Invest
Major bank finds ‘awkward’ financial issues with friends, couples
According to a major bank’s survey, about a third of Australian couples don’t have healthy finances and, often, discussing intimacy with friends is more comfortable than discussing money.

Major bank finds ‘awkward’ financial issues with friends, couples
According to a major bank’s survey, about a third of Australian couples don’t have healthy finances and, often, discussing intimacy with friends is more comfortable than discussing money.

A new study by Westpac has concluded that 36 per cent of Australian couples do not consider themselves to be in financially healthy positions.
Australian couples generally regarded discussing their finances with support networks as being “awkward”.
In fact, 49 per cent of respondents felt more comfortable disclosing intimacy issues with their friends, rather than financial issues.
“Our research shows couples are more financially compatible (85 per cent) if they regularly speak openly about their finances, and, encouragingly, 43 per cent of Australians in committed relationships are doing just that,” said Westpac spokesperson Kate Holloway.
Among those respondents who had been through or were currently going through a separation in their relationship, 65 per cent did not know how to start looking into their finances.
This could be “the reason more than half (58 per cent) of those considering a separation actually procrastinate looking into financial matters,” Westpac said.
Meanwhile, 65 per cent of respondents considering a separation from their partner were hesitant to finalise it due to fear of having to “start over” financially.
On the other hand, the majority of Australians who did finalise their separation (84 per cent) took positive or financially significant steps within a year of being separated from their partner, such as “sorting out their finances (33 per cent) and paying off debts (28 per cent)”.
Westpac’s data also revealed that more than half of respondents who finalised a separation from their partner were positively managing their finances within 12 months.

Stock market
‘Skinny rally’ can’t continue: Bell
Bell Asset Management CIO Ned Bell believes that market darling large-cap companies are in for a reckoning as the global economy reopens for business. ...Read more

Stock market
Vaccine rollout to boost underperforming stock in 2021
The rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine is tipped to be a greater stimulus than the massive fiscal response, with shares that have underperformed during the pandemic set to soar in 2021, an industry exper...Read more

Stock market
US lawmakers quiz key GameStop players
Notorious retail investor Keith Gill is facing a grilling from the US congress and the possibility of a class action lawsuit due to his alleged part in the GameStop saga, with policymakers convinced h...Read more

Stock market
Facebook’s news ban feared to have implications for the sharemarket
Facebook’s move to restrict the sharing and viewing of news in Australia could have huge implications for the sharemarket, an expert has said, as Treasurer Josh Frydenberg readies himself for anothe...Read more

Stock market
Stock market bubble fears overblown: Vanguard
Fears of a stock market bubble are “overblown” despite equity markets around the world closing in on all-time highs, an industry analyst states. ...Read more

Stock market
Experts blast Treasurer’s plan to permanently ease disclosure laws
Sharemarket disclosure laws could be permanently relaxed as the Treasurer looks to shield businesses from disgruntled shareholders, but legal experts have labelled Frydenberg’s reasoning “madness...Read more

Stock market
Is your portfolio climate change ready?
The vast majority of investors believe climate change will have an impact on their portfolio, yet not all investors are readying their asset allocation to take advantage of a net zero world, new resea...Read more

Stock market
Sharemarket penalises mining firms abusing human rights
The sharemarket has been a powerful tool in holding to account mining companies engaged in human rights violations, but informational campaigns by civil society groups and the media are the real aware...Read more

Stock market
‘Skinny rally’ can’t continue: Bell
Bell Asset Management CIO Ned Bell believes that market darling large-cap companies are in for a reckoning as the global economy reopens for business. ...Read more

Stock market
Vaccine rollout to boost underperforming stock in 2021
The rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine is tipped to be a greater stimulus than the massive fiscal response, with shares that have underperformed during the pandemic set to soar in 2021, an industry exper...Read more

Stock market
US lawmakers quiz key GameStop players
Notorious retail investor Keith Gill is facing a grilling from the US congress and the possibility of a class action lawsuit due to his alleged part in the GameStop saga, with policymakers convinced h...Read more

Stock market
Facebook’s news ban feared to have implications for the sharemarket
Facebook’s move to restrict the sharing and viewing of news in Australia could have huge implications for the sharemarket, an expert has said, as Treasurer Josh Frydenberg readies himself for anothe...Read more

Stock market
Stock market bubble fears overblown: Vanguard
Fears of a stock market bubble are “overblown” despite equity markets around the world closing in on all-time highs, an industry analyst states. ...Read more

Stock market
Experts blast Treasurer’s plan to permanently ease disclosure laws
Sharemarket disclosure laws could be permanently relaxed as the Treasurer looks to shield businesses from disgruntled shareholders, but legal experts have labelled Frydenberg’s reasoning “madness...Read more

Stock market
Is your portfolio climate change ready?
The vast majority of investors believe climate change will have an impact on their portfolio, yet not all investors are readying their asset allocation to take advantage of a net zero world, new resea...Read more

Stock market
Sharemarket penalises mining firms abusing human rights
The sharemarket has been a powerful tool in holding to account mining companies engaged in human rights violations, but informational campaigns by civil society groups and the media are the real aware...Read more