Investment markets in the early months of 2018 suffered several fits of volatility but managed to shake it off and rallied in May and June.   Consequently, Australian share indices ended June at close to their financial year-high points, whilst long-term interest rates, which had crept up towards 3%, retracted to about 2.6% by financial year end.

For much of the past decade these quarterly reviews have contained references to the scourge of market and economic volatility, as we’ve been passing through an unusually disruptive investment and economic era. Thankfully, in 2017 volatility dissipated, (at least temporarily!). This quieter period can be illustrated by...

Most investment markets performed admirably in the last twelve months, particularly as economic trends have generally been uninspiring. Stock and real estate prices have certainly benefitted from the unprecedented stimulus provided by central banks and governments, in the form of extraordinarily low interest rates, and even more extraordinary money printing programs.