A new generation of just over 5 million Australians – born between 1965 and 1980 – are approaching their retirement years.
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Global markets delivered mixed but generally resilient outcomes over the December quarter, as investors navigated shifting expectations for interest rates, valuation pressures and ongoing geopolitical uncertainty. Early volatility gave way to steadier conditions toward year end, supported by the US Federal Reserve’s December rate cut and continued confidence in corporate earnings. Artificial intelligence remained a key structural theme, while strength in defensive sectors, commodities, and gold helped balance a more selective risk appetite.
2025 unfolded against a backdrop of heightened geopolitical tensions, shifting central bank policy, and uneven global growth. Markets began the year cautiously, with Donald Trump’s return to the US presidency renewing tariff uncertainty and contributing to early volatility as investors assessed potential impacts on trade, inflation and corporate earnings. Confidence gradually improved as inflation moderated across major economies and expectations for steadier policy settings emerged. A powerful theme in markets was the accelerated investment in artificial intelligence, which became a central driver of global market leadership as the year progressed.
Global markets surged in the September quarter of 2025 driven by optimism around monetary easing and A.I. innovation alleviating earlier concerns over tariffs and slowing growth. Global equities powered higher on a wave of strong earnings, a long-anticipated US rate cut, and continued enthusiasm for A.I. Commodity and credit markets also strengthened, while volatility briefly flared around policy uncertainty and fiscal stress, particularly in Europe, amid a looming US government shutdown.