In just a few days, Brazil will choose between two very different political directions in their 2026 election. On 4 October, 156 million-plus eligible voters were expected to shape the country’s future. The first-round result delivered a surprise: Flávio Bolsonaro won 47.03% of valid votes, narrowly ahead of incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on 45.16%.
Neither won outright. Now they face each other in a runoff on 25 October.
Last week, one of South Africa’s most important financial stories of the year landed on SENS. Sanlam (JSE: SLM), through its subsidiary Sanlam Life, made a formal offer to acquire all remaining Santam (JSE: SNT) shares it doesn’t already own.
Read MoreLast week, the rand slipped past R16.60 to the dollar – its weakest level since July.
If you’ve been following South African financial news, you might be tempted to reach for the usual explanations. Political uncertainty. Load-shedding. The current account deficit. The structural weaknesses that South Africa carries like a weight around its neck.
I want to tell you about a mistake I’m watching a lot of income investors make right now, without even realising it. For years, the playbook was simple. Find a stock with a fat dividend yield, buy it, collect the cheque, repeat. Easy money, especially while interest rates kept falling and every income-hungry investor was chasing the same handful of high-yielding names.
Read MoreThe US and Japan have just intervened in the currency market together for the first time since 2011. Here’s why it could affect your investments too.
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