I joined Juliette Saly from Ausbiz yesterday to discuss the surge in gold buying and why it may be driven more by fear than logic. With queues forming outside bullion dealers, many investors are chasing gold as a hedge against inflation, currency debasement, or geopolitical risk – reasons that have existed for years. Yet, as prices hit record highs and physical gold carries steep costs and little utility, the rush looks more like Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO) than sound investing. While gold can’t generate income and its vertical price rise seems unsustainable, those still bullish might consider exchange-traded funds (ETFs) over physical bars, which offer lower friction and better financial sense.
Catch the episode on Ausbiz here: Are we paying too much for gold?

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by Roger Montgomery Posted in Market Valuation, TV Appearances.

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Yesterday on ABC Statewide Drive, I discussed how Australia’s rising unemployment rate has lifted the odds of an interest rate cut – a move that could support valuations even as the economy softens. I explained why investors shouldn’t react to monthly data but instead stay focused on quality businesses and consider diversifying into alternatives like private credit or arbitrage funds to stay balanced in a volatile market.

Listen in from 1:48:17 on ABC Statewide Drive.

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by Roger Montgomery Posted in Radio.

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I joined Paul Turton on ABC Newcastle Mornings yesterday to discuss how everyday items can shed light on global economics. I explained “doughnut economics,” which looks at balancing human needs with environmental limits, and compared it with purchasing power tools like the Big Mac and Mars Bar Indexes. These offer a quick look at currency values and living costs but are they too simple to capture the full picture?

Listen in from 37:07 on ABC Newcastle Mornings. Continue…

by Roger Montgomery Posted in Radio.

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Hear from the team at Polen Capital as they outline their disciplined investment process that allows them to filter thousands of companies down to a focused group. By concentrating on businesses with durable advantages and essential products, they aim to build portfolios aligned with their long-standing philosophy of quality and conviction. Continue…

by Polen Capital Posted in Polen Capital.

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In this week’s video insight, I tackle the question I’m most often asked  – is the market going to crash? The truth is, no one knows. While valuations across measures like price-to-earnings and market-cap-to-GVA suggest markets are expensive, they can stay that way for a long time. Rather than selling out, investors should consider rebalancing – trimming profits from equities that have grown beyond their target allocation and reallocating to alternatives such as private credit or arbitrage strategies. This approach helps manage risk and reduce anxiety without trying to time the market’s next move.

For more information, give David Buckland or Rhodri Taylor a call on (02) 8046 5000. Continue…

by Roger Montgomery Posted in Video Insights.

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In the past 14 months, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) has cut its cash rate on seven separate occasions by an aggregate 3.0 per cent from 5.5 per cent to 2.5 per cent, as seen in Table 1.

Table 1. Reserve bank of New Zealand rate cuts Continue…

by David Buckland Posted in Global markets, Market commentary, Property.

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Markets sit at elevated levels, fuelled by optimism around artificial intelligence and the promise of lasting productivity gains. Yet beneath the excitement lies a complex mix of valuations, momentum, and risk – raising important questions about how investors can stay positioned if sentiment shifts.

Markets are expensive – observations and implications

There is a conga line of analysts, fund managers and commentators pointing out the extremes many traditional or conventional measures of value have now reached.  From price-to-earnings, price-to-book, and market-cap-to-Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to earnings and dividend yields, the U.S. S&P 500 is in rarified air when it comes to the price investors are willing to pay for exposure to future growth. Continue…

by Roger Montgomery Posted in Aura Group, Digital Asset Funds Management, Market commentary, Market Valuation.

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On November 30, 2022, the world marvelled at the release and conversational prowess of OpenAI’s ChatGPT. What the world might have missed, however, was the subtle shift that began rippling through the U.S. economy.

What started as a viral tech demo – capable of drafting emails, coding snippets, and even poetry – escalated into a full-blown revolution in large language models (LLMs) and artificial intelligence, now described as the fourth industrial revolution. Continue…

by Roger Montgomery Posted in Technology & Telecommunications.

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