A significant valuation gap has emerged in equities between consumer and retail sectors and resources which, according to Alexander Forbes’s Global Large Manager Watch, has resulted in divergences in returns between fund managers of over 10% in the...
The National Debt Mediation Association (NDMA) was created as a non-profit centre where consumers can lodge complaints about credit providers as well as issues with the debt counseling process. However, Magauta Mphahlele, CEO of the NDMA, says they...
After working for his company for 24 years, Joseph was offered a voluntary retrenchment package. Due to his years of service the package is attractive with the company effectively offering him a year’s salary. Joseph is not part of the union and he...
There are two questions I am always asked by fellow journalists. Firstly why on earth did I leave the lucrative world of stock broking to become a journalist and secondly as a journalist why don’t I write about shares and the markets. The simple...
PODCAST The recent Western Cape Relative Value Arbitrage Fund (RAVF) scandal that led to suicide shooting of Julian Williams by his associate, Herman Pretorius, is estimated to have lost investors around R1.8 billion. While investors, and financial...
With so many articles and books written about "women and money" one may ask the question as to why we have this focus on “women and money” -surely money is gender neutral. The reality is that despite all the advances women may have made in the...
“What to expect when you’re expecting”, the latest American blockbuster that was released in South Africa in June this year, put the spotlight on the journey by parents-to-be as they prepare to become parents for the first time. This is both an...
Higher house prices and stricter lending criteria by the banks have pushed homeownership out of reach of many ordinary South Africans on a single income. But if you really wanted to own a house would you be prepared to share the responsibility with...
PODCAST How do you measure your financial health? By the amount you earn or the amount you save? Does your sense of financial wellness come from the car you drive and the house you live in or do you measure it by the amount of emergency savings you...
This is a very interesting press release from Discovery Health that argues that medical scheme costs are being driven by higher claims as more ill people sign up for medical schemes than healthy people. Actuarial research estimates that if medical...
Every time we open the newspaper, switch on the radio or watch TV we are inundated by information on the imminent collapse of Europe and the impact it will have on global growth. As a result stock markets across the world are extremely volatile so share prices are...
Isaac shows how with discipline and a goal it is possible to build up a portfolio of properties on a limited salary that will one day pay you an income. It is important however to make sure that you do not over extend yourself and risk losing your entire investment....
The recent challenge by members of Discovery Health Medical Scheme (DHMS) around the administrative charges on their medical scheme highlights the pressure that individuals are feeling due to rising healthcare costs which are increasing well above inflation. While...
According to Piet Viljoen of valuation-based asset manager RE:CM, investors need to be well informed about the risks associated with money market investments. The primary objectives of a money market fund are capital protection and provision of liquidity. Yet during...
A recent survey conducted by Groupon South Africa found that while people are desperate to go on holiday over 50% said they simply cannot afford it as holiday accommodation is too expensive and the current tough economy is holding them back. A further 27% of people...
Shares in social networking giant Facebook have continued to extend their losses since its poorly received initial public offering (IPO) in May 2012. Already down 45% on the listing price, there are fears that the lifting of a lock-in on stock sales by some of its...
To some people hedge funds are unfathomable investments which grab international headlines when risky bets result in a sticky end. In South Africa however hedge funds and hedging strategies are mostly used to protect investors’ capital. We look how hedge funds and...
By Samantha Matthew, Investment analyst, Glacier by Sanlam In the last few decades women have made strides in almost every facet of life – from politics, to education and the workplace - no longer content to sit in the background; we have seen women in general come to...
Pieter van Zyl, Director at FinFive, shares his view on why debt clearance is the first step in a solid investment strategy In today’s uncertain economic environment, planning for your financial future has never been more important. As the cost of living increases, so...
Dr Adrian Saville, Chief Investment Officer of Cannon Asset Managers, explains how investors can make the most of an unhappy economic outlook One of the greatest enemies of successful investing is emotion. In making an investment decision, being too optimistic in good...