Last month in another country, a man we’ll call Jim, watched one of his beloved investments tumble 16% in the space of as many days. Jim’s investment is (or was) ‘beloved’ because he’d attached all sorts of historical and emotional significance to it. The company, Jim told his adviser, was going to change the world. Jim had independently booked his ticket to enjoy the ride with them by investing several hundred thousand dollars of his and his wife’s money. That company was Apple. Not such a bad outfit, but every company can be prone to downgrades, disappointments and eventually failing…

There are three givens when it comes to investing. The first given: if you meet an investor who is looking to try something new, or is restless about their investments, it’s almost inevitable that they’ve recently endured some poor returns. The second given: if you meet an investor who has no intention of changing a thing and is totally comfortable about their investments, it’s almost inevitable they’ve recently enjoyed a run of good returns. The third given: investor one and investor two are certain to be the same person; their investment outlook only depends on the time when you meet…

It’s always fun when investment gurus or media talking heads put together a list of their top investments to buy. History has shown no one, from professional investment manager to average Joe, can consistently outperform the market. Yet despite the litany of evidence against stock picking, many in the media are still prepared to chance their arm – often hoping the rest of us will forget how their last load of picks turned out. Unfortunately for the gurus, there are plenty of pedants (like ourselves) out there, who continue to collate their lists and periodically check in on them. It…

The ASX 200 – it’s often referenced, but few of us really know what’s behind that number we’re quoted on the nightly news. So get ready for some useful information because you’re about to find out what the ASX 200 is really made up of! If you hold any share fund this will also be a good illustration of what a share fund can be comprised of because most funds are often based on a particular index or they attempt to mimic the performance of an index. The most basic thing to understand is the ASX 200 represents the largest…