*This content is brought to you by Sanlam iTrade. Share investor Peter Imrie shares his story of being nearly ‘conned’ by a company selling trading software. In many cases the only ones who make money out of these computer-based trading programs...
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#TradeMyWay: living with regret
It is always easy to know the “right” decision in hindsight, but rather than regretting the past, we should remember why we made the decisions we did. As part of the #TradeMyWay competition, Tim O’Hagan shared his story about how he cashed in his...
“Irrational exuberance” saved the day
*This content is brought to you by Sanlam iTrade. By Gerhard Lampen, Head: Sanlam iTrade Global equity markets in 1996 were in a very bullish mood and that included the JSE. It was in the time leading up to the dotcom bubble at the end of that...
The difference between speculating and investing
During my three years working for a stockbroking firm, I learned the difference between being an investor and being a speculator. During the time that I was responsible for setting up the retail trading desk, I saw firsthand the mistakes many...
Can a robot give you good advice?
One of the more common questions I receive is “where should I invest?” The answer is not a simple one as proper financial planning requires a few questions to ascertain the correct investment objective and therefore the most appropriate product....
The value of bitcoin
By Jacques Plaut, portfolio manager at Allan Gray The total market value of all bitcoins is US$80bn, which is more than the value of Richemont and triple the value of Anglo American. It is the topic on which we currently receive the most questions...
Staying on track for a good score in a high-risk low-return environment
As the need for capital preservation and cautious portfolio positioning becomes more apparent, Head of Business Development at Foord Asset Management, Nick Curtin, unpacks the strategic stance Foord’s portfolio managers have adopted given the...
Paying tax vs paying fees
Tax-efficient products are an easy sell, but are you paying your tax benefit away in fees? With personal and investment taxes on the increase, high-net-worth individuals look to product offerings that can – legally – help them offset their tax...
The simple truth about investing
In late August I attended the Allan Gray Investment Summit which brought together a range of investment professionals. Most of the day was dedicated to experts discussing investment strategies and their top share picks. But it was the final speaker...
The myths and truth about forex trading
Forex trading has taken on mythical dimensions, with many believing it’s a way to trade themselves out of poverty and into riches. What is the truth? “I run an online share trading platform and I don’t consider myself a forex trader; in fact, I...
Previous Articles
Bitcoin: cutting through the hype
By Mike van der Westhuizen, Portfolio Manager, Citadel, and Nishlen Govender, Investment Analyst, Citadel Recent Bitcoin mania has raised a heated debate as to what the world’s largest cryptocurrency (by market capitalisation) is actually worth. Until recently Bitcoin...
Should you be investing in clothing retail stocks?
You may be aware of the clothing retail sector’s golden decade that South Africa has just experienced. However, with consumer confidence in the economy at lows not seen since the 1980s, clothing retail stock prices have tumbled to levels that look temptingly cheap...
US tech sector: continued run-up or correction coming?
Since the infamous “dotcom” meltdown nearly two decades ago, people have tended to question any sort of extended run-up in technology-sector stocks. Stephen Dover, executive vice president and head of equities at Franklin Templeton Investments and chief investment...
Electric cars and oil prices: should investors be concerned?
By Kevin Murphy, Schroders What is more likely to cause a long-term collapse in oil prices – the electric car or the humble combustion engine? If you were to judge solely by media coverage or perhaps even by gut instinct, you might well answer ‘the electric car’. But...
The big opportunity in European stocks
By Chad Fichardt, an independent finance and technology communications specialist. Over the last few years South African investors have seen the importance of diversifying their portfolios. Money invested on the JSE has hardly grown since the middle of 2014, but many...
A long-term view of the rand
South Africans are all asking where the rand is going ‒ a valid question given that investors wish to preserve and grow their investments in rand and dollar terms. According to William Fraser of Foord Asset Management, this is an attainable long-term objective, but he...
Don’t neglect your share portfolio
By Geoff Blount, MD, BayHill Capital Half the year has gone, so it’s a perfect time to assess your share portfolio. Many investors who run their own portfolios via their stockbrokers often end up with a “neglected portfolio” or become frustrated with the performance...
EasyEquities launches US stocks offering for SA investors
If you’ve always wanted to invest in American stocks and shares, such as Facebook, Google or Apple, then you’re in luck because online stockbroker EasyEquities will soon be offering South Africans the ability to do this via its platform. The service should be...
Is SA really “junk”?
By George Herman, Citadel Director and Chief Investment Officer Bloomberg news agency recently published an article stating that South African bonds were now seemingly “junk” – a word which is loaded with negative sentiments. In turbulent times such as these, it is...
The 10 key themes investors must not ignore in 2017
By Marianna Georgakopoulou, Head of Asset Allocation at Ashburton Investments Global macro indicators are currently strong, with a clear cyclical recovery underway in most regions of the world. In particular, industrial and consumer survey data in the US are...