My first full month at Morningstar passed quietly. I glanced at the calendar and realised how fast time had flown. It also marked a transition from a pure equity focus as I dove into the world of personal finance – which as you can imagine, is quite unique through the eyes of a 25-year-old. 

Volatility

The beginning of this month was characterised by a series of tumultuous market reactions with Sigma Healthcare reaching meteoric highs after the ACCC provided an update to the ongoing transaction approval process to acquire Chemist Warehouse. Despite market sentiment, Morningstar analyst Shane Ponraj still doesn’t believe that Sigma is positioned to overcome all competition concerns, therefore does not factor in Sigma’s potential acquisition of Chemist Warehouse in a base case.

This volatility continued as Star Entertainment Group shares came tumbling down after their first day back on the ASX in almost a month. Star’s fall from grace shows the effects of the end of monopoly and regulatory malfeasance. Despite the uncertainty, we still except earnings to recover in the midterm. At its current price ($0.27), it still presents the same five-star analyst rating with our fair value of $0.67 per share.

Sector coverage

The market’s favourite buzzwords: tech and commodities, proved hot this month as I explored the Australian tech sector and the two cheapest stock picks within a largely saturated segment.

Speaking of overvalued, a stimulus announcement from China saw resource shares skyrocket at quarter end. The topic saw plenty of coverage this month as I explored a safe-haven commodity that screens as the most overvalued commodity sector right now and two exposed stocks we recommend avoiding at current prices.

Ever wondered what other people are doing with their stocks? As someone who is leaps and bounds away from running my own super fund, I became curious as to which ASX players were held by SMSFs. After lifting the veil, I found familiar names such as BHP, Woodside and the big four banks all made the top 20.

Wrapping up this month’s equity coverage, I reminisced on old times (4 months ago, give or take) by delving into the world of ASX listed data centres. An asset whose technology remains elusive to the everyday individual, yet still demands eyewatering valuations with the sale of Airtrunk being the largest of the year so far.

Am I saving enough? Will I ever own a home?

They say curiosity kills the cat and this month I fell victim as I sought to find out how my savings stacked up against others. What started as a social media trend highlighting the growing sentiment towards financial transparency, ended in regretful contemplations over exactly where I went wrong with my savings. This article is certainly one for the curious, although if you find yourself in a similar position to me, I also explore various savings methods circulated by financial advisors over the years.

Australia’s housing supply crisis is not a new development. However, we saw headlines re-invigorated this month as the prime minister closed on a coastal pad leading some to question future housing policy. The news couldn’t evade even me, as I sat in my leafy, overpriced studio mulling over the recent decision to hold interest rates steady. With pressure mounting and the RBA’s poker face melting, I explored the housing crisis and what potential rate cuts could mean for property investors in Australia.

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