Investment Articles & Insights

One of the great emerging benefits of AI is that it allows self-directed investors to take better control of their financial destinies. With its fast-improving capabilities, valuable financial advice may be available at your fingertips. Or so the theory goes.

We’re only two months into 2026 and investors have already experienced what feels like a year’s worth of change. It’s this accelerating pace of change that’s already the dominant issue of the year, as markets are being challenged to price in a more uncertain future.

How many times have you heard people talk down AI’s role in the future of humanity? We’ve all heard the feedback: ‘It’s unreliable’, ‘It will never replace humans for anything but low-value jobs,’ and ‘It’s all a flash in the pan.’ But what if these excuses are simply defensive responses because the truth is too earth-shattering to accept: the productivity promise of AI is already real.

Passive investing has reshaped global equity markets over the past decade. Record inflows into low-cost ETFs have led many investors to question whether active management still has a meaningful role.

Following the exchange rate might be popular for those planning future international travel, but those planning their portfolios should not forget currency either. A shift in the exchange rate can mean an instant shift in the value or performance of your portfolio, depending on whether you have hedged any of your international exposures.

There’s a uniquely Australian breed of wealth creator who achieved financial independence before the age of 30 by accumulating a sprawling property portfolio.

Open a financial news app and you’ll be greeted with headlines of quarterly earnings misses, monthly economic data prints, and excitement about a 10-week trading update, with share prices swinging around in response.

I’ve been doing this long enough that certain patterns are hard to ignore.