Gold's been a form of money, an investment and a store of value for almost as long as modern day man has walked the earth.
Some argue gold is a barbaric relic that no longer holds the monetary qualities of the past. They say paper currency, or electronic currencies such as Bitcoin, are the assets of choice.
But the fact remains that gold has been a very stable appreciating asset for centur... ››› more
The aim of any sports bettor is to make accurate predictions of what is likely to happen during an event.
A common mistake most sports bettors make when trying to predict a game of soccer, is trying to predict everything. From the result of the match, number of corners, will both teams score, under/over; the list just goes on and on…
Instead of trying to predict everything, focusing on o... ››› more
What you're about to read will shock you…
1999 - The Euro came into existence in January which was the goal of the European Union and its predecessors since the 1960s.
Initially there was a negative reaction as the Euro fell below parity (1:1) with the US Dollar for the first time.
After, the dust settled and the EU was finding its feet with regulations, treaties and legislations, the E... ››› more
This is one of my favourite stories that I tell my members who attend the Forex 101 Workshop events.
I always have one or two members ask me about the history of how making money on the stock market is possible.
--------------- Highly Recommended ---------------
This secret has, without a doubt, consistently made more money than any other single investment secret I know of
... ››› more
Last month, I had the privilege of speaking to Gary Booysen as we prepared our articles for The South African Investor publication.
I was fascinated by the history lesson Gary gave me about the evolution of the hedge fund industry. I realised that the investment world is riddled with complex structures, obscure products, puzzling regulations and often downright confusing terminology.
But, ... ››› more
Dividends matter to a lot of investors.
If you have a lot of dividend paying stocks in your portfolio, you'll want to check whether they're likely to continue. And if you're about to invest in a stock because of its dividend, you'll want to check the likelihood of the company continuing to pay it.
So what can you do to check?
There are a couple of things you can do. Read on to find out wh... ››› more
Gold is a currency. Before paper currencies existed, people used it to pay for produce and services. Through early-2000, gold lost its shine as some investors and governments lost interest in the yellow metal. This saw the price of gold fall below $300 an ounce in 2001 after trading over $800 an ounce in 1980. But the shine has returned to gold. Read on to find out more about gold and why you shou... ››› more
Yesterday, the Trade and Industry Minister, Rob Davies, announced the implementation of the credit amnesty at the beginning of April. The move will see any bad credit history that consumers have since paid off, wiped from their records. This could see millions of South Africans with credit impairments having immediate access to credit. Let's take a closer look at what the new bill means…
Consu... ››› more
In the 19th-century, Thomas Carlyle once mocked economics by calling it “the dismal science”.
And for economists, the 2008 crash was dismal.
Economists not only failed to spot the looming disaster…
But many even predicted the opposite would happen.
So it's time for the study economics to shape up, if it's going to be useful in the future.
Let's take a look at what's hap... ››› more
In Sense and Sensibility, Jane Austen called it the ‘cure for a broken heart'… When Napoleon Bonaparte was forced into exile on the island of Elba, he requested 30 bottles of it be shipped to him each month to ease his confinement… French poet Charles Baudelaire, said that only the lips of a lover surpassed it in heavenly sweetness… And now, E.L James, author of the worldwide sensation 50 ... ››› more
We're all familiar with the Krugerrand. But that isn't the only coin you can buy in South Africa. With SA's rich history comes a wealth of coins and notes. Read on to find out more…
In South Africa, there is a very active secondary market for coin collectors. This is due to South Africa being one of the largest producers of gold, cobalt, copper and platinum in the world.
For instance, the K... ››› more
I grew up with a very negative perspective of debt and credit. I often saw it as this big bad monster that would ruin my life and prevent me from financial freedom. Well it turns out all the old adages about not having debt and credit are lies! And here's why…
No credit record can be worse than a bad credit record
A few years back I decided to take out a cell phone contract.
... ››› more
The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) wasn't always in a fancy building in Sandton. In fact, there was a time when the JSE didn't even exist. It all started back in the late 1800s when gold was discovered…
Not surprisingly, South Africa’s stock markets found their roots in the world of mining.
The JSE wasn’t the first stock market in SA, there were two others before.
The first was th... ››› more
We take it for granted that stock markets like the JSE exist. They perform a unique role in facilitating the buying and selling of shares and, of course, enabling companies to raise much needed capital. But have you ever wondered where stock markets actually came from? Let's take a walk back in time to the humble beginnings of the stock exchange…
Looking back into the past, you’ll always fin... ››› more