The unit trust market is enormous. If you want to start investing in unit trusts, it's crucial you understand the difference between the options available to you…
Unit trusts are a great way to invest in the stock market and come with an array of advantages.
‘Ordinary’ unit trusts have been around since 1965, but many new and innovative alternatives are now available.
This range of o... ››› more
You may have heard about exchange traded funds (ETFs), but do you know what they are or why you should consider investing in them? Read on to discover the four main advantages of investing in ETFs…
ETFs provide you with a great alternative to shares when investing in the stock market.
But before we go any further, let’s find out exactly what an ETF is, as explained by The South African In... ››› more
"Francois, offshore is the place to be. The rand is ever weakening and there are massive opportunities to profit as governments the world over stimulate their economies…" That's the insight I received from an associate of mine, Gary Barford, FSP Invest's offshore analyst a while ago as we were discussing the difficult investing situation in South Africa with labour problems, a weak rand and a cr... ››› more
Being a research analyst, I often get asked by friends and family what they should put their money into right now. This is a difficult question to answer, especially when dealing with loved ones. If I give advice on what I believe to be a promising investment, they'll jump to it like a kid craving sugar. If luck goes against them and the investment price drops, they could hold it against me. So... ››› more
Last Friday, Absa Capital listed its NewGold Platinum exchange traded fund, or NewPlat ETF, on the JSE. Since then, it's already seen an inflow of R2 billion! Here's how the NewPlat ETF differs from the existing platinum ETN.
At the end of February 2013, there were 39 exchange traded funds (ETFs) and 23 exchange traded notes (ETNs) listed on the JSE, says Moneyweb.
Now, there... ››› more
Looking for proof that unit trusts are still popular locally? Here it is: The Association for Savings and Investment South Africa says the local collective investment schemes industry attracted the second highest quarterly net inflows ever for the first quarter of the year, at R47 billion. If you'd like to join the trend, here's what to look for to ensure you invest in a top performing local unit ... ››› more
Asset allocation is one aspect of investment that investors agree to disagree on. While most agree it's important to split your investments across different asset types, the amount you should invest in each differs based on your risk appetite. Now, with exchange-traded products gaining popularity in South Africa, you need to consider them as a new low-risk avenue for your asset allocation if you h... ››› more
Gold prices dropped to a new two-year low this week. As a result, global investors have lost confidence in all things gold and gold exchange-traded funds (EFTs) have seen a drop, too. But South Africa's New Gold ETF hasn't followed suit - in fact, it's actually seen a rise in interest!
Yesterday, precious metals recovered from a two-day sell-off‚ with the gold spot price up 3.05%, says... ››› more
“The prime motive for holding a global equity portfolio is to obtain the benefits of international diversification. Diversification comes from holding investments that have unrelated returns,” says The South African Investor. Do you know how to do this? Read on to find out a cheaper alternative to get international exposure and great returns.
ETFs are a cheap alternative if you want interna... ››› more
“In the wake of the remarkable volatility across equity and bond markets in recent years, the question of how to optimally balance a portfolio has come to the fore. With so many asset classes moving in line with each other, now more than ever, investors and their professional advisers need to focus on the appropriate weightings of different asset classes they should hold in their portfolios,” ... ››› more
Keeping an eye on the stock market every day to watch the movements of companies you want to invest in is a great investment strategy. But this comes with risk. After all, share prices rise and fall daily. If you don't have the stomach for this risk, there's an easy way to take advantage of stock market success. In fact, you can even use it to profit from all the top performing companies in one mo... ››› more
Just because exchange-traded products (ETPs) like exchange traded funds (ETFs) and exchange-traded notes (ETNs) are passive investment vehicles, doesn't mean they're not exciting. You can see great returns from ETPs. And new research shows that exchange-traded products like ETNs and ETFs can actually outperform unit trusts. But you don't have to stick to the same old-same old ETPs- Moneyweb says t... ››› more
Forget about buying individual shares! Study after study has shown that more than 50% of any gain an investor makes on a share comes from one thing: The sector it's in. And that's where the magic of ETFs comes in…
If you want to invest in equities but don’t know what to choose, simply buy an ETF, advises Viv Govender, the investment analyst behind Index Trader.
The reason?
ETFs make... ››› more
According to a recent study, only one in three unit trusts will do better next year than it did this year. The other two will perform the same or worse. That means with over 150 unit trusts currently on the local market, you only have a 32% chance of picking the right one! To make your job easier, here are five things you must know about your unit trust before you invest a cent…
Thanks to gov... ››› more
As a savvy investor, you probably know all about exchange traded funds (ETFs) but have you heard of ETNs (exchange traded notes)? While the popularity of ETFs has taken off in a big way, ETNs have all but been ignored by ordinary investors. But here's the thing, ETNs are becoming more and more popular with retail investors - especially those looking to invest in commodities. Here's what you need t... ››› more