I bought my first shares in the midst of the 2008 financial crisis.
My first buy was Old Mutual shares, and the price rose by more than 211% in the 18 months following my buy…
I rolled some of my returns into a property company, and an industrial stock - in the end I turned a couple thousand rand as a student into enough money to pay for my studies, put down a deposit on my first propert... ››› more
Week after week, market commentators highlight how investors are not making positive returns in USD. The US dollar is king now, with it paying a positive yield and investors who have missed the gold rally are hording it. This has caused liquidity to be squeezed.
It's increasingly likely that President Trump will use the 1934 Gold Reserve Act to sell US Dollars and buy foreign currency as a way... ››› more
Q. "I heard on the news last week, that soon we will be able to trade Bitcoin futures and that it will be a major game changer for traders all around the globe. Can you share a few details about this and when the futures will be available to trade?"
A company called Bakkt which is a subsidiary of the New York Stock Exchange - parent company - Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) has given the go ah... ››› more
By now, I assume, most investors would agree, having all your money invested in SA is a bad idea.
Our low growth, unstable politics and a volatile currency are important considerations. However, the most important reason to invest offshore, is the local investment universe is simply too small. At less than 0.6% of global GDP, South Africa is simply too small to provide you with enough opportun... ››› more
If you own income investments like…
• High yield dividend stocks
• Money-market or bond investments
• Preference shares
• Savings accounts
Then the investment tool I'm about to introduce to you, can play an essential part in helping you achieve your long term income goal.
It's called…
Recommended:
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Outperf... ››› more
“Francois - AEEI shares look really attractive. The company's interim earnings showed a profit of 38.67cps and the company's net asset value is a whopping R10 - while the share price is a mere R2.55. Certainly there must be upside potential here?”
Surely a company trading at a 74.5% discount to its assets and a PE of 6.59 on half year earnings is cheap, and a certain buy?
Well, in some... ››› more
The JSE was one of the few markets that ended last week lower. The Rand strengthened on the back of China being more passive in the “Trade War”. Commodity prices also pulled back last week causing the resources sector to impact the market performance. We've given up all the recent gains and are back in buying territory.
SA equities are cheap when you compare the median P/E ratio of the All... ››› more
When a deal this good pops up, it must go out, no matter what the publishers say!
Uncertainty spiked at the start of the year and it was very difficult to get good prices on guaranteed investments. Most financial institutions erred on the side of caution and charged extra for protection.
Luckily, my persistent research and patience has paid off and we've found a diamond in the rough!
... ››› more
Q1 GDP coming out at -2.2%, the worst since Q1 2009, reflects that the Ramaphoria optimism has not resulted in any tangible results and likely kept investors complacent.
The rand strength is hard to explain and perhaps it will weaken while investors and portfolio managers digest the impact of these GDP figures on their investments.
Look to pick up the quality rand hedges that have been sol... ››› more
Look at the graph below…
It may look like your typical graph of a company's share price, but it's not. And if it was, you'd better be worried.
But this graph actually depicts what a shrinking stock market looks like.
And right now, you need to know what it means and the investment approach you must take if you have any chance of making money from the JSE.
It... ››› more
As I predicted last year, 2016 was a year of consolidation. Our market went nowhere. But shares are much cheaper today than they were a year ago.
And that makes me optimistic about 2017.
But there's one industry in particular that I've got my eyes on.
It was arguably the worst sector for 2016.
Agriculture.
One of the worst droughts in decades hit South Africa. Farmers lost crop... ››› more
A week ago I was nearly convinced low-cost RA's are the way to go. I read a well written article on the web, promoting the virtues of low-cost RA's.
The article uses the following example:
Someone has saved R3 000 every month for 40 years into a retirement annuity (RA), and earns a return of 6.5% above inflation.
If you pay an investment fee of 3% you'd end up with R3 million at the end ... ››› more
Imagine turning on the TV and finding the following Infomercial:
We are giving you the opportunity to invest in the S&P500. It is the world’s premier equity index, dwarfing the JSE. Receive dollar based returns while getting exposure to some of the world's largest and most innovative companies including Apple, Berkshire Hathaway and Caterpillar.
But that’s not all, we also gi... ››› more
One of the best parts about working for Fleet Street is being able to connect and build relationships with top global investment experts.
These are some of the brightest financial minds who help hundreds of thousands of readers from all over the world build wealth on a consistent basis.
And every single day, I'm fortunate to receive all their best inside information from Agora Financial, M... ››› more
Commodities take a step lower
Brent oil led the commodity basket lower last week, losing 8,1%; Platinum and Gold were down 5,7% and 2,4% respectively.
Although the Rand softened, the pressure was too much for the JSE All Share Index which fell 0,8%. Resources fell 5,5%, but the rest of the sectors held up well.
International indices were slightly softer across most time zone... ››› more
“Triple Witching” refers to the combined expiration of the Index futures, Index options and stock options. In the UK and US this happens on Friday's, but in SA it happens a day earlier on Thursday. The event typically creates increased market activity and in some cases volatility.
Global markets were relatively subdued for last week's expiry, the US, UK and European majors were firmer by b... ››› more
Admittedly, I expected more movement in the Rand once the cabinet reshuffle was announced. We have a saying that “the Market always knows” which seems to apply in this case.
When Mr. Nene was removed, the Rand fell 8,5% within the first few days and then extended those losses by another 10% a few weeks later. By comparison the Rand has loss only 7% so far, perhaps the Market knew that SA I... ››› more
How you can diversify yourself to safety with the ‘Rule of Four'
What do you do with your money in a crisis? Do you sell your share portfolio? Do you stick everything in a bank account, in property or in gold?
That's the question that popped up around a campfire I had going with friends over the weekend.
Considering South Africa's junk status, state capture and political unrest that'... ››› more
About 10 years ago, I gave up with investing. The returns were just too slow for my liking.
And so, trading took over a big portion of my life.
Now as you know by now I'm a trader by heart. But I also understand that I need to diversify my money for the future. Why? Well, it's better to grow my retirement kitty with multiple streams of income, rather than with just one or two.
With the st... ››› more
Investing for income is a wonderful thing.
Income is what gives you the freedom to enjoy your life.
Income supercharges your retirement savings.
More importantly, income is what you need to ensure you and your family live a comfortable life.
So what's really the best form of income?
Dividends.
Dividends are “rewards” you get for investing in stocks. And they're vital to... ››› more