| Emerging in volatile markets |
August 2008
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In the past 12 months performance across most asset classes, including emerging markets, has retreated in the face of a credit crunch and US economic slowdown. Despite this, emerging market economies are still growing faster than most developed countries.
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| Can the Aussie dollar continue to dazzle? |
August 2008
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Last time the Australian dollar traded at its current levels (around 96.00 US cents at the time of writing), Malcolm Fraser was Prime Minister and Men at Work's Down Under was storming the charts.
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| Vanguard's Cash Reserve Fund now available on Macquarie Wrap |
June 2008
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A recent addition to Macquarie Wraps platform, the Vanguard Cash Reserve fund was established in October 2007. It provides advisers with a low cost (0.15% management fee), efficient liquidity management solution for their clients.
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| The Oil Conundrum |
June 2008
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I remember editing research for an investment bank several years ago. As the oil price racked up a succession of round numbers - US$40 a barrel, $50, $60 and $70 - the bank's economists were convinced that the global economy would take a hit. "Higher oil prices are a tax on the world economy," was the mantra I heard time and again. It's true - they are. The global economy has demonstrated enormous resilience to rising oil prices so far, but in the last week of June, the oil price crossed US$140 a barrel for the first time. That could be a round number too far.
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| Benchmark changes for Vanguard Funds |
June 2008
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Vanguard has changed the benchmark for the Vanguard International Fixed Interest Index Fund (Hedged) and the Vanguard International Credit Securities Index Fund (Hedged) in which the Vanguard Index Diversified Bond Fund invests. These changes will be effective 30 June 2008.
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| The explosive growth of global infrastructure |
May 2008
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Worldwide population and economic growth is putting increasing strains on the development, maintenance and modernisation of global infrastructure requirements. Years of underinvestment in infrastructure have left many countries with the legacy of deteriorating infrastructure and in desperate need for improvements.
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| Highly recommended upgrade for Vanguard's Property Securities Index Fund |
May 2008
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Lonsec has upgraded Vanguard's Property Securities Index Fund rating from "Recommended" to "Highly Recommended".
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| The Treasury and RBA peer into a blurry future |
May 2008
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A week may be a long time in politics but six months can be a millennium when it comes to Federal Budget forecasts. Even just a few months can have a big impact on Treasury expectations for the year ahead.
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| If you are pessimistic for long enough, you are bound to be proven right |
April 2008
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Are we heading for a Great Depression-like downturn or have we now seen the worst of the global credit crisis? A sober examination of the latest information follows.
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| Take a wide angle view of your money |
April 2008
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When sharemarkets around the world are delivering the stomach-churning thrill of a roller coaster ride it is understandable that investors struggle to keep the broad, long-term view of the world in focus.
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| Year End Super Contribution Strategies |
April 2008
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The Government's introduction of the 'Better Super' system has changed the face of the superannuation environment with 30 June 2008 marking the first anniversary of the new super regime.
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| Uncertainty continues to plague Australian markets |
March 2008
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"Well basically, your guess is as good as mine." (The most honest Treasurer in Australian history, Mr John Kerin, August 1991, when asked for his economic outlook.) Will the Australian economy follow the US into recession, putting a further dampener on local investment markets?
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| The flight to quality |
March 2008
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Fixed interest is an asset class that has been out of favour over the past few years as investors have flocked to the higher returns and yields on offer from equity and listed property markets. However, recent market volatility reminds us of the importance of maintaining fixed interest exposure in a diversified investment strategy - especially a defensive one.
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| Are Australians too much in debt? |
March 2008
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Are we facing a "time bomb of loans that is probably going to implode", as one scare-mongering commentator recently predicted? An examination of the key facts should calm even the most media attention-seeking academic or on-line commentator on this issue.
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| Vanguard extends range of index funds |
November 2007
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Vanguard Investments Australia has added four new wholesale index funds to the Vanguard range including two international small companies funds and two global infrastructure funds.
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| Financial services industry airs out dirty laundry |
November 2007
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In the post September 11 world, money laundering has become a global issue. In its 2007 Global Anti-Money Laundering Survey, KPMG estimates global money laundering flows exceeded US$1 trillion.
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| US sub-prime clouds continue to threaten market stability |
November 2007
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Investors - and their advisers - should not let the bolts of financial lightning which have lit up world markets in recent months distract them from the need to take a much longer view of the financial climate. Over the next few months, some black clouds are likely to continue hovering over global markets - and portfolios.
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| What do gold and property have in common? |
November 2007
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Vanguard's Index Australian Property Securities Fund has taken out the gold award for the Best Australian Property Security Fund in Money Magazines Best of the Best 2008. It's the second year in succession the Vanguard fund has won this esteemed award.
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| Good times are not always what they seem |
October 2007
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Indeed the recent global financial market problems were a salutary reminder that while the financial houses of the world may look in great order, there may still be rats gnawing away in the basement.
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| Emerging Markets Fund: 4 Star Rating |
September 2007
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On 14 September 2007, Standard & Poors announced the rerating of Vanguard's Emerging Markets Shares Index Fund from 3 stars to 4 stars.
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| MSCI Barra redefines global index composition |
September 2007
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MSCI Barra will soon be introducing changes to the methodology it uses to construct global equity indices for developed and emerging markets.
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| What we don't know will hurt us |
September 2007
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The recent machinations on global equity markets were a long overdue reminder that it is the unknowns - the ones we don't know - that matter. Financial markets, far from being "perfect" and rational, by always anticipating the events which move them, are in fact highly imperfect and irrational.
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| Keep a watchful eye on key economic indicators |
August 2007
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Australians have never had it so good but will the rosy economic glow set off a round of wage rises which will force up interest rates, slow the economy and cut company earnings and share prices?
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| Tentacles of destruction provide a timely reminder of risk assessment |
July 2007
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The tentacles of destruction in the US housing market appear to be spreading with Countrywide Financial warning that an increasing number of prime borrowers are falling behind on payments of home equity loans.
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| $A predictions - A tall order |
July 2007
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With what used to be called "The Little Aussie Battler" at an 18-year high against the $US, a sober overview of what drives our currency and the difficulties in forecasting its value is timely.
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| Is Australia due for a flu shot |
June 2007
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If Wall Street catches a serious cold over the months ahead will the Australian sharemarket come down with pneumonia? Wall Street certainly moves the ASX in the shortterm. Its ups and downs are often replicated Down Under.
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| Who are the likely winners and losers of the Federal Budget |
May 2007
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Despite the confidence of all Federal Treasurers on Budget night, investors and their advisers should remember the wise warning of a retired Treasury official: "Budget forecasts are a massive form of pretence - a pretence of knowing what would have happened. if what does happen hadn't."
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| A world of opportunity |
May 2007
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According to the 2006 Australian Share Ownership Study released by the ASX in May 2007, 73 million or 46 per cent of adult Australians owned shares either directly or indirectly via a managed fund or selfmanaged superannuation fund.
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| The Changing Face of the International Property Market |
Apr 2007
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International listed property has attracted unprecedented media attention over recent years. We talk to Eric Smith Vanguards Principal and Chief Investment Officer about why investors are looking offshore for listed property investment opportunities.
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| Global property a many splendoured thing |
Apr 2007
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Global property investment is very much like love a many splendoured thing. But like affairs of the heart investors should look very carefully before they leap.
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| A diversified approach to emerging markets |
Mar 2007
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While emerging markets have produced stellar results over the past few years they come with higher volatility than their more mature counterparts
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| The Chinese casino economic update |
Mar 2007
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Usually when Wall St sneezes world share markets catch a cold But on February 26th the Shanghai tiger snorted and fireballs went flying around the globe
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| Interest rates where to next |
Feb 2007
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The ups and downs of interest rates can have a large impact on investment markets So its no wonder everyone is now asking have interest rates peaked Dr David Clark investigates
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| The great diversifier Vanguard International Fixed Interest Fund Hedged |
Feb 2007
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Vanguards International Fixed Interest Index Fund invests in around 500 fixed interest securities from 22 governments around the world The fund is fully hedged into Australian dollars
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| Asian tigers roar or purr |
Dec 2006
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Asian equity markets certainly had a rocky ride over 2006. After a bright first quarter they were hit hard by the US equities midyear correction which was a product of what turned out to be false fears of a sharp rise in US inflation They were then shaken by fears of lower US growth and then rallied in response to the fall in world oil prices and betterthanexpected US company earnings
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| What Mark Twain can teach investors about international propert |
Nov 2006
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Mark Twain was right Investors should put their eggs in more than one basket. But he never envisaged that investors would be able to easily invest in many different property baskets in many different countries thus spreading their risk and reducing the chances of omelet outcomes
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| The question of a pension |
Oct 2006
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Some people grow old gracefully others rail against the ageing processIt should be no surprise that the baby boomer generation is divided in its attitudes to retiring After all the people born in the baby boom that followed the end of World War II have challenged and redefined just about every other social attitude as they have encountered it Why should retirement be any different
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| Part 2 The greying Australian economy |
Oct 2006
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Age may not matter unless you are a cheese or a good bottle of wine but it can have an important effect on financial markets and what products they offer For example overseas studies show that population ageing tends initially to benefit equities markets as the 4064 year cohort grows but then as the 65 cohort becomes predominant it is more likely to benefit bond markets relative to equity markets
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| Part 1 The greying Australian economy |
Sept 2006
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When the almonds of life finally arrive to paraphrase the wonderful old saying will many Australians find that their teeth have gone Certainly the ageing of our population will affect all Australians and all sectors of the economy
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| All economic forecasts are a massive form of pretence |
Aug 2006
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All economic forecasts are a massive form of pretence - a pretence of knowing what would have happened, if what does happen hadn't. Take a survey done by the London Economist magazine which sent out a questionnaire asking members of the following groups to make forecasts for the pound a decade out:
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| Happy returns sorry about the tax bill |
Aug 2006
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Investors in Australian share funds had every reason to be happy as the accountants ruled off the 2005-06 financial year at the end of June.
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| Australian equities when real returns matter |
Aug 2006
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In their recent report 'Minimise Tax: Maximise your clients portfolios', Navigator Research ranked Vanguards' Australian Share Index Fund in their top five Australian equity funds for tax effectiveness.
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| Is the recent 'once in a generation' commodities boom about to burst? |
July 2006
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In Australian markets, booms in resource shares have been the best times to make a quick buck, and the last couple of years were a good reminder of this maxim.
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| International property that does not cost the world |
July 2006
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Vanguard's International Property Securities Index Funds invest in more than 250 listed property securities in around 20 of the worlds major markets for a low management cost of 0.40%
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| What is the appropriate mix of indexing and active management? |
July 2006
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During a recent visit to Australia, Chief Investment Officer and Managing Director of Vanguard in the US, Gus Sauter, presented to a group of researchers on the appropriate mix of indexing and active management.
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| Tax cuts are not always what they seem |
June2006
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The Howard Government's radical simplification of the super system was long overdue and rightly applauded. But we simply do not know whether Australians will indeed work harder and longer and save...
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| A Super Budget |
June 2006
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In the May Federal Budget, Treasurer Peter Costello announced some of the most significant changes to the superannuation system in the last 20 years, reversing many policy initiatives.
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| Vanguard Investment Process |
May 2006
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Roger McIntosh, Principal Head of Equities, explains Vanguards investment process, in particular, what distinguishes Vanguard's indexing approach, the difference between replication and optimisation and how an optimised approach differs from enhanced indexing.
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| New Skill vs Luck research |
Mar 2006
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Vanguard Investments commissioned Morningstar to conduct a study to look for funds that not only beat the index, but also demonstrated a degree of 'skill' over the five and seven year periods to 30 June 2005.
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NOTE: The materials listed above may have been prepared in the United States or other jurisdictions and the data may therefore relate to foreign products (including mutual funds offered by The Vanguard Group, Inc.). The materials may not represent our views. The materials are presented for your information and reference only and are not intended to advertise or solicit investments in any foreign products or any other product . Vanguard Investments Australia Limited is unable to facilitate investment for you in any products which may be offered by The Vanguard Group, Inc.
FASTnews is general information only and not financial advice. You should consider whether the information in FASTnews is suitable for you, as your personal circumstances have not been taken into account. FASTnews should not be relied upon as a substitute for detailed professional advice.
The information contained is given in good faith and has been derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate at the date of publication. However, Vanguard, its employees or officers give no warranty as to this and they accept no responsibility arising in any way for errors or omissions or the contents of FASTnews.
FASTnews may contain links to other organisations both within and outside Australia. Vanguard does not give any warranty or take any responsibility for the content or any other aspect of those sites. Past performance is no guarantee of future returns.
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