current/former chair, director and/or investment committee member of numerous funds including UniSuper, Argo Investments, Hearts and Minds Investments, Paul Ramsay Foundation, and many others. Read more.

“Over the past 20 years, Ashley has been an invaluable assistance to me, as a reliable source of unbelievably strong and interesting data, and many good investment ideas.”

"The depth and quality of Ashley’s research and analysis of investment markets is the best in the business.”

Dr Don Stammer - Australia’s most respected economic writer, commentator, and speaker for the past 40 years, with a distinguished career including the Reserve Bank of Australia, Chief Economist at Deutsche Bank Australia for 21 years, chair of nine ASX companies, plus numerous non-listed and not-for-profit boards. Read more

‘For many years, Ashley has been my go-to source of information and analysis on what’s going on in financial markets and why.’

“Ashley has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the markets – I call him Mr Google!”

Noel Whittaker, AM – Australia’s best-known personal finance writer, columnist, and media commentator for the past three decades. He has written more than 20 books on personal finance, his columns appear in almost every major Australian newspaper, and he appears regularly on radio and TV as an expert on finance and investing. Noel Whittaker AM

Australian Shares

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