While the devastating Cyclone Gabrielle and the unprecedented Auckland floods have made for a challenging start to the year, it has been a different story for markets which have enjoyed a bit of a rally globally so far in 2023. Is this the start of the next bull market? Maybe, maybe not. But what it does show is how quickly things can change and reinforces the importance of staying invested…

The FMA hosted an event on financial wellbeing for women in celebration of International Women’s Day 2023 - Wednesday 8 March at 12:00pm. It’s now available to watch or listen on YouTube here…

With the page having turned on another year, it is time to turn our thoughts to the investment challenges that lie ahead as economies continue to grapple with high inflation and uncertainty. It is impossible to predict the future but whatever happens this year, sticking to our principles of calm, discipline, and a long-term perspective will help deliver decent returns…

As we begin the new year it’s interesting to reflect on 2022 and look ahead to 2023. High inflation, rising interest rates, Russia invasion of Ukraine, energy crisis in the UK, Queen Elizabeth II died, China zero covid, COP27, Football world cup… All in all, 2022 was a huge year and one that hasn’t been particularly enjoyable for investors…

The market has rallied over the last 2 months as investor optimism regarding moderating inflation and interest rates improves. But a high level of uncertainty prevails and equity markets are likely to remain volatile…

Inflation continues to be stubbornly high and central banks around the world (except for China) are taking steps to force interest rates higher to dampen demand for goods and services and thereby bring inflation under control…

Central banks all around the world are acting to dampen down inflation by forcing interest rates higher. They are signalling further increases. Rising interest rates have caused prices of bonds in the secondary market (existing bonds) to fall….

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, inflation remains front of mind for investors. The collective market mind is constantly predicting where interest rates will go and the impact on the economy. The word “recession” is bandied about. The result is volatility in share markets and reduced market prices for bonds…

It's never too early (or too late) to think about managing your money. Visit Financial Advice New Zealand to learn all about the five key steps to manage your money better. And pass it on!…

After a decade of global quantitative easing to keep interest rates at historical lows, the last 6 months have seen central banks switch direction to quantitative tightening and monetary policy to increase rates. This has impacted negatively on both share prices and bond prices globally and, with the expectation of interest rates rising further, short-term investors are concerned about possible economic recession…

The first six months of 2022 was the worst start to a year for the US share market since 1970 with the S&P500 dropping 21%. Prices for high growth companies fell the hardest - Tesla fell 44%. Inflation, the Russian invasion, and China shutdowns are fuelling concerns about rising interest rates and possible economic recession…

The investment landscape continues to be volatile with the main concerns being high inflation and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Inflation is usually seen as result of excessive demand pushing prices up, but this time pressure is coming from both demand and supply…