What’s Inside
Investment Markets / Upcoming Changes to Centrelink for Retirees / Super Contributions Thresholds
Investment Markets
Recent History Equity markets have been characterised by a lack of volatility and have slowly drifted upwards for most of this year. In recent weeks we have had a pullback on concerns that Russian troops massed on the Ukrainian border might invade that country. The shooting down of a civilian airliner by Russian supporters has also spooked investors. Markets seem to have settled down but the situation could easily flare up and impact markets.
The major feature of markets continues to be a rally in higher yielding sectors with Australian listed property and utilities up 9.9% and 9.0% in price terms in the year to date (August 8). The Australian 10 year government bond yield has fallen from 4.2% to 3.4% because investors chasing security have pushed up bond prices.