Solar panel installation is growing here in Australia. SunWiz expects this trend to keep growing with more people working from home as a result of the pandemic and higher energy bills. And it may very well be, especially if solar costs keep getting cheaper…
Time Turning — It’s Becoming Hard to Plan for the Future
Dear Reader, Have you noticed time seems to pass faster the older you get? Ever wondered why? Psychologist Claudia Hammond has a theory. Something she calls the ‘holiday paradox’. Humans perceive the timing of an experience in two ways: while it’s happening and after it’s happened. Our perception of time also changes depending on what […]
Dollar Blues — Confidence in the US Dollar Weakens
Dear Reader, Every morning, I sit in front of the computer with a cup of coffee to read the news, but also to check on the exchange rates. The value of the AUD against the Euro…USD…gold. But I also keep a close watch on the USD rate against several other currencies. It’s something that rooted […]
End of Australia’s Recession Free Streak Pushes AUD Lower
Have you been following the foreign exchange market lately? I’ve the habit of looking at it daily to check what the Aussie dollar will fetch you abroad…even though we can’t travel right now. Anyway, the AUD exchange rates are telling quite a story… The US dollar is diving A currency’s movements are usually measured against […]
Central Banks Printing Our Way Out of Trouble — The Danger of Inflation
Dear Reader, The 80s were some interesting times for Argentina. The country was transitioning from a military government to democracy. And, among many of the legacies left over from the old regime, there was a lot of debt…and inflation. To start afresh, the new government replaced the currency, the Argentinean peso, with a brand-new one: […]
Virtual Insanity — The Global Economic Crisis Unfolding
Dear Reader, Don’t move, don’t breathe…until the crisis is over. That’s roughly the translation from Spanish of something I’ve heard people say in Argentina several times. Argentina has had quite an economic history. It’s been in and out of crises for decades now — even though it has massive natural resources. They’ve gone through defaults, […]
Propped Up Property: The Rules Have Changed…Did You Get the Memo?
Dear Reader, In 1904 Elizabeth Magie patented a clever board game of her own creation. She called it The Landlord’s Game. The game pretty much mimicked life. There was money, banks, deeds, jail…you could even make a wage. Yep, you probably guessed it. Her game later turned into what we know today as Monopoly. The […]
It’s Going to Be a Long Road to Recovery
Dear Reader, Well, that’s it then. Last week I wrote that here in Melbourne we were — maybe — halfway through the lockdown. Then on Sunday we tacked on another six weeks and increased it to Stage 4… And, we are three days into Australia’s first ever curfew. It’s not my first curfew though. The […]
Do You Have an Exit Plan?
Dear Reader, Melbourne has been in lockdown for three weeks already. Today marks the halfway point. Three more weeks to go…maybe. Life in Melbourne has certainly changed. Days blend into each other. Streets are quiet, restaurants and cafes are empty. Famished rats are taking over the city. The few people out and about are — […]
AUD Outlook: Here is What’s Pushing the Aussie Dollar Higher
The Aussie dollar is flying high today. At time of writing, the Aussie dollar is trading at 71.39 cents to the US dollar. Remember, this is after the AUD hit a low of 55 US cents back in March. What’s pushing the Aussie dollar? There’s some optimism around the fact that the government will be […]
