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Our experts keep you up to date with market commentary, value-packed insights and the latest news impacting your investment.

Market Commentary

Monthly Wrap Up

2024 was one for the record books. It was the second year in a row that the United States S&P 500 share market gained more than 20%, the first time this has happened since 1998. It rang in a new president for the United States. Central banks all around the world, including our own, cut interest rates. And there was significant, almost unprecedented, divergence in markets and stock prices between the haves; the AI focussed stocks, and the have nots; pretty much everything else.

As you are enjoying a relaxing start to your year it's a good time to ponder what 2025 might hold. There will be a lot of predictions shared in newspapers and in the media. Spoiler alert: the more precise those predictions are, the more wrong they are likely to be. Investment success in 2025 will come from ensuring portfolios are well positioned for the broader economic themes that are likely to play out, and through old fashioned investment discipline; not chasing investment fashion, adding to your investments if possible, having patience and taking a genuine long-term approach. Read more in the December Wrap Up.

Quarterly Economic Forecasts

  • 2024 has been a long year, filled with twists and turns over the interest rate outlook, the US election, and finally closing with some early signs that things are on the mend
  • Wholesale interest rates started off the year on the way up, on speculation that the RBNZ would lift the OCR
  • The RBNZ then reinforced in May that interest rates were unlikely to come down until well into 2025.  Inflation pressures suddenly crumbled, and the RBNZ ended up cutting the OCR by 125bp before the end of 2024

Read more in our latest Quarterly Economic Forecasts report.

To read more from our ASB experts, visit Blog: Your Money and our Quarterly Economic Forecasts.

ASB Investment Podcast

Episode 73: Year in Review - 2024

In the final episode of the year, Nigel Grant is joined by John Smith (Head of Asset Management, ASB) and David Griffith (Head of Multi Asset Solutions, BlackRock) for a look back on the year that was. They discuss whether global investment themes played out as predicted, canvas the outstanding performers of the year and look ahead to what investors might expect in 2025.

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Episode 72: Economist Kim Mundy talks economies, the OCR, and more

Kim Mundy (Senior Economist, ASB) joins host Nigel Grant to discuss both local and global economies, and what we might expect from the final OCR announcement of 2024. They touch on things you should keep in mind as an investor or business owner, and talk about a new way for you to contribute to your investments with ASB.

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Episode 71: Managing your investments for 'future you'

ASB's John Smith (Head of Asset Management) and Emily Huang (Executive Wealth Manager) sit down with Nigel to discuss how you should manage your investments to prepare for retirement. They also delve into the importance of diversifying your investments to help combat lower interest rates and rising inflation, and what you can do to ensure you still receive an adequate annual 'paycheck' and continue to enjoy your lifestyle once you've stopped working.

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To hear more from the ASB Investment Podcast, listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

What our partnership with BlackRock means for you

We’ve appointed BlackRock to help us provide better investment outcomes to our customers. BlackRock, the world's largest investment management firm, will enhance our investment offering and will see our customers benefit from their global expertise, insights and market responsiveness.

For more on how they are adding value to your investments, click the links below:

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