Investor Signposts: Week Beginning January 23 2011

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The big picture In general, investors find it an easy task to work out how the Australian sharemarket is performing. It is merely a case of looking at a benchmark

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Significant uncertainty ahead for investors after Queensland floods

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Insurance, transport and retail worst sectors hit The Australian insurance sector is one of a number of sectors that faces a significantly uncertain outlook following the devastating Queensland floods, according

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Economic Update: December Quarter 2010

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While the Australian share market tended to lag overseas markets during the year, the stronger Australian Dollar (which exceeded parity with the US Dollar for the first time since 1982)

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Investor Signposts: Week Beginning January 16 2011

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The big picture Humans like to think that they control most things. Then along comes a natural disaster like a flood and it reinforces the fact that there are many

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Flat sharemarket poses questions for investors

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Sharemarket perspectives The CommSec ‘Mums and Dads share index’ – a way of tracking the performance of commonly-held shares – fell by 7.4 per cent in 2010, exceeding the decline

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Weekly market & economic update 07 January 2011

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Headline developments In a move that had been anticipated for some time, China raised one year lending and deposit rates by 0.25% as part of an ongoing effort to keep

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Investor Signposts: Week Beginning January 9 2011

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The big picture One thing we can never escape here in Australia is natural disasters. Whether it is drought, floods, bushfires, cyclones or hail storms, natural disasters are part and

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Responsible Investment 2010

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Responsible Investment 2010 is the 10th annual Benchmark Report commissioned by RIAA and the 7th report based on research carried out by Corporate Monitor. Its aim is fourfold: to update

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Investor Signposts: Week Beginning November 28 2010

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The big picture There’s no doubt that researchers have it easy nowadays compared with their predecessors even just a decade ago. There is just so much information freely available. And

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Comparing Aussie companies: facts & fiction

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Company financial statistics In recent weeks investors have no doubt found it difficult to sort fact from fiction in the public discussion about company balance sheets. Some commentators have questioned

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