Baby boomers won the genetic lottery in so many ways, not just because a whole chicken in 1973 was $1.09 (Figure 1).  

Take Wayne, for example, born in Sydney in 1945 after World War II. As a teenager, he lands a job earning the national award wage of £13.80 per week. He changes his mind after a couple of years and decides to study engineering. University is free (no HECS), so he continued to work part-time while at university and became an engineer in 1965, earning the average wage of £1,145 per year.    Continue…

by Roger Montgomery Posted in Economics, Editor's Pick, Property.

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For almost a decade, I have described Australian residential property owners as a “protected species”; Whether we look at the banks, the banking system in its entirety, regulators, including the Australia Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA), the government and even individual politicians – many of whom own multiple residential investment properties – nobody wants to see property prices fall.  Continue…

by Roger Montgomery Posted in Economics, Property.

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As you have probably garnered by now, I am optimistic about the prospects for equity markets for the remainder of 2024 and for all of 2025. I believe a process of risk adoption is underway, reversing the conservative stance that dominated sentiment in 2022 and most of 2023 amid fears of rising interest rates and recession. With the subsequent side-stepping of recession along with the acceptance that rates have probably peaked, and with slow deflation continuing, investor appetite for risk can begin to improve.   Continue…

by Roger Montgomery Posted in Economics.

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Investors understand the power of demographic information. Back in the early 1990s, when I was presenting to investors at ASX-sponsored conferences, I recall ‘time-lining’ the baby boomers and predicting – reasonably successfully, I might add – what industries the boomers would have a substantial impact on.   Continue…

by Roger Montgomery Posted in Insightful Insights.

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Over the period since the global financial crisis beginning in 2008, the U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) has seen the yield on three-month treasury bills trade at a premium relative to the U.S. consumer price index (CPI) for less than 5 per cent of the 16.5 year period in question.   Continue…

by David Buckland Posted in Economics.

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For decades, I have been asked if I watch the budget and analyse the government’s annual statement about income, spending, and macroeconomic forecasts. My short answer has always been, ‘no, because there’ll be another one next year.’ It sounds a little flippant and is certainly intended to be irreverent.  Continue…

by Roger Montgomery Posted in Economics.

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In this week’s video insight, I discuss how private credit funds can be an effective strategy for Australians, especially during the current cost–of–living crisis. I delve into why these funds might be a helpful addition to your investment portfolio, particularly in these challenging economic times. I provide a general overview of private credit as an asset class and explore its potential benefits, including the potential for regular income generation and risk management.   Continue…

by Roger Montgomery Posted in Aura Group, Editor's Pick, Video Insights.

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If you’re like us, you will be fascinated by lithium and electric vehicles (EVs). Before delving into the latest fascinating development, I thought it might first be worth reminding ourselves of the challenges of investing in new technologies. 

Investing in technology that advances the world must surely be a good thing? Well, evidently not.  Continue…

by Roger Montgomery Posted in Technology & Telecommunications.

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