What is the EFSF Bailout Fund? The European Financial Stability Fund (EFSF) comprises the 16 countries that share the Euro and was established on the 9th May 2010. The objective of the EFSF is to preserve financial stability of Europe’s monetary union by providing temporary financial assistance to euro area member states in difficulty. The following
Chant West – Superannuation Statistics
by | October 3, 2012
Chant West’s research shows the median return from the 25 largest conservative funds for the 12 months to the end of February was 3.8 per cent, compared to 0.6 per cent from growth funds. Over the past five years, conservative funds returned a median 3.6 per cent a year, more than triple the 1.1 per
The dire problem that is Europe
by | October 3, 2012
This European debt situation is a rudderless ship on course to crash against the “rocks of default”! It seems like it has been months that we’ve been talking about the European sovereign debt situation, but in fact it has been years. The current problems are not a new situation that has all of a sudden
Underweight – Banking Sector
by | October 3, 2012
Australian Banks are classified as some of the strongest banking institutions in the world. It would be no surprise to readers that we would recommend that any half decent portfolio should incorporate exposure with the banks. They pay high dividends, are fundamentally sound and as we have recently experienced, were able to ride through the
Identifying when a Recession has started …
by | October 3, 2012
Even while it is being played out, the market crash of August 2011 is being touted as the “Crisis of Confidence” as it was driven by investor fear following the debacle that was the United States’ debt ceiling debate. As the markets capitulated through early August, volatility increased to a level never seen before, even
Will LNG replace Nuclear Energy?
by | October 3, 2012
Nuclear energy has always been controversial, but the recent catastrophic events in Japan are causing a major upheaval in how our future energy may be provided. As the heroic emergency response teams slowly gain control over the deteriorating reactors, how Japan, and for that fact the rest of the world, produce their low carbon emission
