Like all presidents, Trump will be judged by how far he makes good on his pledges. It is important to distinguish between the real and the imaginary obstacles Trump faces.

No doubt the liberal media will wage unrelenting war on Trump, as they did on Nixon nearly half a century ago. But this is not the 1970s.

How often should a portfolio be rebalanced? Rather than the conventional wisdom of rebalancing at fixed time intervals, a superior methodology is tolerance band rebalancing.

We've been drilled that rebalancing in portfolios results in improved returns and/or reduced risk. But the benefits of rebalancing are far smaller than we’ve been led to believe.

While rebalancing may be helpful as a risk management strategy, it may actually reduce long-term returns. But that isn't a reason to avoid it.

In our final Fodder for 2016 Tim Farrelly explains why hybrids are not equities, Hamish Douglass offers his take on our Summit 2017 theme and then listen to Prof Niall Ferguson recap the events of 2016 and the implications for markets. India Avenue's Mugunthan Siva argues investors need to relook at why they have equities in portfolios and SSGA's Thomas Poullaouec explains why diversification is a "free drink". Finally, we end with a celebration of the life and times of the Forum's Security and Compliance Manager (aka office sausage), Schnitzel von Krumm.

In our final Fodder for 2016 Tim Farrelly explains why hybrids are not equities, Hamish Douglass offers his take on our Summit 2017 theme and then listen to Prof Niall Ferguson recap the events of 2016 and the implications for markets. India Avenue's Mugunthan Siva argues investors need to relook at why they have equities in portfolios and SSGA's Thomas Poullaouec explains why diversification is a "free drink". Finally, we end with a celebration of the life and times of the Forum's Security and Compliance Manager (aka office sausage), Schnitzel von Krumm.

The Forum team recently said a sad goodbye to our beloved sausage dog, Schnitzel von Krumm. He was well known to those who attended our live programs or visited our office over the past decade. The team has put together this montage of a few memories...

Given increasing longevity, it's important that retirees not ignore strategies that can generate long-term capital growth. In short, retirees need to re-examine the role of equities in their portfolio.

Prime Minister English could differentiate his government by focusing on housing affordability to transform the lives of millions of New Zealanders.

Another major licensee has reportedly fallen for the hybrid scare campaigns, insisting bank hybrids securities be treated as equities. The premise is hopelessly flawed.

Hard on the heels of last week's focus on values and investing - including the role of whistleblowers and the media - this week, Dom McCormick writes about the "real" IOOF "scandal", Dr Woody Brock dispels three myths and half-truths about the behavior of bond prices, The Forum's Will Jackson summarises geopolitical forecaster George Friedman's keynote address at the recent ASFA Conference, Michael Kitces's report on why retirees' may not need to save as much, and The Carlyle Group's Jason Thomas warns of the consequences to portfolios of central banks' "Mae West approach" to monetary policy.

Hard on the heels of last week's focus on values and investing - including the role of whistleblowers and the media - this week, Dom McCormick writes about the "real" IOOF "scandal", Dr Woody Brock dispels three myths and half-truths about the behavior of bond prices, The Forum's Will Jackson summarises geopolitical forecaster George Friedman's keynote address at the recent ASFA Conference, Michael Kitces's report on why retirees' may not need to save as much, and The Carlyle Group's Jason Thomas warns of the consequences to portfolios of central banks' "Mae West approach" to monetary policy.

Mid this year, ASIC concluded its enquiry into allegations of wrongdoing and criminal behaviour at IOOF, related mainly to the research team and its then head. The real "scandal" turned out to be about reckless and biased elements of the media (and politicians).

Many worry that "the new normal" may be over, that the peak of the bond market has been reached, and so forth. We agree in part with this new view and offer some pointers to help navigate the bond market shoals ahead.

A growing body of research on the actual spending habits of retirees finds spending declines over time, implying retirees may not need to be saving as much to retire.

Growing US scepticism on international free-trade and defence agreements is rational in an unstable world, according to US geopolitical forecaster and author, George Friedman.

This week's Fodder includes a new Resources Kit on the topic of values and investing, Dom McCormick on the post-Trump market rally, Harvard Professor Carmen Reinhart explains why investors are already voting with their feet in advance of the upcoming popular referendum in Italy, and Stephen Hayes outlines what investors should do in the face of overinflated real asset valuations.

This week's Fodder includes a new Resources Kit on the topic of values and investing, Dom McCormick on the post-Trump market rally, Harvard Professor Carmen Reinhart explains why investors are already voting with their feet in advance of the upcoming popular referendum in Italy, and Stephen Hayes outlines what investors should do in the face of overinflated real asset valuations.

Following the victory of the Leave campaign in the UK Brexit referendum and of Donald Trump in the US election, focus has shifted to the upcoming referendum in Italy. There is a disquieting real-time poll of investor sentiment.