INVESTOR MEMORY I read an interesting article recently about Volkswagen. Did you know that this German brand is ahead of all other non-luxury brands in relation to customer retention rates? According to a recent Roy Morgan Automotive Currency Report, 61.5 per cent of Volkswagen owners said their next car purchase would again be a Volkswagen. This is surprising especially when compared with the way “Real Ozzies” have ditched our iconic Holdens! Remember those ads “Football, Meat Pies, Kangaroos and Holden Cars!” Clearly times have changed in many ways however this commercial shows how entrenched the Holden was in Australia culture. How is it that a European car company, that lied to us over the Dieselgate emissions scandal in September 2015, has retained this brand loyalty? Now don’t think that I’m trying to start some sort of Australian v European trade war here – as a family we actually own […] 150

INVESTING WITH FEAR Some say that wolves can smell fear. It might really be that they sense it. Regardless, once a pack of wolves think they have the upper hand their aggression levels increase often resulting in a frenzied attack. Their relentless attack further enhancing the fear of their pray. Remind you of something? “$50 billion wiped off Australian Markets” “US stocks suffer worst loss in eight months, Australian market tipped to plunge” “Panic grips markets; ASX set to extend losses” These falls invoke our primal animal instincts. Such volatility is where the share market gets its bad boy reputation from. Unlike Queensland’s famous slogan “Beautiful one day. Perfect the next” it would be more apt for the ASX to use “Up one day. Smashed the next”. Investing has as much […] 150

PINPOINTING THE MID-CYCLE – TULIPS, HYACINTHS AND 2021 What do Tulips, Hyacinths and 2021 all have in common? Sounds like the start to some sort of a really bad “Dad Joke”…. But as investors, I’m deadly serious when I ask you this question? The Tulip Mania of 1637 is well documented. But what is the link to Hyacinths and 2021? Studying, researching and most importantly learning from history gives us a huge edge with our investing – and this is exactly what Phil Anderson will be presenting on at our Forecasting Conference this November. Phil will be presenting on both the Saturday and Sunday. Phil’s presentation “Tulips, Hyacinths and 2021” will link the Tulip Mania, the Hyacinths Boom and Collapse as well as several other long […] 150

THE SHARING REVOLUTION Sometimes we are asked “Why write so many articles about new technology.  Aren’t you an investment business” Well yes, we most certainly are an investment business, but one that is a little different. You see there are two basic reasons we talk so much about technology because it’s a VERY important driver of productivity – which in turn directly leads to increased profitability and increased capital growth. But we continually hear that this time it is different? However, understanding how technology evolves can help you realise that this time it’s not so different and in fact things are not so bad or different after all. I love watching old movies. And when I say old, I mean anything from a year to 100 years old. Remember Charlie Chaplin signed a contract in 1913 with Keystone Studios for $150 a week! […] 150

45 YEARS IN WALL STREET My copy of WD Gann’s “45 Years in Wall Street” was written in 1949. It could almost pass as a first edition, some 69 years old, it’s that beaten up and tattered. But I find this a really interesting title that warrants investigation! It is well accepted Gann was meticulous with numbers and dates. Further, he says he began his career as a stock broker in 1902. Now I’m no mathematician, but I reckon 1902 to 1949 is 47 years, and NOT 45? So why title the book 45 years in Wall Street? There is another obvious error in 45 Years in Wall Street. He rounds the low trading price of the Dow Jones. It’s the ONLY place I’ve ever seen him round a figure. This is NOT typical Gann. Nowhere in his other works does […] 150