Aussie savings survey reveals gender differences in investment patterns
Australian men and women still love their savings accounts but other forms of investment are gaining ground
< 1 min
Less than a quarter of Australians save less than $250 or less per month, a new survey reveals.
The survey by online financial brokers, Savvy, also reported that just 14 percent of women invested shares, compared with 23 percent of male respondents, while 26 percent of men were contributing to their superannuation compared with 21 percent of women.
Savvy surveyed more than 1,000 people about their savings habits and found that 78 percent of Australians chose their savings accounts as the top place to invest their money, followed by 24 percent for their superannuation and 19 percent in shares. Crypto currencies and NFTs accounted for 6 percent of investments, just behind property on 8 percent.
In terms of savings, the survey found that 32.5 percent of Australians save $750 or more each month, while 15 percent save between $251 and $500 on a monthly basis.
Of greater concern, 43 percent of Australians said that they are ‘not confident’ that their investment returns will continue to outpace inflation in the near future, a sign that consumer confidence is on the decline.
Savvy managing director Bill Tsouvalas said it was important to maintain cash flow as cost of living pressures increase.
“Though everything seems to be getting more expensive, now isn’t the time to stop putting money away for the future,” he said.
“When inflation is high, you should be looking for easy investment options that will protect your savings, like term deposits, savings accounts, shares and managed or indexed funds; all of which can provide a better return on investment and help you save for big ticket items, such as a house deposit.”
This stylish family home combines a classic palette and finishes with a flexible floorplan
Just 55 minutes from Sydney, make this your creative getaway located in the majestic Hawkesbury region.
U.K.-listed mining giant’s chairman says the proposal undervalues the company
2 min
LONDON— Anglo American on Friday rejected a $39 billion takeover proposal from rival BHP, saying the bid “significantly undervalues” the company and setting the stage for a potential bidding war.
London-listed Anglo American said the unsolicited proposal, which was made earlier this month and which became public this week, features an unattractive structure that is too uncertain and complex .
Anglo American Chairman Stuart Chambers said the company stands to benefit from its portfolio of assets, including copper, that are likely to experience growth from trends around the energy transition. BHP’s bid, Chambers said, is opportunistic and dilutive for shareholders.
BHP’s all-share offer valued Anglo American at about $38.8 billion, and would have been contingent upon Anglo American spinning off shareholdings in two South African-listed units. The proposal represented a premium of about 31%, not including the South African-listed units, based on Tuesday’s closing prices.
Some analysts had predicted Anglo would find the bid too low and are expecting BHP to return with another. BHP has until May 22 to make a firm offer, though the deadline can be extended. Industry participants expect other large miners to also take a run at Anglo, whose share price has dropped since 2022 as lower commodity prices have ripped through the industry.
A tie-up between BHP and Anglo American, which would be the largest mining deal on record, would illustrate the growing importance of copper, a metal essential to clean-energy products , to a sector that has long relied on Chinese industrialisation to boost profits.
Copper represents some 30% of Anglo American’s output, while BHP counts a majority stake in Chile’s Escondida, the world’s biggest copper mine, among its assets. BHP bought Australian copper-and-gold miner Oz Minerals for $6.34 billion in May last year, representing its biggest acquisition since 2011.
Copper prices are up some 15% so far this year, reflecting expectations that demand for the metal will rise as the world decarbonises and supply will be constrained. Electric vehicles and wind farms use copper in much greater quantities than gasoline-powered cars and coal-fired power stations.
Anglo American has been reviewing its assets in recent months, and has held early conversations with potential buyers for its storied De Beers diamond unit, which it values at more than $7 billion, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.
Activist firm Elliott Investment Management holds a stake in Anglo American worth roughly $1 billion, accumulated over several months and before BHP’s move on the miner, according to a person familiar with the matter. The firm is widely known for its campaigns to push companies for change to boost their stock prices. Its view of the Anglo American holding couldn’t be learned.
That said, a jump in Anglo American’s share price following BHP’s takeover offer indicates Elliott has already profited from its holding, potentially reducing any incentive for it to take any action until the outcome of BHP’s bid becomes clearer.
Anglo’s stock on Friday traded above the implied value of BHP’s offer, indicating the market expects a higher bid to emerge.
Consumers are going to gravitate toward applications powered by the buzzy new technology, analyst Michael Wolf predicts
Just 55 minutes from Sydney, make this your creative getaway located in the majestic Hawkesbury region.
