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August 2020 Newsletter This year more than ever it’s a great time to plan your finances for the year ahead, to rebuild or make the most of savings you have made during months of social isolation. With an extraordinary financial year behind us, it’s a good time to take stock. After 28 years Australia’s record economic expansion ended due to the COVID shutdowns. Our economy contracted by 0.3% in the March quarter and looks set to contract 8% in th.....
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  June 2020 Newsletter Winter is here and we are almost to the end of another financial year. And what a year it’s been! With so many Australians impacted by fires, floods, drought and now COVID-19, let’s hope the new financial year sees a return to something like normality. As May unfolded, hopes grew of economic re-opening. Reserve Bank Governor Philip Lowe told a Senate Committee on COVID-19 the economic downturn was less severe than fea.....
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Welcome to our May newsletter. After an extraordinary month of social and economic hibernation, there are positive signs that some of the restrictions on our everyday lives will soon be loosened somewhat. This is welcome news for households, businesses and our economy. Data released in April provided an early insight into the impact of the coronavirus on the Australian economy. Inflation rose by an unexpected 0.3 per cent in the March quarter, l.....
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Coronavirus Safety Net In a rapidly evolving response to the spread of COVID-19, the Federal Government’s second support package announced on 22nd March, has flicked the switch to more income support for retirees and workers. Between the first $17.6 billion package announced on March 12, and this latest $66.1 billion package, the emphasis has shifted from stimulus aimed at keeping businesses up and running, to support for individuals to get.....
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As 2020 gets under way and holidaymakers return to work, we wish everyone a happy and prosperous New Year. Our thoughts are also with our fellow Australians caught up in the catastrophic bushfires around the country; we wish you all a safe and speedy recovery. December provided a busy end to an eventful 2019. Federal Treasurer, Josh Frydenberg announced a downgrade to near-term forecasts of economic growth, inflation, wages and business investmen.....
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December is here which marks the official start to summer. Unfortunately, the bush fire season is already underway. We would like to take this opportunity to express our heartfelt thanks to the firefighters, emergency services personnel and community members who have been working tirelessly to save lives and property. After keeping interest rates on hold at 0.75 per cent in November, Reserve Bank Governor Philip Lowe said in a speech he would on.....
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It’s October, a turning point in the year when the days begin to get longer and many states switch to daylight saving. Time to spring clean your home, your finances or your business ahead of the summer rush. September was a month of continuing uncertainty on the global stage. The ongoing US-China trade dispute, political turmoil in the UK as the Brexit deadline looms and a drone strike on a Saudi Arabian oil processing plant all weighed on financ.....
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It’s September and spring is in the air. It’s time to shake off the winter cobwebs, get out into the garden or the great outdoors. It’s also a good time to plan your summer break. August was a challenging month for investors. Global markets reacted negatively to an escalation in the US-China trade war and the looming no-deal Brexit. US economic growth slowed to an annual rate of 2 per cent in the June quarter, down from 3.1 per cent the previous .....
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It’s August and we are into the final month of an unusually balmy winter, after a record run of high temperatures for July in many states. Financial markets have also been running hot with new records set. Global sharemarkets were riding high in July, fueled by higher than expected US growth, rising expectations that the US Fed would cut interest rates this month and hopes of further China-US trade talks. On the flip side, global bond yiel.....
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Newsletter July 2019 It’s July and temperatures are falling across the country. It may be chilly Downunder but Aussie women are on fire in the northern hemisphere, with Ash Barty, Sally Fitzgibbons and Hannah Green victorious in tennis, surfing and golf. All eyes were on interest rates and the ongoing US-China trade war in June. In Australia, the Reserve Bank cut its official cash rate by 25 basis points to an historic low of 1.25% with more cut.....
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