As far back as 1971, during the Nixon administration, the US Treasury Secretary John Connallyshocked the world when, after discussions with a group of European finance ministers, he famously remarked, “The dollar is our currency, but it’s your problem.” Since the Second World War the US Dollar has been the unchallenged global reserve currency, used for nearly all international trade, and the preferred asset for countries, individuals and companies as a store of wealth. However, with so much of the global economy reshaping itself in the post-pandemic landscape, is the reserve status of the US Dollar going to be the next domino to fall?

As we approach the end of the fiscal year this February, we remind you of some important
opportunities to maximize the benefits of your investments.

Savers are smiling as interest rates locally and around the world have increased sharply over recent months, resulting in the best returns on bank deposits that we have seen for many years. Cash is king again. Bank deposits are a vital part of our lives and an indispensable component of any investor’s portfolio and most people think that money in the bank is risk free. However, bank deposits like all other investments, carry real risks that you should be aware of. Let’s have a look at these risks.

We hear many reasons why people put off saving for retirement. Apart from simply procrastination,
because retirement seems so far away, recurring themes are ‘I’ll save more when I earn more’ and ‘I’m planning to move overseas’
With the high cost of living in South Africa it’s no wonder that people find it difficult to start saving for retirement. So, here are some tips for saving money without having to earn more.

Numerous studies show that the returns that investors have achieved over time are much lower than the returns of the markets they are invested in. This holds true in all countries, and over many decades. A recent report in the USA revealed that since the 1974 establishment of the personal Retirement Annuity (called a 401k account), the US stock market has grown at over 11% per annum. Over this same period, the average investor earned less than 4% per annum.

Investment markets seem to be increasingly volatile and subject to news and events on the other side of the world. This can be put down to the speed of communication and social media, but also to the ease by which investors can buy or sell securities on any exchange in the world from the comfort of their homes.