I recently read a fascinating Substack explaining why “Champagne Socialism” is now the ultimate luxury belief.

The post implies the ultimate status symbol for today’s elite isn’t a yacht or a luxury watch; it is a loud, performative nod to radical left-leaning politics.

While the term isn’t new, today’s manifestation of the Champagne Socialist is deeply insidious because it’s a dynamic familiar to the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and its socialist/Labor Left factions, yet one that alienates and financially ruins the working class that Labor claims to champion. Continue…

by Roger Montgomery Posted in Market commentary.

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The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) needs to follow California’s lead and get on this! 

I want to tell you about a product called Kalibrate Fuel Pricing. Kalibrate, the company that provides artificial intelligence (AI) driven fuel pricing and market analytics software, is owned by the private equity firm Hanover Bidco.

Kalibrate Fuel Pricing requests petrol station owners to provide sensitive, non-public data, including historical gas sale costs, volumes, forecasted costs, and margins. Using this private data alongside publicly available information, it offers pricing recommendations for petrol. Kalibrate describes this approach as “competitor-led fuel pricing decisions” and claims to provide “complete visibility on your competitors.”

That all sounds reasonable when thinking about an individual station using the service. Continue…

by Roger Montgomery Posted in Companies, Editor's Pick, Energy / Resources, Market commentary.

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I joined Jess Maguire on ABC Statewide Drive to discuss the recent sell-off in technology shares and why rising interest rates, weakening cash flows and growing questions around artificial intelligence (AI) economics may be shifting investor sentiment. We explored how reported earnings across the major AI companies may be overstating the underlying picture, why relatively modest price-to-earnings (P/E) ratios do not necessarily rule out a market correction, and why diversification remains important in an increasingly uncertain environment.

Listen from 1:44:13: ABC Statewide Drive  

by Roger Montgomery Posted in Economics, Market commentary, Technology & Telecommunications.

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I joined Nadine Blayney on Ausbiz today to discuss why I remain cautious on the artificial intelligence (AI) investment theme, despite strong earnings from the major technology companies. While reported profits continue to rise, I argued that much of the spending on AI infrastructure is being treated as capital expenditure rather than an expense, making earnings appear stronger than underlying cash flows. I also suggested that today’s relatively modest price-to-earnings (P/E) ratios may not tell the full story, noting that markets can still suffer significant declines even from low valuations if earnings prove unsustainable. Ultimately, I believe the key risk is not that AI share prices are too high, but that investor expectations for future earnings may be too optimistic.

Tune in via Ausbiz here: The reason Roger reckons AI is a “bubble” Continue…

by Roger Montgomery Posted in Technology & Telecommunications, TV Appearances.

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Artificial intelligence (AI) has become the market’s biggest investment theme, with strong earnings and seemingly reasonable valuations convincing many investors the rally still has further to run.

But beneath the surface, several warning signs suggest the picture may not be as strong as it appears.

Big claims, bigger questions

Elon Musk says SpaceX’s Total Addressable Market (TAM) in Enterprise AI is US$26.5 trillion. Outside estimates suggest $US50-$300 billion. This leaves the ‘buyers’ and the ‘sellers’ with some important questions. Continue…

by Roger Montgomery Posted in Companies, Market Valuation.

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A layman’s guide to CrossBorder Capital’s latest financial outlook.

The core problem: A tsunami of government debt

Macroeconomic research house CrossBorder Capital’s Michael Howell recently summarised the dilemma confronting the U.S. Federal Reserve under newly appointed Chair Kevin Warsh.

For most, the use of proprietary indicators and the esoteric interpretations is likely to be skimmed over, but sometimes a bit of additional attention pays dividends. Right now might be one of those junctures.

The U.S. government funds its budget shortfalls by issuing bonds – essentially IOUs to investors. To keep this system running smoothly, two things are required: balance-sheet capacity (the financial ability of large institutions to buy and hold these bonds) and market liquidity (the amount of readily available cash circulating to trade them). Continue…

by Roger Montgomery Posted in Economics, Editor's Pick, Insightful Insights, Investing Education.

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I recently joined ABC Newcastle Mornings with Kylie Morris to discuss why households may benefit from reviewing their spending habits, including a simple exercise of separating expenses into “wants” and “needs” to identify potential savings and build a financial buffer.

We also explored how interest rates can act like gravity on asset prices, with higher rates reducing the present value of future cash flows – potentially weighing on shares and other investments.

Finally, we touched on the implications of the artificial intelligence (AI) boom for investors and superannuation (with specific reference to the recent SpaceX IPO), including concerns around supply chain fragility, resource consumption and the growing integration of AI into critical systems.

Tune in from 37:30 here: ABC Newcastle Mornings Continue…

by Roger Montgomery Posted in Consumer discretionary, Economics, Investing Education, Market commentary, Radio.

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According to the most bullish investors the current bull market bears little resemblance to the tech bubble of 1999/2000.

That late-90s tech bubble was fueled by a Fear of Missing Out (FOMO), which was reflected in the very high price-to-earnings (P/E) multiples. Today’s bull market is accompanied by much more reasonable valuations suggesting that the rally is merely reflecting an equally steep increase in real earnings.

In early 2000, the tech sector’s forward P/E ratio stood at 55 times, and the broader S&P500 rose to 25 times forward earnings; today, the S&P500 sits on a forward P/E of 20.5 times and the tech sector on 23 times.

The bulls suggest an earnings-driven rally (as reflected in modest P/E ratios) is inherently more sustainable than one built on expanding hope and P/Es. Continue…

by Roger Montgomery Posted in Economics, Editor's Pick, Insightful Insights, Market commentary, Market Valuation.

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