Targeting stocks for income of 8% or more

There is an article at TheBull.com.au analyzing and listing a small portfolio of shares that yield 8% or more in dividend income.

STOCK	SHARE PRICE (3/8/09)	FORECAST DPS  09/10	FORECAST DIVIDEND YIELD % (09/10)	GROSSED UP YIELD % (09/10)
Westpac Bank	$22.10	$1.15	5.7	8.1
Commonwealth Bank	$43.65	$2.25	5.8	8.2
Telstra Corporation	$3.52	$0.25	7.4	10.5
Corporate Express	$3.81	$0.26	7	10
QBE Insurance	$19.61	$1.25	6.3	7.1
Westfield Group	$11.70	$0.93	8.2	8.2
Tabcorp Holdings	$24.95	$0.55	7.7	11
West Aust. Newspapers	$6.00	$0.35	8	11.4

TheBull.com.au

Interactive Index Chart

Vanguard has updated the Interactive Index Chart on 30th of June 2009. It is interesting to look at the long-term returns, putting the global financial crisis into perspective.
It is very interesting to see how cash holds on well in Australia.

Interactive Index Chart | Indexing | Knowledge Centre | Vanguard Investments Australia

The end of recession in Europe?!

LONDON -
European stock markets advanced, with London reaching a 10-month high,
after data showing an end to recession in France and Germany and better
than expected results for the Eurozone.

Exemplary Conduct

It is really encouraging to see people who have achieved a lot not practicing the greed by trying to amass more and more for no apparent reason. Warren Buffett, for example, receives a $100,000 salary for his work. Considering he is the best known investor, managing billions of dollars in funds, this does not seem much.
The next one is listed below. Eric Schmidt receives $1 annual salary for his work at Google.
Naturally, all these people have enough wealth to get them trough (and much more than that, probably) and the social effects of their decisions not to receive excessive remuneration are very positive and encouraging.

Google CEO Eric Schmidt Accepted No Salary or Stock for Apple Board Service - Mac Rumors

EURAUD Below 1.70

The EURAUD exchange rate broke back through the 1.70 level into the long-term trading range.
Australia - Currency

UBank Launches USaver

UBank, an Australian bank that had great rates on term deposits, has launched USaver - an online savings account. Currently, with the rate of 5.11% p.a., it is the highest paying savings account in Australia I know of.
USaver - UBank - A good place for money. Backed by NAB

Upswing; Investment Cycle Chart

At Oliver's Insights, today, you can read more arguments about the economic cycle being on the rebound. I will leave the power of arguments to the experts. However, remember that all the experts were there during the downturn, as well. Not too many got it right, though.
Link to the article: From bear to bull - the cyclical upswing in shares (Expert Articles).

One useful graph from the article portrays the economic/investment cycle:



The graph is unavailable at the original location but can be found in the printout of the newsletter - here.

Bull Market?!

After a horrible year (2008) for investments, everything seems a thing of the past nowadays. Not only we see discussions about the end of the recession and the market crash, there are now discussions on whether we have entered the new cyclical bull market.
Smart Investing with Robin Bowerman | Financial News & Commentary | Vanguard Investments Australia

Microsoft Money Discontinued

Microsoft made an announcement in June that they will discontinue Microsoft Money as of June 30, 2009. This pretty much leaves Quicken as the only decent money management desktop tool out there.
Announcement: Open Letter to MS Money Customers - Official Quicken® Blog