Suresh Rajan

Research conducted by Roy Morgan in February this year shows that more than one-third of Australians over the age of fourteen have sought advice from a financial planner.

Strong growth in exports, a weak Australian dollar and high world commodity prices offer a fillip for the capital intensive mining sector in WA.

The downturn on the sharemarket seems to have commenced with the anti-trust suit lodged and successfully prosecuted against Microsoft.

In the 1990s, many Western economies reshaped theirstructures utilising globalisation and technological change.

WHEN the legislation giving effect to the New Business Tax System (Integrity and Other Measures) Act 1999 was passed by Parliament in December 1999, no-one in the funds management industry had foreseen anomalous implications for the cost bases of investor

HINDSIGHT is a wonderful thing – but foresight is better.There is a story told of a fur trapper who was out in the middle of the Yukon in 1919.

The recent announcement that Commonwealth Securities had discounted its online brokerage charge to $19.95 put the cat among the pigeons as far as the brokers are concerned.

A commonly debated theme in stockmarkets during recent times has been the risks associated with the so-called ‘Internet bubble’.

True story (really!): A recently-retired milko rang his adviser and asked which one of two tech stocks he should put all his money into!

THE slowdown is finally here!For almost three years, forecasters have been predicting a reduction in growth in the Australian economy.

The Australian Taxation Office wants to help and business doesn’t want any help. That is the impression being gained by the ATO with regard to the use of their visiting field officers.

US FEDERAL Reserve chief Alan Greenspan has consistently stated his ‘pre-emptive’ strikes against inflation reflected a concern about the tightness in the US labour market.

In recent years the attraction of wine as an investment appears to have reached fever pitch if the current level of discussion is any indication.

One of the more popular pastimes at this time of the year is to look at the consensus views formulated by the different fund managers and research providers as where we are headed to in the world economy.

THE Australian Securities and Investments Commission has told the superannuation industry to remedy deficiencies in its disclosure practices.

MAKING smart choices when it comes to investment can smooth the road to riches, says Financial Planning Association of Australia chief executive Michael McKenna.

WA-BASED stockbroker Hartley Poynton has recruited eight senior members of ANZ Bank’s margin lending business to set up its own margin lending division.

The crystal ball is out again.The National Australia Bank’s business survey for the 1999 December quarter notes that business conditions in Australia strengthened further making for a strong second half of 1999.

WHERE do I invest in 2000?This question is one that will no doubt take up many of the centimetres of newspaper space allocated to financial journalism in this country.

THE prophets of doom were wrong. We survived the millennium bug and appear to have weathered the storm that was created.

SO FAR this year we have seen share prices on Wall Street tumble, particularly in the technology sector.

CHALLENGE Bank has increased interest rates for a limited period on its Bonus Saver, term deposits and cash management accounts.

The analysts at Colonial First State Funds Management have put together a few hints regarding superannuation.

WESTPAC Financial Services has posted a net profit after tax of $154.6 million for the year ended September, an increase of 40 per cent over last year.

CHRIS Caton is a genius.

THE emphasis of many of the government regulations relating to superannuation and the use of do-it-yourself types of funds has been to ensure that the prudential regulations about member representation, etc have been attended to.

THERE is little doubt that superannuation is still the most tax preferred and tax advantaged investment as far as the government is concerned.

Increases in online trading continue to outstrip growth in trades through the Australian Stock Exchange.

The world’s greatest shareholder nation!This is a title for which we, in Australia, are vying with the US.

TERRY Power is regarded as one of the most astute men in the financial services industry.

The Superannuation Guarantee Charge requires employers to paya certain percentage of employees’ salaries into a complying superannuation fund.

WA FINANCE brokers and financiers have moved to restore public confidence by forming the Equipment Finance Committee.