In his latest newsletter entitled “Shall We Repeal the Laws of Economics”, Howard Marks posited “deficits encourage the economic growth that most people enjoy, and spending more than the government takes in permits officials to give away “free stuff”, thereby gaining votes. But doing this perpetually requires ignoring the laws of economics, running up debts in the apparent belief they’ll never have to be paid. Can it go on without end? We’ll see, but I would think not”. Continue…

by David Buckland Posted in Economics.

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The question, ‘my parents are cash-strapped, so why don’t they sell their house?’ is a familiar topic of discussion among us, Gen X’ers, aged between 43 and 59 in 2024.

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by Roger Montgomery Posted in Aura Group, Property.

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In this week’s video insight, I am joined by Gary Rollo and Dominic Rose, portfolio managers of the Montgomery Small Companies Fund, as they celebrate the fund’s five-year milestone. They discuss the fund’s impressive performance, having delivered a 9.3 per cent compound annual return and outperforming the S&P/ ASX Small Ordinaries Index by 33 per cent since its inception in 2019. Despite market volatility, including the COVID-19 pandemic and central banks’ rapid rate hikes, the fund has consistently identified growth opportunities. Gary and Dominic share their investment approach and outlook for small caps, highlighting their strategy to capitalise on emerging market conditions.

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by David Buckland Posted in Small Caps, Video Insights.

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In last week’s interview with Ausbiz, we discussed the recent accusations against Coles (ASX:COL) and Woolworths (ASX:WOW) for misleading shoppers about discounts. We explored how the new leadership at both companies, with female CEO’s, might bring a more nuanced and sensitive approach to crisis management. While Coles has taken a defensive stance, Woolworths’ more measured response could ultimately benefit their long-term brand value. Drawing from past examples like Qantas (ASX:QAN) and Exxon, I highlighted the importance of transparency and suggested that the supermarket that embraces change could gain a competitive edge in the market. 

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by Roger Montgomery Posted in TV Appearances.

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OpenAI has recently made waves with its launch of cutting-edge speech technology, and underscoring the company’s shift in focus. While this marks an impressive leap in artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, it also raises critical concerns that the race to release new products may be sidelining safety measures. Continue…

by Roger Montgomery Posted in Companies.

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It was, for example, wise to be alert to the possibility of a large move lower if volatility emerged after a long rally. And while it has been my experience that volatility does indeed cluster around major turning points, it’s possible I only remember what I want to. Continue…

by Roger Montgomery Posted in Editor's Pick, In the Press, Market commentary.

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by Roger Montgomery Posted in Radio.

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Last week, I appeared on ABC News to discuss what Coles (ASX:COL) and Woolworths (ASX:WOW) can do to rebuild their reputations after accusations of fake discount claims, which caused a drop in both share prices. Coles is set to defend itself to the Australian Compeititon & Consumer Commission (ACCC), but both companies must act quickly to regain public trust. One of them has the chance to rally community support by being the first to address the issues openly and make meaningful changes to their pricing strategies. Continue…

by Roger Montgomery Posted in TV Appearances.

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