January | Kickstart 2025: A year of saying YES!

As we step into 2025, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the opportunities ahead and plan for a year filled with purpose and progress. Financially, 2024 closed on a strong note for investors, with shares performing well thanks to better-than-expected growth, robust profits, and central banks cutting rates globally. Balanced growth super funds returned an impressive 11%, and volatility remained low—a welcome reprieve for many.

However, 2025 is shaping up to be a different story. While we still expect positive returns, the gains are likely to be more moderate and accompanied by increased volatility. The potential for a 15%+ correction looms, as global markets adjust to shifting dynamics, including the return of Trump-era populist policies. On the home front, we anticipate the RBA cutting the cash rate to 3.6%, with the first cut potentially landing as early as February. The ASX is expected to deliver around 7%, while balanced super funds may return around 6%. Australian residential property prices could soften before rate cuts provide support later in the year.

The key factors to keep an eye on include interest rates, recession risks, trade tensions, China’s economic stability, and the resilience of the Australian consumer. But amidst the uncertainty, there’s one thing we can control—our mindset.

This brings us to the theme of saying yes in 2025. As markets ebb and flow, so too do our personal and professional lives. Saying yes to new experiences, opportunities, and connections can bring clarity, growth, and inspiration in times of change. Whether it’s stepping outside your comfort zone or revisiting your financial goals, now is the time to embrace the possibilities ahead.

Read on for more about how saying yes can transform your year…