How to decide between shares and bonds
Bond yields are trading at record lows and shares appear pricey, leaving investors wondering where to go for returns.
Three big investment themes
Major economic and demographic trends over the next two decades will be game changers for investors.
How to lock in share price gains with a covered call option
The strong rally in the sharemarket has some investors, especially those with investments in the major banks, giving serious thought to whether they should take some profits in case a major correction soon sees these gains diminish.
The most cost-effective way to retire if you have lots of shares and other assets
If you have $1.5m or so in blue-chip shares and own your home, how can you be sure of a steady, reliable income while saving on financial adviser fees?
Know your personality type
For many, the thrill of a quick profit is what drives them to deal online, while others prefer a slower approach.
How to make sure you don’t run out of money when you retire
Retirement plans are back on the agenda. The sharemarket is up 20 per cent since June, boosting the hopes of those who were forced to return to work to rebuild their nest eggs after the GFC.
How to know when it’s time to move out of bonds
Investors have been caught on the wrong foot by a bond crash before, and the trick is determining the best time to jump ship and switch investments.
Strategies for safe margin investing
If a market rally is the real thing and has legs, investors who borrow to invest or use geared instruments will do better than average. But be careful.
What is the P/E ratio and return on equity (ROE)?
Understanding sharemarket figures and phrases – P/E ratios and the like – can put you in a position of strength when considering where to invest.
How to short sell stocks in a bull market
As markets rise, it’s easy to assume short selling becomes less relevant as a trading strategy. But experts say shorting is still an appropriate strategy – especially when trying to mitigate the risks to which an investment portfolio is exposed.
How to value invest using data from online trading websites
Value investors seek to identify companies whose share prices they believe do not reflect the strength of their financial data
12 reasons not to buy shares in a turnaround company
There are big risks – and possible huge returns – on offer from buying out-of-favour companies. But the market always underestimates how long it takes to fix a big business. Here are 12 traps to avoid when running your ruler over a company in a turnaround situation.
What shares to buy when the market falls
Here’s a phrase investors haven’t heard for some time: buy the dip. The phrase is slang for snapping up stocks deemed to be cheap as a result of any sell-off.
Should you invest in hedge funds?
Hedge funds should generally be avoided by moderate or conservative investors, and should play only a limited role in the growth portfolios of less risk-averse investors.
How to spot dodgy company accounts
Do not believe everything you read in the financials of a company, especially its profit and loss account.
Safe investment alternatives to term deposits
Conservative investors seek investments that provide higher returns than term deposits, and have less risk than holding a handful of shares directly. We look at eight of them.
How to reduce your SMSF tax with self-funded instalment warrants
A self-funding instalment warrant, which allows investors to loan a certain amount of shares in addition to those paid for, while receiving the full amount of franking credits associated with the shares.
Good yields from bank shares
Some bank dividends pay over 10pc fully franked, more than twice the top rates on their fixed-term accounts.
