Articles

08/15/2008 JSE outperforms in bear markets During the recent bear markets, the JSE outperformed most other international markets. Full article ... Flip Meyer
08/15/2008 Not all asset managers understand the financial instruments in which they invest The latest crises in global markets, which have resulted in a sharp decline in equity prices and greater uncertainty about the future, will have a legion consequences – worldwide and in many instances also in South Africa. Full article ... FlipMeyer
08/15/2008 Big money does not wait for bull markets The sharp increase in the prices of JSE-listed shares during the past few days could be regarded as normal. Bear markets have experienced such brief rallies in the past. Full article ... Flip Meyer
08/15/2008 Investors in commodities still smiling Commodity investors did extremely well over the past year – a period in which equity markets were under pressure and volatile. Full article ... Flip Meyer
07/25/2007 Technology ensures that investors are better informed The international trend in the distribution of investment, life insurance and retirement planning products is that technology will play an increasingly significant role in the future. Mr David Rasche, chief executive of SSP, an international financial group, says that there is a shift in global insurance markets to the Internet and electronic trading models. Full article ... Flip Meyer
07/25/2007 Manuel's billions not actually a gift When one reads post-Budget headlines such as “Manuel gives R8,5 billion to taxpayers", one cannot help but be cynical. This is not meant as a criticism of newspapers, as there is no room for a "but" in a headline. In his last budget speech, Manuel apparently gave taxpayers R8,5 billion which, incidentally, is 40% less than he gave the previous year. Full article ... Flip Meyer
07/25/2007 Investec has never really been part of the financial herd On Wednesday night Investec Asset Management celebrated its fifteenth birthday at a glittering event in the Johannesburg city centre. The fact that the banquet was not held in Sandton was symbolic and once again proved that the group's thinking is always out-of-the-box. Full article ... Flip Meyer
07/25/2007 Why sell shares in May? “Sell in May? Those who want to do so are in the wrong place," an analyst of the New York stock exchange said on the television service CNBC on Thursday evening. It was announced on Thursday that General Motors' earnings for the first quarter of this year had declined by nearly 90% compared with a year ago. The optimism of the American market is based on positive economic figures and until Thursday evening South African time there was still no sign of May jitters in the markets. Full article ... Flip Meyer
07/25/2007 Property shares similar to the Bulls-Sharks surprise This year a number of things, considered to be impossible a year ago, have happened. The latest was the Super 14 rugby tournament. Who would have predicted that two South African teams, the Bulls and the Sharks, would compete in the final? A few weeks ago this would have been but a dream. It was thought that the Sharks might have a change of reaching the final, which would in all likelihood be played in New Zeeland. The Bulls were virtually out of the picture and at best would only reach the semi-final. The same applies to the performance of listed property shares. Full article ... Flip Meyer
07/25/2007 Don’t let the grass grow in the flowerbeds “Things must get worse first before they will get better," said the late Dr Gerhard de Kock, governor of the South African Reserve Bank in the 1980s. Dr de Kock's statement was greeted with sarcasm by certain people, as it did not make sense to them. Full article ... Flip Meyer