News

Global markets continued to sell-off on Friday, with the US market sliding for the 9th consecutive day as investors remain cautious before the US election. Traders have moved into relatively safer assets as opinion polls showed the U.S. presidential race

The price of oil plummeted from over $100/barrel in 2014 as the shale gas boom disrupted the industry, and OPEC decided compete by pumping more oil, adding to oversupply problems. Since bottoming earlier this year the oil price has recovered to $50/barrel

Markets are moving into line with our long held view that the US economy is ready for more interest rate hikes, and is in much better shape than the pessimists would have you believe. We believe the probability of a hike this year is now 75%, with meeting

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Market sentiment has become dominated by speculation around the next moves by central banks across the globe, which have generally implemented easing measures that have propped up stock prices and seen bond yields move lower in recent years. As a result,

The NZ Model Portfolio was up 1.2% in September, ahead of the market NZX 50 index which was down -0.5%. Since inception, the NZ portfolio has now outperformed the general NZ market by 8.8% and is up +39.0% in absolute terms.

Since our last update in June, Fletcher Building (FBU.NZ / FBU.AX) shares continue to power ahead, up another +20%. After trading sideways over the last few years, it seems as though FBU is finally playing catch-up with the rest of the NZ stock market.

While equity markets are reaching new heights, bond yield around the world are moving lower. Germany is on the verge of joining Japan and Switzerland in having 10 year bonds which yield less than zero. Given bond yields are at such low levels around the w