The Rules of Investing

Markets are wobbling, sentiment is turning, and investors are starting to question what comes next. In this episode, Munro Partners CIO Nick Griffin explains why he still believes we’re in a bull market, how the war in Iran is impacting markets, and why AI is forcing a major rethink on tech investing.

Gold has re-entered the spotlight, but L1 Capital believes investors may be looking in the wrong place. After years of investing in commodities, the firm formalised its view with a dedicated gold strategy in March 2025, now set to list as the L1 Gold Fund Limited (ASX: LGF, subject to approval). Co-Chief Investment Officer Raphael Lamm sees the real opportunity not in bullion, but in overlooked gold equities trading on “astounding” free cash flow yields. Crucially, the strategy does not depend on rising gold prices, with valuations anchored in conservative assumptions. In this episode of The Rules of Investing, Lamm explains why structural forces could support the opportunity for years to come. Please note, this interview was recorded on Monday, 16 March 2026.

Periods of intense uncertainty test even the most seasoned investors. Today, markets face several competing forces: artificial intelligence reshaping industries, geopolitical tensions fuelling energy volatility, and elevated valuations alongside concentration in parts of the Australian equity market. For Yarra Capital Management’s Dion Hershan, these environments demand discipline rather than panic. While investors remain fixated on macro headlines, he argues many meaningful micro changes are being overlooked. Drawing on experience across multiple market cycles, from the tech wreck to the global financial crisis, Hershan believes the decisions made in turbulent periods often matter most. In fact, he says a handful of well-timed choices can set up a portfolio for an entire decade. Please note, this interview was recorded Thursday, 12 March 2026

For much of the past year, investors have been focused on growth stocks and AI winners. But some of the strongest returns have come from stocks the market had largely written off. James Hawkins, Head of L1 Capital’s Catalyst Fund, is building a reputation for finding value where others aren’t looking, combining deep research with an activist mindset to unlock it. That strategy has helped drive a strong year for the fund, with contrarian positions in companies like BlueScope Steel and Mineral Resources fuelling 30% gains. In this episode of the Rules of Investing, Hawkins explains L1’s affinity for hard assets, the catalysts for unlocking value and the unloved stocks capturing the markets attention.

Private lending has expanded rapidly over the past decade as banks pulled back from parts of the corporate market. The result has been a surge of capital chasing income, but the speed of that growth is also raising questions about how the sector will perform when the cycle eventually turns. In this episode of the Rules of Investing podcast, Privity Credit Managing Partner Ryan Donnar explains why lending outside the banking system is far from a one-dimensional asset class. He also outlines where crowding is emerging, why structure matters more than yield, and the key questions investors should ask before allocating capital. Please note, this interview was recorded Tuesday, 24 February 2026

Equity markets are in the middle of what Greg Dean calls “the world’s most uncomfortable rotation." In this episode, the founder of Langdon Equity Partners explains why AI may not be the real story, why high-margin businesses can be more vulnerable than they appear, and how he’s positioning his portfolio, including a 7.6% stake in L1 Group and a decision to reinvest in Johns Lyng after its take-private.

More than 70 companies reported this week and while the ASX 200 continues to push record highs, stock reactions remain ruthless. In this episode, Ben Clark argues it’s been one of the strongest reporting seasons in years, with banks, miners and consumer names broadly beating expectations. He explains why Woolworths’ resurgence caught the market off guard, why WiseTech’s AI defence matters more than its job cuts, and why Monadelphous and Ramsay may be turning points. Clark also highlights heavy insider buying across tech, suggesting recent weakness may be overdone. Despite volatility, he sees momentum building into the second half.

With reporting season taking a positive turn, Chris Conway speaks with James Gerrish of Market Partners to get his hot take on a big week of reporting season, the key beats and misses, and what he's keeping an eye on for the rest of the season.

The first big week of reporting season was full of fireworks with some wild swings in some of the biggest companies on the ASX. Livewire's Chris Conway spoke with Henry Jennings from Marcus Today to discuss some of the important results and how investors reacted.

Inflation is back at the centre of investor concerns. In this episode of The Rules of Investing, James Marlay is joined by outgoing Schroders CEO and CIO Simon Doyle to discuss why inflation has been so persistent, the assets he trusts most to protect real returns and the lessons from a long career in markets.

Markets delivered another strong year in 2025, extending an exceptional run for equities. The S&P 500 returned around 22.8% per annum over the past three years, roughly double the long-term average, while the ASX 200 delivered closer to 9.7% excluding dividends. After a run like this, the key issue isn’t just where markets go next, but how investors set expectations. In this episode, James Marlay speaks Ben Clark from TMS Private Wealth and Charlie Viola from Viola Private Wealth to discuss realistic return expectations, the factors shaping asset allocation for 2026, and where they’re directing new capital.

Vishal Teckchandani asked two of Australia's leading ETF providers to put together a starting lineup of 11 ETFs built to win next year. Our two team captains were VanEck's Jamie Hannah and Global X ETFs' Marc Jocum, who each brought some of their big hitters (and more cricket metaphors than you can shake a stump at).

Property experts Nerida Conisbee and Kiril Ruvinsky unpack what is driving the market and share their bold predictions for 2026.

The Rules of Investing has wrapped for 2025. Thanks for tuning in; we’ve loved bringing you the conversations and insights that shaped markets this year. We have a few bonus episodes coming out over the next couple of weeks and we’ll return to regular programming in 2026. Enjoy the holiday break and all the best for the year ahead.

The ASX’s headline yield has slipped, but dividend income is still on offer if investors know where to look. In this episode of The Rules of Investing, IML’s Dr Michael O’Neill explains the dividend outlook, shares five ASX income picks, and outlines the mistake investors are making on rates and valuation risk. *Correction - in the podcast Michael mistakenly said the yield on CSL is 4% when it is actually closer to 3% based on 1-year forward estimates from brokers.

Dr David Allen from Plato Investment Management joins the show to unpack the systematic engine behind his fund’s 25 percent annual returns, how red flags reveal stocks set to fall, and the global themes he believes will drive markets over the next decade.

QVG Capital’s Chris Prunty joins the Rules of Investing to unpack what makes the great companies great. He shares the three traits found in Australia’s “Hall of Fame” stocks, reveals four small caps he believes could follow in their footsteps, and explains why QVG is backing Hub24 over Netwealth in the battle of the investment platforms.

Property moves in cycles, but real value lies in assets you can’t replace. Quay Global Investors’ Chris Bedingfield joins The Rules of Investing to explain why global REITs are trading at some of the biggest discounts in years, how ageing demographics and construction costs are reshaping real estate, and why patience remains the most underrated edge for investors. ________________________ Thanks to our Sponsor AlphaSense This latest episode is brought to you by AlphaSense. See what AlphaSense can do for your investment research—visit alpha-sense.com/livewire to get started.