GETTING STARTED

Be well endowed to beat super's flaw

David Potts For what's supposed to be a gold-plated super system there's a gaping hole because you don't know what you're going to get when you retire.

GOLDEN DAZE

Who's to blame for great gold collapse?

John Collett It is the whodunnit of the great gold sell-off. Are the massive falls the fault of the "paper" markets or is the culprit the exchange traded funds?

GOLD SLIDE

Golden oldies sticking to their beliefs

David Potts If the bullion boom is definitely over, it is playing out in some very strange ways.

INVESTING

ASX to offer bond trading

John Kavanagh A new investment market will open for retail investors in May when the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) offers exchange-traded Australian government bonds.

BLOOMING

Japaneasing is just the start

Barbara Drury Japan's muscular new approach to monetary policy has breathed new life into its moribund sharemarket.

BANKS & MINES

Dig deep for a decent return

David Potts With so little on offer from a bank or bond, it's no wonder the sharemarket is rising. The surprise is where it's occurring. Or rather, not occurring.

David Potts

Put a dollar on where it might go next

Potts Spot The strong dollar is supposed to be a threat to jobs but I'm starting to think maybe it's the other way around.

Mark Bouris

At this rate, prospects are for a rise

Mark Bouris Every economy has cycles and we may be approaching the end of one that has been good for mortgage-holders.

INSIGHT

Tread carefully, it's all a little fragile

Clancy Yeates Is the sharemarket's strong start to the year justified by a brighter outlook for companies? Or are stock prices simply rising because the world is awash with cash, in search of a return?

PROPERTY

Investors scramble as rental crisis bites

From Sydney's inner suburbs to the mining towns of Western Australia, investors are scrambling to take advantage of a growing rental crisis and the lowest mortgage costs in years.

Returns of the decade

Residential real estate is a much-loved investment and everyone seems to know someone who has doubled their money playing property.

Intelligent Investor

Hot tips for 2012

Richard Livingston No, that’s not a typo. The ‘hot tips for 2013’ articles are upon us. Less common are the articles on how last year’s tips fared.

Predicting markets for the year ahead

John Collett If the fearless forecasts of economists and analysts for 2013 prove correct, our sharemarket will hit 5000 points, interest rates will slide, and the Australian dollar will finally lose some heat.

Proceed with caution

Investors are having one of their best years since the global financial crisis started.

Matthew Kidman

Falling rates may drive rush to shares

Matthew Kidman There is a robust case to argue we could be heading towards cash rates of just 2 per cent.

MYOB Sub Notes: Explosive for returns and capital

Richard Livingston ‘Debt’s back baby. People are buying this crap’. That’s a quote, attributed to a banker, your author recently heard.

Where Aussies will invest next

Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon Research shows Australians are feeling distinctly positive about their finances.

Spanner in the works

Annette Sampson Successful investment rests on learning from your mistakes, not avoiding mistakes altogether.

Turnaround rebuilds trust

John Kavanagh The listed property trust sector was a surprise standout performer during the 2011-12 financial year.