Monthly financial markets outlook | February 2024

US equities eked out positive returns despite facing selling pressure in the last week of the month following uninspiring tech earnings and a Fed pushback. Investors continued to shun emerging markets and European equities amid a divergence in economic prospects between the US and the rest of the world. The ALSI bore the brunt of […]
Monthly financial markets outlook | January 2024

2023 was a financial rollercoaster that kept investors on the edge of their seats. Think of it as a Hollywood blockbuster with nail-biting suspense, unexpected twists, but, thankfully, a feel-good finale which investors will talk about for a long time. After a bruising 2022, markets bounced back like a resilient hero in 2023 determined to […]
Monthly financial markets outlook | December 2023

Record returns for bonds and equities as the pivot narrative takes centre stage. This month’s update brings glad tidings as most major asset classes bounced back vigorously from the sell-off that took place between August and October. Markets were buoyed by positive inflation data and signs of a deepening global economic slowdown which cultivated the […]
Is a default in the cards for South Africa?

The recent midterm review of South Africa’s fiscal policy by the National Treasury has sketched a bleak portrait of the nation’s financial well-being. Think of it as more of a “hold onto your seats” moment. Here, we break down the top 4 critical points you need to know. Economic growth limbo: first up, the […]
Monthly financial markets outlook | November 2023

Investors wrestle with interest rates uncertainty, economic shifts, and volatile yields. The risk-off sentiment that dominated the third quarter (Q3) rolled over into October, leading to selloffs across all major asset classes. Investors revised their interest rate outlook upward in response to several factors, including a stronger-than-expected US economic performance, mixed inflation data, robust consumer […]
Monthly financial markets outlook | October 2023

2022 concerns reemerged during the third quarter. The third quarter proved to be challenging as worries about sticky inflation and the potential for extended periods of higher interest rates, which had been less prominent earlier this year, resurfaced. The improved sentiment, coupled with better-than-feared US companies’ earnings reports, bolstered risk assets and led to strong […]
Monthly financial markets outlook | August 2023

2023 continued on a positive trajectory as markets delivered bumper returns in July. The global soft-landing narrative gained momentum, supported by robust GDP data from the USA and China. The market is more optimistic about the central banks’ abilities to rein in inflation without breaking the economy. While central banks maintained a hawkish stance during […]
Monthly financial markets outlook | July 2023

Global markets concluded the first half of the year on a positive note, driven by robust GDP data and better-than-expected personal consumption expenditures (PCE) inflation figures from the US. The encouraging economic data, revealing a 2% growth in US second quarter GDP (compared to 1.3% in the first quarter of 2023), reignited the risk-on sentiment […]
Navigating your investments in a rising inflation and interest rate environment

Over the past decade, South Africans have witnessed substantial price increases in goods and services, influenced by factors from both the demand and supply sides. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, pricing pressures have intensified, particularly due to high food and energy costs. To combat rising consumer prices, the South African Reserve Bank has been increasing interest […]