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The figures show quite a confusing picture. According to the data, an unemployment rate of 7.4 per cent is the worst rate Australia has seen since November 1998 despite the addition of 210,000 jobs, which is a huge increase.

A nascent asset class is emerging on the back of the roll out of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). NDIS is a welfare support scheme of the Australian Government that funds costs associated with disability.

The ASX 200 (ASX:XJO) continued its recent weakness, falling 0.5% on Monday, as concerns of a secondary outbreak in NSW and escalating deaths in the US hit investor confidence.

The South China Sea conflict has largely been a case of ‘failure to act’ whilst the law of the sea has been flouted. China continues to exert military control over its neighbours over the hotly contested waterways, completely unabated.

While more and more Australian investors get comfortable with investing overseas, it’s fair to assume that Latin America is not on most people’s map of the investable universe – “there be dragons,” as the old mariners used to say.

Liquidity is said to be the driver of this cycle. No hiding here as central banks provide largesse without restraint, while governments fret about re-election cycles to spew money at any likely voter.

Alignment of interest is a concept basic to a great many modes of human behaviour yet in the funds management sector it does not necessarily receive the attention it deserves.

Sideways….a weak opening ahead It was another bumpy, albeit positive, week for markets with the ASX 200 (ASX:XJO) gaining 0.4% on Friday and finishing around 2.0% higher for the week. The primary driver remained Australia’s main recovery hope, commodity exports, with the materials sector finishing 4.2% as the iron ore price remained above USD$115 per…

The ‘Vaccine’ rally was short-lived with a swathe of economic data sending the ASX 200 (ASX:XJO) 0.7% lower on Thursday.

The ASX 200 joined the global sharemarket rally, adding 1.9%, after healthcare US biotech company Moderna Inc. (NASDAQ:MRNA) announced positive results from their Phase 1 trial of a potential COVID-19 treatment.

Woodside Petroleum Ltd (ASX:WPL) was the latest to announce a write-down, with management reducing the value of their oil and gas assets by US $4.2 billion due to the lower oil price. WPL now trades at the same level it did in 2005, despite raising capital on multiple occasions, clear indication that the greatest opportunities lie in cleaner energy sources.

The ASX 200 (ASX:XJO) gained another 1%, taking a positive lead from US markets, with over 60% of the rally coming from the Big Four Banks, Commonwealth Bank of Australia Ltd (ASX:CBA) up 2.2%, and miners, BHP Group Ltd (ASX:BHP) up 2.2% after the iron ore price exceeding US$118 per tonne.