If you're prepared to take on a bit more risk with your stock portfolio, you could buy into funds that invest in the smallest listed companies.
Whilst investing in funds like this does come with higher risks, the potential long-term rewards could be excellent.
So where can you look for such investment opportunities?
With limited choice in South Africa, you need to look offshore.
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Today's D-Day (30 June 2015).
Greece has a massive debt payment due to the IMF. They'll make a decision whether they pay the International Monetary Fund the €1.6 billion or they decided to default.
Whether Greece defaults or not, it's anybody's guess at the moment.
But what I do know is this. This Eurozone crisis is not only dragging the European stock market down, but also the JSE.
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Cybercrime is a growing problem. Governments, companies and individuals are under attack from hackers.
Hackers that cost the world's economy billions of dollars.
With such a threat, big corporations and governments are trying to tighten up their cybersecurity.
And this presents an opportunity in a growing industry that you can tap into.
Let's take a closer look…
Cybercrime is o... ››› more
Over the past month, the Japanese stock market has been on a roll.
Firstly, the Nikkei 225 stock market index rose for 12 straight trading days. That's the index's longest run of gains in 27 years.
Then the Nikkei 225 stock market index fell for the next seven trading days.
So what's going on with the Japanese stock market? Are there further gains coming?
Read on to find out…
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Maybe you want to buy into some offshore investments. Or maybe you want to move some of your cash into an offshore bank account.
Whatever your reason behind taking money offshore, you may be wondering how you can do it.
Read on to find out everything you need to know…
How to get your money offshore
Each year, you can transfer up to R1 million offshore as part of your single discre... ››› more
If you're looking to broaden your investment horizons by putting some of your money to work offshore, you need to conduct your due diligence first.
You must do this before parting with any of your cash. Unfortunately there are some unscrupulous individuals out there trying to swindle investors out of their hard-earned money.
So what should you check out?
Read on to find out…
Inves... ››› more
When it comes to investing, shares on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange aren't your only option.
You could take some of your capital and put it to work in international markets.
So what are the benefits of international investing?
Read on to find out…
International investing minimises your exposure to tax
International investing can minimise the taxes you pay to the South African... ››› more
If you've decided to invest offshore, one vital aspect is picking countries and stocks to invest in.
To remove some of the legwork you could opt to invest in particular funds, but you still need to pick the sectors that give your money the best chance of growth.
So what should you look at when picking somewhere offshore to invest? And what should you look for when it comes to selecting indiv... ››› more
When searching for the best offshore haven for your investments, it comes down to your unique requirements. But there are some keys factors you should consider before making a decision.
So what are these factors? And how can you find the best offshore haven?
Read on to find out…
Six factors to check when searching for an offshore haven
Offshore haven factor #1: Independence
Is th... ››› more
There are benefits to investing in offshore stocks. It adds some vital diversification to your portfolio, which helps to reduce risk. And you can gain exposure to stocks that just aren't available to invest in here.
But investing in international stocks means you need an offshore trading account. So what if you don't want the hassle of opening another account? What are your options?
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Whilst putting your money to work on international markets can have its benefits, as with any investment, it's vital you weigh up the disadvantages too.
So what are the pros and cons of putting your money to work in international investments?
Read on to find out…
Two advantages of international investing
Advantage #1: Diversification
International investing offers you diversifica... ››› more
If you want to gain some offshore exposure in your portfolio, chances are you're going to include some stocks.
You have two choices. You can invest in individual stocks or you can invest in funds.
The benefit of investing in offshore funds is you gain instant diversification to a number of different stocks. But by investing in funds, you have to consider the fees a fund charges.
Fees can... ››› more
The underlying reason for investing offshore is to benefit from offshore diversification.
Diversification reduces your overall investment risk by investing in different assets that have unrelated returns.
So what are the other benefits of investing offshore? And how should you spread your offshore investments?
Read on to find out…
The real reason to invest offshore
Offshore div... ››› more
Asset allocation involves spreading your investment across a number of different assets, for instance shares, bonds, property, commodities and cash.
And it's something you should address when investing offshore.
So why is asset allocation important when you invest offshore? And is there an easy way to do it?
Read on to find out…
The importance of asset allocation
If you want to... ››› more
If you want to invest offshore, but don't want the hassle of picking individual stocks, one option is to invest in a fund.
Unless you opt for a passive fund, where the fund tries to mirror the performance of an underlying index, you'll invest in an actively managed one.
But different fund managers have different styles. It's important to hone in on funds that suit your investment style.
R... ››› more