Within the next week or two, the European Central Bank (ECB) will look to start buying government debt as part of previously announced €$1.1 trillion plus stimulus package. In the background, the ECB has warned Greece that it cannot rely on it to help the country with short-term debt – and Greece has a lot of it.

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The past quarter in financial markets has seen moderate investment returns for the broader Australian Equities market, while its International counterparts performed materially better. This continued market and investment return volatility looks like the new ‘norm’ for now. 

In an attempt to maximise the current market backdrop, Financial Keys recently caught up with Perpetual to discuss the merits of investing into what we call a Long / Short investment vehicle.

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Looking from above, 2014 was indeed yet another busy year for global economies – there was a lot going on all around the world and astute investors and their advisers were able to make modest returns, while many of the benchmark indexes told a different story – one of poor or even negative returns. There were of course several shining lights.

But that was 2014!

For 2015, Financial Keys has a view and we will continue our research process, speaking with other investment professionals and investment managers to understand their positions and then take the best of this information and use this as part of our ongoing review process. We do not hide the fact that there may well be macro and micro events that we might miss, but at this early stage, this is our most valid opinion on what will drive markets in 2015.

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Dr Shane Oliver shares his thoughts on the year that has passed and on the year ahead.

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When Financial Keys ‘interviews’ an investment manager to form part of its investment stable, a lot of time is spent researching the skill set, background, track record and general overall performance of the manager. One area that Financial Keys looks at closely is each manager’s qualitative ‘screening’ techniques on what they look at when selecting underlying investment.

One investment manager that Financial Keys has researched recently, Perpetual, looks closely at the life cycle of the CEO when trying to understand if their company is worth investing into.

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Who has the time to research all the banks in the market for their loans, let alone understand each one of their loan products? You could spend weeks if not months searching for the best deal that ultimately may or may not meet your needs and probably come away even more confused than when you started.

This is why many people simply head straight to their bank when it comes time to apply for a home loan or any other finance for that matter. Is this the smartest thing to do? Many experts warn, that you may be missing out on significant savings and benefits if you do.

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After strong growth in global share markets from June until August, September and early October saw markets retreat. Is this the beginning of a bear market or simply a market correction?

From an investment market cycle perspective, it would seem that it is a market correction, as there does not appear to be extremely over-valued stocks, investor euphoria, overheated economic conditions or other typical symptoms that precede a major bear market.

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In late 2013 and after much research, Financial Keys introduced contrarian investment manager, Allan Gray into its stable of approved investments. By way of background, typically a contrarian investor is one who attempts to profit by investing in a manner that differs from conventional wisdom, when the consensus opinion appears to be wrong.

Financial Keys recently caught up with the investment managers of Allan Gray and asked for their current view on the markets. Please take the time to read their current thoughts in this article.

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Another July  and another new financial year. Most do not make new Financial Year resolutions like we do at midnight on 31 December, but taking the time to review your options for the next financial year may well be a resolution that pays off in the long run.

In the weeks and months leading to the 30 June, Financial Keys has provided various updates and notifications on the topics of Tax, Superannuation and legislative change. For many of us, there is a lot going on at work, and at home, and we can only hope we have looked after our own finances/affairs as well as our own clients, whatever your vocation.

As some of the dust settles on the May Federal Budget and, for some, July can be a slower month; we thought it would be a good idea to provide a review. Below, we look at a range of areas for you to consider early on in the financial year with regard to your financial affairs. The aforementioned changes are in place, so what now can you do to place yourself in a better financial position?

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The combination of reasonable growth and declining bond yields continues to provide tailwinds for equities. US economic data seems to be improving after a weak start to 2014, while Japan appears to be coping with the sales tax increase. The European recovery remains broadly intact and China continues to go through change.

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