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A long-term solution for a short-term emergency

David Boyle Mint Asset Management In 1986 I bought a Fiat 124 Sport 1800 coupe. As I signed the ownership papers, my dad’s words were ringing in my ears about how unreliable they were and how costly they were to run. But I knew better and my mind was made up. It was the coolest car I had ever had. Not that I had much of a benchmark to go by. My first car was a Morris Minor 850cc (well actually it was Dad’s) split windscreen 55 and then, to keep up with my mates, I bought a 1979 SR Toyota Co...

NZ Retirement Expenditure Guidelines - Massey University

New Zealanders have a new factor to consider in their retirement planning: inflation. With inflation rising to 7.3% for the twelve months ended 30th June 2022, it is markedly higher than our recent experience. Although we have experienced higher rates in the past, that was more than 30 years ago, and is therefore a distant memory for most.Retirement is often included in lists of the most stressful life events which makes it important to prepare and plan for retirement. Without good preparation a...

Navigating the Inevitable

By David Boyle - Mint Asset Management Benjamin Franklin once said "By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail." And it was a quote that came to mind when I started writing this article. Losing a parent is one of the most difficult things to deal with, especially if they were the last parent and meant the world to you. I can talk about this experience first-hand, after losing my mum at 95 just recently. While dealing with all the emotional issues around losing a parent, there are so many o...

Stuff your Dad would say...

David Boyle - Mint Asset Management I’m not sure if you have ever seen the George Clooney movie “The Perfect Storm” but it was the best analogy that I could think of, given how investment markets have been behaving since the beginning of 2022. Everything that could have contributed to a negative return for investors has come together and created a market where there have been few safe harbours to shelter in. The good news is, with a little bit of courage, maintaining a strong constitution,...

History May Not Repeat But it Can Rhyme

At the start of this year, we asked the question “Is the inflation genie out of the bottle”? Looking back over the last six months, the short answer is Yes – or at least central bankers seem to think so. The longer-than-short answer is not for long. In our view, either inflation will dissipate of its own accord (the global economy adjusting to equilibrium), or the world’s central bankers will raise interest rates until inflation falls. We prefer the former scenario because the latter li...

Economic Commentary June 2022

Equity markets fell into bear territory over the June quarter.Historically, investors have enjoyed outsized returns following a bear market.The economic picture is very complicated, with upside and downside risks.While markets are pricing in a recession it is not inevitable.Global, NZ and Australian equity markets fell over the quarter, with value and emerging market stocks falling less.Fixed income has been a challenging area.Alternative asset classes have added substantial value to portfolio r...

Economic Commentary March 2022

Main points of the full commentary (available for download above):Russia’s invasion of Ukraine had a large impact on markets over the quarter. Most asset classes suffered, but there were a few bright spots. Most equity markets fell, with the notable exception of Australia given its large exposure to resources and energy.  Fixed income returns were generally poor as markets priced-in higher interest rate levels.  But short-term bonds funds out-performed as did listed infrastructure. ...

Economic Commentary December 2021

Economic and Market Commentary for the December Quarter 2021 Market performances were mixed Market performances were mixed in the December quarter.  Bonds again performed poorly, and New Zealand equities couldn’t repeat their September quarter strength.  Emerging market (EM) equities treaded water, while developed large cap equities performed well. At the other end of the spectrum property and infrastructure enjoyed exceptionally strong returns.  The performance differences ref...

Economic Commentary September 2021

Markets performances were mixed Market performances were mixed in the September quarter.  Bonds performed poorly, particularly in New Zealand, yet New Zealand equities enjoyed a very strong performance.  Emerging market equities had a poor quarter, but developed large cap equities performed well.  The performance differences reflected cross-currents in macroeconomic conditions and country or sector specific factors.  Global growth is still strong, but rising inflation and th...

FMA: World Investor Week 2021

We’re helping New Zealanders take a mo before they jump into an investment. If you’ve got investing FOMO, first consider the Five D’s of DIY investing. The Five D’s of DIY Investing Do your due diligenceDrip feed your investmentsDiversifyDon’t freak out if markets go downIn Doubt? Talk to a financial adviser. For more information on investing via online platforms, see our Online Investing Platforms pages.PANELS AND WEBINARS Free personal finance webinarJoin AUT Senior Lecturer with th...

Economic Commentary June 2021

Markets continue their climb Most equity markets continued to climb over the June quarter, extending their record highs.  Robust economic growth, vaccine rollouts and ongoing or newly promised stimulus programs far outweighed concerns around re-surging Covid cases and lock-downs in some regions and countries.  However, it wasn’t plain sailing across all asset classes.  Fixed-income returns were weak as cost pressures and inflation risk concerns continued to mount.  As disc...

Rental Property vs a Diversified Investment Portfolio

I am often asked whether it is better to invest in a rental property or into a diversified investment portfolio.  To help answer that question I will quickly outline the differences in this apples and oranges comparison....

How has COVID affected Taiwan’s economy?

COVID-19 brought the global economy to a sudden stop, causing shocks to supply and demand. Taiwan has been one of the notable successes of the COVID-19 crisis so far. It has prevented a rapid spread of the COVID-19 disease without going into total lockdown. People in Taiwan have been able to maintain many of their freedoms, retaining key elements of a normal life. Major reasons for Taiwan’s success include: previous experience with SARS, implementation of some of the world’s toughest bo...

Why is my financial adviser asking so many questions?

Imagine you had made an appointment with your GP because you were feeling unwell, and as soon as you sat down, the doctor wrote you a prescription and sent you on your way. I'm sure you'd be quite upset. How could your doctor prescribe a remedy without understanding what was wrong? A good GP would ask about your history and symptoms, perhaps recommend tests, or discuss a diagnoses and treatment options before handing you a prescription. It's the same with a good investment adviser. Before w...