The second quarter of 2026 was shaped by a mix of improving market sentiment, shifting interest-rate expectations and continued debate around the sustainability of narrow market leadership. While investors had to navigate geopolitical uncertainty, volatile commodity prices and persistent inflation risks, diversified portfolios were generally rewarded over the quarter. Local markets Locally, South African markets…
The second quarter of 2026 was shaped by a mix of improving market sentiment, shifting interest-rate expectations and continued debate around the sustainability of narrow market leadership. While investors had to navigate geopolitical uncertainty, volatile commodity prices and persistent inflation risks, diversified portfolios were generally rewarded over the quarter. Local markets Locally, South African markets…
Earning a first paycheck is a big step in anyone’s life. The value of that money in your bank account goes well beyond just the financial. It’s a significant psychological shift. It is a moment of great opportunity, but also one fraught with challenges. In this article we look at how to navigate your first salary and to optimise it for your future like a seasoned financial architect.
For generations, financial planning followed a familiar script: build a career, buy a home, raise a family and, eventually, pass wealth on to the next generation. While that path still resonates with many, modern lives are far more diverse. The reasons for not having kids may differ, but the financial question is often the same: if your wealth is not destined for children, how can it best enrich your life, reflect your values and leave a meaningful legacy long after you are gone?
We all know investing is about building wealth over time. By saving consistently and investing prudently, we aim to lay the groundwork for long-term financial wellbeing. But the most fulfilled people are not always those who have accumulated the greatest amount of wealth. More often, they are those who feel that their skills, resources and experiences have become part of something larger than themselves.
Since the year dot, narratives have driven investor sentiment. June’s narrative was largely positive for South Africa as investors uprated our investment potential, but it was decidedly rocky for US investors, with chipmakers leading stock markets to heady highs before driving them down to disconcerting lows.
They say that nothing comes for free, but for South African investors there is an exception. Tax-free savings accounts give investors tax-free growth on their money, making them a powerful wealth creation tool.
They are most powerful when they are given time to work their compounding magic. In this article, we examine just how incredible the results can be if you open one for a child the day they are born.
With all the turmoil in South Africa, you could be forgiven for thinking it’s not the best place to be an investor.
On the contrary, the qualities developed here often translate remarkably well into investing. South Africans tend to think practically. We are adaptable, emotionally resilient and generally capable of functioning through changing circumstances without completely losing momentum. Read on to feel good about yourself.
Advances in technology have opened financial markets up to anyone who owns a smartphone. But easy access does not necessarily translate to stellar investment outcomes.
While online platforms have made investing easier than ever, long-term success still depends on discipline, structure, and avoiding costly mistakes. Much of the value financial advisors add comes from helping investors stay focused on long-term goals.
The uncomfortable reality is starting to sink in. Interest rates are going higher, not lower as expected earlier this year, and that the era of cheap money is not returning any time soon.
As Warren Buffett has pointed out, the government can’t print oil. That means investors need to consider how inflation may affect their portfolios, without panicking.
Global markets are currently climbing a classic “wall of worry”, stubbornly rising against a persistent backdrop of uncertainty.
However, this rally is increasingly viewed as fragile, driven more by positioning and narrative than by a fundamental assessment of the real risks arising out of the Iran war.
Estate planning in South Africa has followed a well-trodden path: we draft a will, appoint an executor, and ensure our physical assets – the house, the car, the Krugerrands – are accounted for.
However, in an era where our lives are increasingly hosted in the cloud, a significant portion of our estates is becoming invisible. Without a “digital will” or a comprehensive folder, your heirs may find themselves locked out of your financial, sentimental, and professional life.
Capital Gains Tax (CGT) is not a flashy, Ferrari-driving, Gucci-wearing kind of tax. Instead, it quietly goes about its business in the background, day in and day out. This doesn’t make it any less consequential.
Many estates that appear financially secure can come under unexpected pressure from Capital Gains Tax at death. The good news is that there are several relief mechanisms within the tax system that, with careful planning, can meaningfully reduce this impact.
We spend our whole lives planning for retirement. While nurturing our nest egg, we worry about short-term risks. Things like wars, elections, interest rates, leaking roofs and tax breaks.
But how many of us stop to consider the prospect of living to 90 or 100? People are living longer than ever before. But most of us don’t pay enough attention to longevity when planning for retirement. Read on for some tips on how to have a long and happy retirement.
Since bombs first fell on Iran in late February, causing most asset prices to tumble, the question on everyone’s lips has been: How long will the war last? The truth is nobody knows.
With intense uncertainty about the endgame of the war now the biggest factor in global financial markets, here are five key considerations for investors when it seems there’s no end in sight.
For over a decade, the best you could say about South African markets was that there was a lot of unrealised potential. At worst, there was a sense of structural decay.
But could a shift be underway? In this article, we look at the changing sentiment towards South Africa and what it might mean for local investors.
What could a childhood board game possibly have to do with investment advice? Quite a lot, it turns out.
Uncertainty has always been a feature of human history. But in recent years, the volatility has ramped up several notches. Change is everywhere, it seems, and there’s always a fresh crisis around the corner. But amid all the turmoil there is also opportunity. You just have to be prepared to land on a few snakes…
The 2026 Budget was greeted with wide acclaim, but not much was made of the seemingly insignificant increase of the annual CGT exclusion from R40,000 to R50,000.
It might not seem like much, but the extra R10,000 will make rebalancing your portfolio every year more important than ever. As any yachtsman will tell you, the only way to reach your final destination is to make continual small adjustments along the way.
Retirement has long been seen as a binary switch: you worked until 60 or 65, and then shuffled off to live off your pension.
But so much has changed. Economic shifts, increased longevity, and the “fractionalisation” of the workplace have birthed a new era: The “grey zone”. In this article, we explore why it’s time to look at retirement in a completely different way.
Good news at last. Budget 2026 wasn’t just delivered on time, it also contained plenty to make South African investors smile.
It provides relief for taxpayers, assists small businesses and – very importantly – encourages savings by adjusting various tax brackets, caps and limits.
There is also real optimism about the country’s economic growth prospects. So much so that Budget 2026 has been called a fiscal turning point for SA, as important milestones are achieved. Read more good news from the Budget here…
The long-awaited Conduct of Financial Institutions (COFI) Bill is set to be tabled in parliament in the next couple of months.
While FSPs will be scrambling to update their policies and processes during the three-year transition period, consumers can look forward to getting fairer results at every step of the financial journey.
Read on for the lowdown.
