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Most wonderful businesses turn into mediocre ones over time, and I’d argue that’s happening now with the likes of Apple, the big 4 banks, CSL and Mineral Resources. Here are five tell-tale signs when great companies are on the slide.

Is it possible to build a portfolio that performs well in any economic environment? So-called ‘All Weather’ portfolios have become more prominent of late, and this looks at what these portfolios are and their pros and cons.

APRA has released a plan to phase out bank hybrid securities and replace them with capital it regards as cheaper and safer. The transition will impact hybrid markets, funding spreads, and investor strategies.

Asset pricing remains buoyant and equity markets continue to chase financial assets over real ones. As the gap between ‘growth’ stocks and the rest widens further, investors need to decide which side to jump.

Sydney continues to have the most expensive median dwelling value, but the gap between it and the likes of Brisbane and Perth has narrowed. Melbourne’s housing values are now the sixth lowest across the eight capital cities.

Earnings season displayed green shoots in consumer spending, signs of China’s economic malaise, and higher interest rates having a very different impact across companies. Here are the winners and losers.

News Corp’s plans to sell Foxtel are surprising in that streaming assets Kayo, Binge and Hubbl look likely to go with it. This and recent events in the US show the bind that legacy TV businesses find themselves in.

Artificial intelligence is taking the world by storm and the investment industry is still coming to terms with its immense capabilities. Here is how one fund manager is using AI to stay ahead of its competitors.

New figures reveal older people are divorcing more, while the young are staying together longer. This looks at why these trends are happening, and the ramifications for the economy and the financial system.

It surprises me how often individual investors and even seasoned financial professionals don’t know the basics of building an investment portfolio. Here is a guide to do just that, as well as the challenges involved.

The current difficulties confronting housing policy partially stem from an explosion of mortgage debt. We’ve engineered a price for housing that will cause a severe problem for future generations – if it isn’t addressed.

Transition to Retirement Income Streams have waned in popularity but that could change if the proposed extra tax on super balances above $3 million goes ahead. 60-65-year-olds who are still working could benefit most.

While separation of assets remains one of the most reported contraventions by SMSF auditors, the question is: does a declaration of trust satisfy the requirements of SMSF regulations? There isn’t a simple answer.

Want to make better investing decisions? Do what the most skilled investors do and find a way to ignore the meaningless information you are bombarded with on a daily basis.

Political turmoil and new regulations have left Europe-listed small caps unloved and under-covered. Taking a ‘friendly activist’ approach to investing in those with global growth opportunities can reap dividends.

For decades, cyclically adjusted P/E ratios have been a common and widely accepted gauge of market valuation. But as the financial landscape continues to evolve, so too must our tools for understanding it.

A new study has found Australians far outlive people in other English-speaking countries. We live four years longer than the average American and two years more than the average Briton, and some of the reasons why may surprise you.

Investors overestimate the risk of owning stocks and underestimate the risk of not owning them. In the long run, shares crush other major asset classes, yet it’s one thing to understand this, it’s another to being able to execute on it.

Australia has more listed companies per head of population than just about any other country on earth – and many times more than the US. This explores why that is and whether it’s connected to our well-known love for a punt.

It’s common to assume that once a member decides to wind up their SMSF, it should happen as quickly as possible. But sometimes slowing down can be important, particularly if there are pensions involved.

Absent much higher interest rates and or unemployment, a house price crash in Australia looks unlikely. However, a failure to boost affordability risks a further slide in home ownership and rising inequality.

There are signs that passive investing is struggling to keep up in a world that’s rapidly passing it by. To understand why, we need to talk about how private equity has revolutionised the investment landscape.

US market concentration in large technology companies has captured investor attention. Here explores how this concentration compares to history and what typically follows periods of extreme concentration.

Recent volatility has reflected nervousness about tech stocks in the US and whether they can deliver returns on massive AI investment. With rates set to fall, these stocks and the broader US market should continue to find favour.

Much has been made of US stock market concentration of late. In a new report, hedge fund Bridgewater Associates explores how megacaps of the past have risen and fallen in significance, and the takeaways for investors today.

Looking back on my own investing, one recurring theme has been a desire to prove that I’m right. Everyone has cognitive biases like this, and the key is to have an investment plan that protects us from acting on our worst instincts.

One of Buffett’s most successful investments has been a confectionery company that he bought more than 50 years ago. The investment demonstrates that stocks need not be growth companies to create fortunes.

Nominating beneficiaries with your super fund is the only way to direct your death benefits to the people you want to receive it. The steps you take will depend on your circumstances and who your intended beneficiaries are.

So you want to buy a speculative stock in the hope that it goes to the moon and you can retire in the Bahamas. There’s only one problem – once you start purchasing these types of stocks, it’s often hard to stop.

It’s likely we’re at or near the end of the rate hiking cycle, which has historically been associated with a peak in yields. This is good news for bonds, which have typically performed strongly in the years following the peak.

Volatility in interest rate expectations and elevated yields may amplify traditional portfolio risks. Gold has a low correlation to equities and bonds and can help improve the performance of portfolios.

Studies reveal silver to many athletes feels like they have lost, while bronze medallists often think they have won by making it onto the podium ahead of the rest of the field. This has lessons for investors too.