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Sector selection is critical in the current environment of low market-implied volatility, near-fair valuations for credit, tightening central bank policy and rising risk, says Pimco's Robert Mead.

The Australian share market finished on a six-week high yesterday but is expected to open lower today as healthcare stocks weigh on Wall St and a deadline looms on US trade tariffs.

Investors' risk tolerance can vary considerably according to personality and experiences, and also shift over time.

New rules on claiming exempt current pension income may mean big changes to the operations of self-managed super fund administrators.

The local market is expected to open steady this morning as it braces for corporate results and shareholder meetings.

Australian first-time investors have an increasing number options at their disposal as “micro-investing” tools proliferate -- but how cost-effective are they?\n 

MyState Bank managing director and chief executive officer Melos Sulicich shares his top tips for teaching kids about money.

The Hayne blowtorch has revealed bad behaviour in the financial services sector that would make Mafia bosses blush while elsewhere inflationary pressures rear their ugly head again, writes Peter Warnes.

The US 10-year Treasury yield hit 3 per cent for the first time in more than four years this week. Are bonds attractive investments again, or will yields continue to rise?

The local share market is expected to open higher after US stocks rallied on the back of more positive company earnings reports. 

AMP faces a wave of shareholder class action lawsuits as the banking inquiry unearths a string of misconduct claims within its wealth arm.

While there has been extensive focus on economic and investor risks, Andrew Lill, CIO of Morningstar Investment Management, says his team are looking at opportunities--both in the US-China situation and in tightening Russian sanctions.

The combination of already slowing investment and swiftly falling net exports from tightened terms of trade would be unmanageable, writes US-based Morningstar analyst Stephen Ellis.\n 

The local share market is expected to open higher after a positive night on Wall Street as some encouraging company earning reports lifted investor confidence.

There are good reasons why automotive parts company Bapcor made its first appearance on Morningstar's Best Stock Ideas in April.

Australian companies have work ahead in boosting their green credentials, according to the latest Morningstar Sustainability Atlas report.

Airline Qantas and education service provider Navitas are among beneficiaries of China's market maturation, writes Anthony Fensom.

Morningstar's Matthew Wilkinson explains how the Merlon Australian Share Income Fund uses options, puts and calls.

While investors are right to be concerned, Morningstar's senior banks analyst David Ellis explains why his fair value estimates for Commonwealth Bank, Westpac, ANZ and National Australia Bank are unchanged.

The local market is set to open higher despite a sell-off on Wall Street as the yield on the US 10-year Treasury note nears 3 per cent.

Sophisticated pension products from financial services organisations and government, and investor awareness of properly managing withdrawal rates are key to securing Australian retirement incomes.

The Merlon Australian Share Income Fund was recently upgraded to a Bronze medal, from neutral. Morningstar's Matthew Wilkinson explains how it uses options, puts and calls.

The local sharemarket is set to open weaker today amid more evidence from the banking royal commission and falls in metals prices, and in US and European stocks.

Unlike fund managers, everyday investors don't need to consistently outperform rivals, they just need to take logical investment decisions

How environmental issues are firmly linked with business performance, and why it's in everyone's interests to keep the pressure on corporations worldwide.

Amid trade tensions, heightened volatility in global equity markets and a quartet of egotistical leaders striding the world stage now is the time for investors to sharpen their own assessment of uncertainty before plunging in.

Andrew Lill outlines five risky-looking investment ideas that could offer top returns. Are you brave enough to invest in the unloved?

Colombia is the highest ranking non-European market for investing sustainability, the Morningstar Sustainability Atlas shows. Australia also scores well. 

The damning scrutiny of Australia’s big four banks’ wealth management operations hurts their brands, but is far from fatal, writes Emma Rapaport.

The Australian share market is set to open lower following a dip in US stocks, base metal prices and waning demand for smartphones.

Silver and gold specialist Ned Naylor-Leyland from UK's Old Mutual outlines what will drive precious metals higher, and where ESG fits.

A savings account alone is ineffective as a means of accumulating a home loan deposit, with investing an increasingly sensible solution in some of Australia's most expensive cities. 

Ethical investors are no longer just focusing on changing company behaviour, they want to change the world, a Morningstar panel has found

Once-in-a-decade regulatory challenges from a royal commission and lucrative cricket TV rights contract win are among key issues investors must weigh in assessing several key Australian stocks.

The Commonwealth Games might be over, but Australia is still earning gold medals in the field of economic performance.

The Australian share market has notched a fourth straight session of gains, driven by strength in the energy, mining and retail sectors.

Investors should focus on the bank’s robust intrinsic value rather than claims of adviser misconduct, says Morningstar senior equity analyst David Ellis.

Fibre, 4G and consumer migration to pay television are creating investment opportunities in several markets--among other localised trends for Australian players such as Telstra.

From big banks to small caps, and currency risk, nine technology themes, and why young people fear the next GFC is near--last week was a mixed bag among our most-read articles.

Investors should remain calm as revelations from round two of the Banking Royal Commission come to light, says Morningstar senior equity analyst David Ellis

Mark Taylor discusses the ramifications of Middle East unrest on oil prices.

Common statistics hold plenty of pitfalls for investors; using properly constructed statistics, but in the absence of other relevant facts, can lead to poor decisions

This trio of sectors spanning UK water, European utilities and US real estate are of substantial interest for Jim Lydotes from BNY Mellon Investment Management.

Higher interest rates are hurting these large-cap infrastructure stocks, which are declining from their 2017 peaks and reverting to their fair values.

Markets in the Asia-Pacific region edged higher on Tuesday as investors await US earnings results and Chinese GDP

As news of the weekend's Syrian missile strike by the US and its allies permeates global news outlets, it's timely to remind investors of the importance of sticking to a plan and avoiding knee-jerk reaction.

E-commerce and demographics should benefit companies in industries such as retail and travel, even as sector valuations remain slightly high, according to a report from Morningstar US.

Google parent company Alphabet is the at the epicentre of global antitrust scrutiny, with investigations in Europe, Israel, South Korea, India and Japan.

This fund manager thinks about the infrastructure sector quite differently than many other professional investors.

Christine Benz shares her top tips for investors in retirement or about to retire wondering what to do amid the sell-off.

The double-punch of regulatory uncertainty and financial market volatility sees the majority of self-managed super trustees sidelined into cash assets, a study shows.

Despite all the negative press, the major banks continue to benefit from surprisingly solid fundamentals, delivering modest earnings growth, writes Morningstar's David Ellis.

Each of these Australian funds hold positions in companies providing raw materials for the expanding lithium battery segment.

The effects of education are often small and the knowledge gained is quickly forgotten, but it is still important.

Rising trade tensions, political instability and interest rate moves are just some of the challenges that confronted investors in the first quarter of 2018.

Morningstar analysts highlight the following areas within the broader technology sector as likely sources of ground-breaking investment opportunities.

Mark Lamonica, who heads up Morningstar Australia's individual investor business, recently spoke with Adam Fleck, regional director of equity research, in an interactive presentation streamed to subscribers during our second Facebook Live event.

Morningstar senior banks analyst David Ellis looks through the rhetoric around falling house prices and ongoing fallout from regulatory reviews into financial services.

Smaller companies always sing when they're winning, but like most of us, are largely silent for the more common losses.

The Australian dollar is particularly vulnerable to escalating trade tensions between the United States and China, writes Simon Derrick.

Learn about some of the key activities at Morningstar in March and register for our Facebook Live event on April 11th. 

These companies are each trading at prices substantially below Morningstar analysts' fair value estimates and with projected earnings-per-share growth of more than 4 per cent per annum.

Leading our most-read articles were features on fund manager insights; market views on the latest RBA rate announcement; and Morningstar's perspective on hybrids if Labor's proposed dividend imputation changes are introduced.

JP Morgan's Richard Titherington tells Emma Wall why a weak US dollar is good for emerging markets, and why investors should not be put off by a trade war.

Behavioural tools can work alongside asset allocation to help investors prepare for and respond to stock market volatility.

Because timing and tilting your portfolio's asset allocations within alternatives is a complex process, Morningstar's Elliot Lucas compares and contrasts the most popular ways of simplifying the process.

Telstra shares have plummeted to their lowest level since November 2011 and many investors are now facing a considerable loss on their shares. 

A new comparison methodology from Morningstar helps investors assess fund characteristics according to their return, volatility and risk-adjusted return characteristics.\n 

The new category responds to customer demand for more flexible strategies to help investors distinguish between newer funds and older, more static categories

Morningstar’s new Capital Markets Survey will detail some of the most interesting outcomes from its research data on Australian asset managers.

Australian investors' dividend addiction is creating problems in the long-term, says Bennelong senior analyst, Neale Goldston-Morris.

Morningstar's Adam Fleck reflects on the tumultuous time investors have endured over recent months, and explains the current pricing trend of the Australian equity market.

Andrew Lill discusses the return of equity market volatility and other trends of 1Q 2018, looks at how inflation affects equity and fixed income investors, and expectations for interest rate movements.

While investors would be wise to proceed with caution over the next 12 to 18 months, the situation shouldn't warrant all-out panic, explains J.P. Morgan's Tai Hui.

Data suggests the worst of the share market declines are behind us, but a final bottom in the market could still be weeks or months off, according to BetaShares economist David Bassanese.

Even before news of Facebook's latest transgressions hit the headlines, this fund manager reversed its overweight position on these large-cap technology companies.

With few exceptions, equity analysts still see mined commodity and miner share prices as overvalued, propped up by the sustained Chinese stimulus.

Here's what Morningstar analysts think of these mostly medal-rated funds that hold exposures to Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix and Google parent Alphabet.

Australian household wealth hit new highs in the December 2017 quarter, boosted by higher share and property prices. 

Up to 20 per cent of investors holding additional Tier 1 (AT1) securities would be negatively affected by Labor's proposal to end cash refunds of excess imputation credits, says Morningstar's John Likos.

China's expanding debt raises concerns given similarities with other credit booms that crashed, dominance of state-owned enterprises, shadow-banking, and  its dangerously distorted property market.

The Reserve Bank of Australia has left the cash rate unchanged at 1.5 per cent, meaning Australia's interest rate has been at a record low for 20 months.