The Australian sharemarket’s high weight to resource stocks is an accident of history and geography. A lower than market cap weight to resource stocks in portfolios seems much more sensible.

The IMF is right to warn that populism poses a serious threat to the global economy. What is really worrying is It is no longer only populists of Donald Trump's ilk who are delivering it. Mainstream politicians increasingly sound populist too.

Only 1 in 10 listed companies globally achieved sustainable, profitable growth over the decade. A disproportionate number had a founder still running the firm or who remains on the Board.

In Fodder this week, Hamish Douglass's 6-minute video Insight on why it's our duty to encourage investors to focus on the long-term. Chris Watling looks at whether the US is heading for recession, Michael Kitces explains how a "bond tent" can help manage sequencing risk, and watch Professor Ron Bird's top-10 rated Conference presentation. Finally, Lazard asks whether portfolios have enough global small cap equities.

In Fodder this week, Hamish Douglass's 6-minute video Insight on why it's our duty to encourage investors to focus on the long-term. Chris Watling looks at whether the US is heading for recession, Michael Kitces explains how a "bond tent" can help manage sequencing risk, and watch Professor Ron Bird's top-10 rated Conference presentation. Finally, Lazard asks whether portfolios have enough global small cap equities.

Perhaps the best way to manage sequence of return risk in the years leading up to retirement and thereafter is simply to build up and then use a reserve of bonds to weather the storm.

The Paul Woolley Centre Conference 2016 (6&7 Oct) has been assessed and accredited by PortfolioConstruction Forum for Forum CE hours. Delegates must attest their attendance in order to receive CE acceditation.

Broad analysis of generally effective indicators of US recessions leads to the conclusion that recession risks in the US are clearly continuing to rise. A wide range of indicators confirm the message although some doubts remain.

This week, Fodder features Professor Jack Gray's top-10 rated Conference presentation, Nouriel Roubini and Stephen Roach on monetary policy, Stephen Kotkin on geopolitcs, and Pfau & Blanchett on the limits of Monte Carlo simulation.

This week, Fodder features Professor Jack Gray's top-10 rated Conference presentation, Nouriel Roubini and Stephen Roach on monetary policy, Stephen Kotkin on geopolitcs, and Pfau & Blanchett on the limits of Monte Carlo simulation.

Predicting the future raises a significant number of issues when creating an investment plan. Monte Carlo simulations will illuminate the nature of that uncertainty, but only if those using them understand how it should be applied – and its limitations.

The lack of response at the zero bound of policy interest rates is hardly surprising. In fact, it is strikingly reminiscent of the so-called liquidity trap of the 1930s. What is particularly disconcerting is that central bankers remain largely in denial.

This week, Fodder features the five top rated presentations from PortfolioConstruction Forum Conference 2016, each arguing a high conviction thesis around the theme, "The long and short of it (Is the concept of long-term investing increasingly irrelevant?)"

This week, Fodder features the five top rated presentations from PortfolioConstruction Forum Conference 2016, each arguing a high conviction thesis around the theme, "The long and short of it (Is the concept of long-term investing increasingly irrelevant?)"

In Fodder NZ this week Tim Farrelly, Michael Edesess, Tribeca Investment Partners and PIMCO's Doug Hodge challenge some common portfolio construction beliefs.

In Fodder this week Tim Farrelly, Michael Edesess, Tribeca Investment Partners and PIMCO's Doug Hodge challenge some common portfolio construction beliefs.

The latest reason offered as to why not to buy Australia's major banks is that their margins could be taken away by a well resourced disrupter. Should we not own the banks, as a result?

In Fodder this week - Bob Gay, Michael Kitces, J. Bradford DeLong, Michael Furey, and our pick of the Faculty papers from Conference 2016.

In Fodder NZ this week - Bob Gay, Michael Kitces, J. Bradford DeLong, Michael Furey, and our pick of the Faculty papers from Conference 2016.

Using a simple case study, this paper illustrates an approach to cutting through fund performance "noise" to find the signal - the bigger picture investment view that enables us to construct better investment portfolios.