Welcome to the Spring edition of our client newsletter.

This year seems to be flying by and we’re already well into the new financial year, with many of us starting to look ahead to plans for the summer holidays.

The last few months has again been dominated by inflationary themes and the continued cost of living pressures being experienced by many Australians, with the Matildas recent World Cup campaign offering a welcome distraction.

It remains to be seen whether the Reserve Bank's efforts to steer the economy along what it calls 'a narrow path' will avoid pushing the country into a recession and lead to a rise in unemployment.  We can only hope they have raised interest rates enough to slow the economy and return inflation to its 2-3 per cent target within a reasonable time frame.

As you'll see in the Market Update section, there are some encouraging signs that global inflation is moderating, with renewed confidence in the technology sector and AI resulting in solid gains in global shares over the past few months.

In this edition of the Edge, we explore the importance of financial literacy, featuring the findings of a recent survey of Australians and how across generations many feel ill-prepared to navigate financial challenges. The need for financial education and access to quality, affordable advice in this country has never been greater, and I'm hopeful that some of the reforms stemming from the recent Quality of Advice Review will go some way to addressing this gap.

At Shadforth, we are passionate about helping our clients feel more confident about their financial situation. Over the coming months we are running a series of client technical session on navigating the age care industry.  Whether for our own needs or those of a loved one, something that will be relevant to us all.

As always, if you have any feedback or thoughts you would like to share with me, please do so via email at ceo@sfg.com.au.