The beginning of my month was spent basking on beaches in tropical 30 degree weather and unfortunately ended in wrangling an umbrella through the wind tunnels of Barangaroo. Nothing like annual leave to spark an existential crisis.

Below are my favourite articles from this month:

Young & Invested

Active vs passive ETFs

Active ETFs cop a lot of heat from retail investors. The wide uptake of passive ETFs has been built on the back of a growing aversion to active management. With higher fees, turnover and unfavourable tax outcomes, are active funds worth investing in? This edition of Young & Invested looks at ways active ETFs might play a part in helping solve common investor problems.

Should you invest in crypto?

The recent surge in crypto - especially Bitcoin - has reignited debate over the role of these alternative assets in modern investing. In this article I unpacked what is fuelling the latest bull run and whether crypto deserves a strategic position in the long-term portfolios of young investors.

Are we too obsessed with investment fees?

Humans have a natural inclination to assume that expensive = better. But is that the case with investing? Not really. Paying more often means getting less in return. Investors have largely taken this message onboard and clearly favour low-cost funds while rejecting more costly options. But are we missing out on better products by doing so?

Should you invest in gold?

Most investors tend to critically analyse their portfolio retrospectively. The recent surge of gold has proliferated discussions over the optimal asset allocation for modern times. I explored why the price of gold has exploded and whether the asset should hold a place in the portfolios of younger investors.

Other insights

How a professional picks an ETF

Buying ETFs doesn’t come with the same set of challenges that individual stock picking involves. But that’s not to say there isn’t a process involved. I sat down with ourChief Investment Officer, Matt Wacher, to walk us through the process of how his team pick ETFs and some of the key considerationssurrounding portfolio construction.

Our favourite ASX small cap ETFs

Aussie small caps have weathered a tough few years of returns in comparison to their larger ASX counterparts due to structural nuances that aren’t present globally. Unlike Australian small companies, global smaller caps have historically outperformed relative to large companies over the long term. As the trajectory of national interest rates has begun shifting, I share our favourite small cap ETF picks.

How well can you handle market volatility?

Determining your risk profile is one of the foundational aspects of portfolio strategy. However, sticking to that is easier said than done. Many investors overestimate their ability to handle market volatility until a substantial downturn arrives. I took a holistic view on portfolio risk and how investors can better prepare for volatility and improve risk tolerance.

Our top ASX picks in every sector

It’s been an eventful year for investors so far. The market rebound after Trump’s tariff tantrum finds our ASX coverage now trading ~4% above fair value on an unweighted basis. Although in the broad scheme of things, we’re not too concerned with the market’s valuation as we continue to see numerous attractive opportunities across most sectors. I shared some of our top analyst picks in each sector.

Get Morningstar insights in your inbox