15th December 2023 Yes, Virginia, there is a rate pause (and possible Fed cuts coming into view) Dear readers, it’s that time of year again, when we put the finishing touches on December and pause to reflect not only on the past 12 months but turn our minds to all the possibilities a New [...]

17th November 2023Market UpdateChristmas may be around the corner, but it’s been hard to escape the depressing reality of the news cycle in recent weeks.The war between Israel and Hamas is stoking growing fears of a wider Middle East conflict and far-reaching impacts on energy and food markets, global trade and geopolitical relationships.These fears, understandably, [...]

15th September 2023 Navigating by the stars under cloudy skies - Jackson Hole’s inflation forecast The majestic Grand Teton mountain range in Wyoming, US, provided a striking backdrop for the high-profile annual Jackson Hole economic retreat last month, with financial markets watching the event as closely as the area’s native hawks. The annual get-together [...]

11th August 2023 Analysts of late seem to have taken a cue from a classic suspense movie – dramatic, unpredictable, and leaving us a little scared to look. The script is laced with economic intrigue, with job data serving both as the protagonist and antagonist, inflation stealing the show, and the Central Bank’s next [...]

31st July 2023 Esteemed readers, we extend our sincerest apologies for the postponement of our usual Friday newsletter. Alas, the elusive "Fridayitis" mischievously intervened, causing a slight disruption to our regular schedule. While the allure of Friday's impending weekend escapades is undeniably captivating, there's a special charm to discovering something on Monday. Amidst the [...]

14th July 2023 Fear drives many facets of our lives. In her book "Fear Less", Dr Pippa Grange, a renowned psychologist who works extensively with elite athletes and sports teams (including the Australian Olympic team), highlights the pervasive role fear has in our lives. She argues that fear is often what holds us back [...]

30th June 2023 An article by business columnist Robert Gottliebsen published in the Australian yesterday, summarised beautifully recent discussions we at FinSec have been having around inflation and interest rates - so much so the comment “did we write this?” was made. It is a conundrum that lies in the Reserve Bank of Australia's [...]

16th June 2023 Earlier this week, the Albanese government released its first response to the Quality of Advice Review (QAR), an independent review commissioned by the previous government (led by Michelle Levy) with the goal of simplifying the laws governing financial advice. It has accepted 14 of the review's recommendations "in full or in [...]

2nd June 2023 Never let a good crisis go to waste! The biggest macroeconomic swing factor in global markets of the past few weeks has been the ongoing impasse around the US Debt Ceiling. And, whilst resolved for now (in principle - there are still a few bridges to cross), in considering these types [...]

19th May 2023 Former Reserve Bank governor Glenn Stevens knows all too well how long inflation can hang around. This week he warned Australians of the difficult road ahead. The current Macquarie Bank chairman told a conference this week that so-called ‘soft landings’ are pretty uncommon. When they have happened, he said, they have [...]