Australian Market outlook - Looking ahead to 2013

Here’s our outlook for four key components of the Australian market and how they could impact you, your lifestyle and the decisions you make in the year ahead.

This year’s report highlights six key themes that our strategist team believe will have the greatest impact on markets and asset returns in 2013:

Australia: Better than elsewhere but facing headwinds

There are two perspectives on the outlook for Australia in 2012.

Australia: Better than elsewhere but facing headwinds

There are two perspectives on the outlook for Australia. The first is that the economy will be under pressure from weaker commodity prices and export demand...

By Scott Fletcher, Head of Strategic Wealth & Partner Solutions.

With Europe still very much at the centre of investor concerns, here is a 'Eurozone-101 plain English guide' explaining what is at the heart of the current daily rumours and headlines.

Is Greece set for failure? What does the future hold for other European economies? Here, John Velis, Head of Capital Markets Research, EMEA, explains the shape of things right now – and provides his thoughts about where the Eurozone economies might be heading.

Russell Investments' Chief Investment officer – Client Investment Strategies, Erik Ristuben, discusses how weak US economic indicators and European banking concerns caused the markets to tumble.

Russell Investments' Chief Investment officer – Client Investment Strategies, Erik Ristuben, discusses the market's mild reaction to the meeting between Chancellor Merkel and President Sarkozy.

By: Erik Ristuben, Chief Investment Officer – Client Investment Strategies

In recognition of the weaker economic environment and increased uncertainty regarding fiscal policy and sovereign debt in the US and Europe, Russell has lowered its 2011 year-end S&P 500® target from 1372 to 1300.

Russell’s central view remains that the US and global economies continue on a path of gradual recovery – even though that recovery is fragile and sub-par.