Market & Portfolio Update - August 2020

10 September 2020 by Lifetime in Investments, Market Update

Market & Portfolio Update - August 2020

Global share markets rose nearly 5% in August as investors continue to digest news about ongoing vaccine developments and look for returns in a low interest rate environment.

Australian shares rose over 3% as the Covid-19 outbreak in Victoria eased. This resulted in another month of overall positive returns for funds, even as some uncertainty remains for the general economic backdrop.

For our Booster clients, the portion of members' global shares investments managed by California-based Fisher Investments added value by outperforming the general return on global share markets. This came largely from Fisher’s allocation to technology companies, such as Apple and sales software provider Salesforce. These both benefited from sales being supported by global customers looking to technology solutions to help them and their businesses through the pandemic.

preview image - Lifetime Book Club: The Green Mile by Stephen King

Lifetime Book Club: The Green Mile by Stephen King

Sometimes the most powerful stories aren’t the ones that scare us. They’re the ones that move us.

Stephen King might be best known for horror, but The Green Mile is a story of humanity, compassion, and courage in the face of unthinkable circumstances. Set in a 1930s prison, it follows Paul Edgecombe, a death row officer, and John Coffey, a man with extraordinary empathy and an inexplicable gift.

31 October 2025 by Lifetime
preview image - The Growing Divide: Why Private Medical Claims Are Surging in New Zealand

The Growing Divide: Why Private Medical Claims Are Surging in New Zealand

It feels like there is another headline about our public health system being under pressure every week. Long waitlists, staff shortages, and hospitals struggling to keep up. It is no surprise that more Kiwis are turning to private healthcare to get the treatment they need and faster.

28 October 2025 by Emily Wheatley in Health