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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Structured funds that guarantee investors’ capital tend to be very popular after a market crash. Typically investors that get caught up in the market hype have full exposure to the equity markets and therefore suffer heavy losses when the markets fall. Investors then...
A recent study by Alexander Forbes suggests that today’s average 40 year old will have 30% less funds in retirement than the previous generation due to lower market returns, longevity and lower savings rates relative to income. The Alexander Forbes Pensions Index,...
A sense of disquiet has been growing among independent financial advisers around the pricing of certain investment products sold by tied agents. When a product’s cost structure makes it virtually impossible to beat a cash rate or when other equally good solutions...
Since its peak in 2008 the single stock futures market has fallen from around R60 billion open contracts at any one point, to around R2bn today. Maya Fisher-French explores the demise of the single stock future industry against the rise of CFD’s and what it means for...
What we can learn from our parents who survived the inflation beast of the 1980’s There is no doubt that our day to day living expenses are becoming increasingly more expensive as necessities like electricity, travel and food take a bigger bite out of our salary each...
City Press was recently sent a copy of a loan agreement between a customer and micro-lender Letsatsi Finance. In this agreement Letsatsi Finance lent the customer R8000 and included insurance on the loan at a monthly cost of R320. According to the loan agreement this...
In his budget address, Finance Minister Gordhan proposed that from March 2012 all employees will be allowed to deduct up to 22.5% of their taxable income for contribution to retirement funds up to a maximum of R200 000. While this may bring pension and provident fund...