Too Busy? Got Better Things to Do? Read the Summary… Good news for RSA Inc? Bank chief economist Goolam Ballim sees South Africa’s economy gaining momentum as electricity, ports and rail fixes start paying off, forecasting 1.7% growth next year and 2% in 2028. Separately, Justice Malala’s piece on anti-immigrant violence highlights reputational and economic […]

This week, we spend a bit of time looking at the ‘unwinding’ of the very popular ‘value ‘ investment philosophy and where AI and related investments are taking us. We also discuss RSA’s immigration problem against the backdrop of a better economic outlook.

Before I get into the nitty-gritty of offshore and stock investing in an upcoming post, let’s just tackle the elephant in the room … Fees. Everyone wants to maximise their portfolio returns, and one of the ways to do that is to minimise the fees levied against it. This might look like a straightforward exercise, […]

I contributed to a piece for Citywire on Retail Impact Investing. You can read it HERE Too Busy? Got Better Things to Do? Read the Summary… FED: Kevin’s First International Foray: Warsh told the Sintra conference that inflation expectations and risks have fallen, credited as much to lower oil prices as to his hawkish stance. […]

ETFs are so popular, consume so much ‘new’ money that they have the power not just to track but move markets. Everyone is still waiting to call the top of the AI bubble- how much longer can it last? This podcast is based on our popular newsletter, sign up at www.rexsolom.co.za

I spent another interesting week interviewing on Fine Music radio last week, and had some interesting conversations. This one, on construction changes underway around RSA was particularly informative: Another Brick in the Wall Too Busy? Got Better Things to Do? Read the Summary… About change!: Gold has shed all its 2026 gains and is now […]

In the newsletter this week (www.rexsolom.co.za) we talk a lot about the East. The Kospi crash, Japan, China as the US fumbles through its 250 celebrations. AI frothiness and volatility is sending warning signals.

UK inflation – a pleasant surprise: The Bank of England held Bank Rate at 3.75% on 18 June in an 8-1 vote, as UK inflation eased to 2.8% in May. Hike expectations have fallen from four this year to roughly one, following the US-Iran deal. Politically, over 70 Labour MPs are calling for Starmer to […]

Everyone, including the US, wants the world order, markets and economies to go back to pre-Trump’s Iran war. Will the Memorandum hold, or is this just rinse-and-repeat? The oil price is drifting lower, great news for future inflation – the other big news story of the week.

Anything without structure is just chaos. Occasionally, you luck out and produce something magnificent from that chaos, but more likely, there has been a guiding hand. Take those multimillion-dollar abstract works of art, for example. Those colours didn’t land on canvas by accident, and yes, sometimes it takes the artist’s own interpretation before even the […]

DJT’s every utterance is still, somehow, believed by the markets and the swings continue to be wild. SpaceX IPO coming in to muddy the indices and where to original thought? All this and more in the podcast with Dawn Ridler and Cobie LeGrange.

The Legacy Series eBook is ready (free on request). Too Busy? Got Better Things to Do? Read the Summary… This Week’s Roundup: SA inflation hit 4.0% in April, household debt stress is deepening with 41% of credit-active South Africans in default, and the JSE is lagging Wall Street. In the US, Q1 GDP was revised […]

The Legacy Series eBook is ready (free on request). Too Busy? Got Better Things to Do? Read the Summary… This Week’s Roundup: The SARB hiked the repo rate by 25bp to 7% on 28 May — its first hike since 2023 — with four of six MPC members in favour. SA inflation jumped to 4.0% […]

RSA interest rates up – to protect the rand and stem imported inflation. Iran war rumbles on with more spin than substance, Iran is holding most of the cards at this point. This podcast is based on our popular newsletter, find us at wealthecology.co.za

Too Busy, Got Better Things to Do? Read the Summary… This Week’s Roundup: SA inflation jumped to 4.0% in April, markets pricing two rate hikes by year-end with a 25bp hike expected at the May 28 MPC meeting. IIF cut SA’s 2026 growth forecast to 1.3%. Q1 trade surplus tripled to R77bn. US deficit projected […]

As the Iran war grinds on with no resolution in sight, inflation is starting to bite, and bonds are taking notice, around the globe. In volatile and uncertain times like this, FOMO can set in and disrupt your portfolio and long-term plans. You can find us on wealthecology.co.za, join our (free) newsletter and keep up […]

Our investment journey has to start somewhere, and sometimes, when life happens, it has to restart somewhere,  so let’s just revisit those building blocks – even if it is just to tick them off and move on to the sexier stuff in future episodes of this series.  If the pandemic taught us anything (and no, […]

The Legacy Series Blog/Post series is now complete and will be published in a free eBook next week. If you missed any of them, here are the links again. Your summary with links, if you’d like to curate your content: US Inflation Concerns: April US CPI hit 3.8%, its highest in three years, driven primarily […]

The big news/no news of the week was Trump’s visit to China with his merry band of support-CEOs and progeny. It produced, by all accounts, a big fat goose egg.Inflation is a real worry; gas and electricity prices are going to make things difficult for Warsh, and the mid-terms

The Legacy Series Blog/Post series is now complete and will be published in a free eBook shortly. If you missed any of them, here are the links again. Your summary with links, if you’d like to curate your content: The EU Anti-Coercion Instrument (ACI) – An Explainer The ACI, nicknamed the “trade bazooka,” is the […]

There is obviously investor fatigue over the Iran war, and TACO Trump is trying to extricate himself from the mess. Markets, especially AI stocks, are roaring ahead regardless. This podcast is based on our free newsletter www.rexsolom.co.za/posts

Liquidity in an estate is a crucial consideration, often overlooked by FSPs who do a ‘free will’ because they are focused on their executor’s fees. There are a couple of companies out there that have cottoned onto the fact that they can ensure their executors’ fees, under the guise of ensuring you have liquidity, by […]

Your summary with links, if you’d like to curate your content: Broadening Oil Spill: Nine weeks in, the Strait of Hormuz remains closed with no serious negotiations underway. Brent crude topped $120/barrel mid-week before settling around $110 — its highest of the conflict — aided by the UAE’s withdrawal from OPEC+. UK 10-year gilts broke 5% […]

Trump says the war is over, and markets are behaving like it is a non-event. Bonds are indicating otherwise. Rates probably on hold in the US, and maybe even back on the way up. interesting times that require close monitoring. 

Your summary with links, if you’d like to curate your content: Market Volatility? Despite the Iran conflict and Trump’s executive-order style of governance, the S&P 500 hit a new all-time intraday high. Realised volatility under Trump’s second term has so far matched the calm Biden years — a surprising finding that may signal late-cycle market […]

Six weeks into the Trump-Iran war, markets are carrying on like it doesn’t exist. Records are still being broken, and earnings are still being exceeded, not even the volatility is saying much. What could change that? If oil supply issues really bite? Japan has made an unusual move to export arms. 

I was covering for Michael Avery on his Classic Business show last week, and had some very interesting interviews. I can recommend listening to my chat with Simon Brown on ETFs. Your summary with links, if you’d like to curate your content: All-Time Highs Are Here Again! The S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 surged 10.7% […]

Markets are moving more on hope than realistic expectations, as we have seen repeatedly during this war. The only salvation is to understand the time objective of the investment and asset allocation and behave accordingly. 

Your summary with links, if you’d like to curate your content: Whiplash Yet? The market euphoria following the ceasefire announcement raises serious questions. The truce appears to enshrine Iran’s ability to charge shipping through an international waterway — something that would have been unthinkable weeks ago. Inflation expectations remain elevated, the Fed is priced for […]

Markets and economies are hanging onto every bit of news and hope coming out of the Middle East – but the longer this goes on, the longer it will take to recover. Markets are giving us rare opportunities to buy into this late cycle, but you have to have a cool head and strong stomach. 

Your summary with links, if you’d like to curate your content: A volatile week across global markets. The JSE remains ~10% below its February high, while the SARB held the repo rate at 6.75% amid rand weakness and rising oil prices. South Africa’s GDP grew 1.1% in 2025. The US Fed held rates steady as […]

It’s all a chaotic mess of changing geo-econo-political players right now. We are probably witnessing a change in the world order in real time, and everyone, including markets, can just watch and wait. 

Your summary with links, if you’d like to curate your content: Taking it on the chin: It’s Still About EarningsEquities are holding up because earnings expectations haven’t cracked—yet. If the war drags on, downgrades follow, and markets lose their main support. Can US Consumers Keep Buying?Consumers are under pressure from rising fuel costs, high interest […]

This week, we start looking for potential off-ramps from this war and the market opportunities that might present in this time of peak ‘fear’ in stocks. Are we seeing the end of an era, not unlike the fall of the Roman and British empires?

Most people I have met have a love/hate relationship with life policies (dread disease and disability policies fall under the same general term – ‘life policy’), but having been in the profession a while, I have seen the impact they can make when the unexpected happens. I am not going to go into that can […]

Your summary with links, if you’d like to curate your content: Oil Reserves: The IEA coordinated its largest-ever emergency reserve release of 400 million barrels, dwarfing the 2022 Ukraine response. However, with Hormuz disruptions removing up to 16 million barrels per day, the release buys roughly 25 days of cover at best, a bridge and […]

Only days into this Iran war, and the economic foreshadowing is already rearing its head. Markets are slowing, but there’s no panic – yet. The longer the Straits of Hormuz stay closed, though, the greater the impact, and the longer it’ll take to recover. Oil has joined gold on the resource supercycle. 

Your summary with links, if you’d like to curate your content: Sod’s Law: Scenario Planning: Last week’s Iran crisis delivered an unscheduled stress test for global portfolios, highlighting the value of scenario planning as a strategic discipline. The key lesson is that complex systems react in messy, unpredictable ways, and a small shock in one […]

It’s never ‘fun’ to watch historical moments play out and see the stomach-churning effects on markets, but this also presents opportunities and a time to test our FOMO, perhaps?

Before we start… This is part 2 in my Legacy Series; you can find part 1 here. One of the most important decisions when drawing up a Will is the choice of Executor. Let’s just look at some of the uncomfortable truths behind ‘The Executor’. One of the nuances that you need to understand is […]

If you’d like the ‘Pocket Tax Guide’ on the tax changes announced in the budget, just let me know or download it HERE.   The new escalation of the Middle East conflict is unfolding as we write this, and we have gone into it in a little more detail on the podcast that went out […]

As we record this, the Middle East is in serious turmoil, which could have a significant impact on global markets and economies. As a bit of a bright note, we give some of the highlights of the RSA budget. As always, more info in our free newsletter, sign up at www.rexsolom.co.za  

Next week I will be covering the Budget, so watch your inboxes for that. Will there be another nasty VAT surprise? Will medical aid tax credits bite the dust? Your summary with links, if you’d like to curate your content: 🤖AI boom: hard landing, soft landing… or no landing?Record AI capex is reshaping markets, with […]

In this week’s podcast, Dawn and Cobie discuss the new tariff regime imposed by a miffed Trump last week. The rest of the world is holding the cards; they’re moving on, now they just need to step up. How is AI evolving? How quickly can they monetise the massive capex, and hang onto those lofty […]

Inevitably, there will come a time in your life when you stop scrambling, when you can finally take a breath from just keeping your head above water, children fed, housed, educated and off your hands, paying down debt, a retirement planned for, and maybe you want to start thinking about the inevitable – what am […]

As we come to the end of another tax year, if you want to add to your retirement funds and get a tax break, you’d best get a wriggle on. Make a note to record your odometer reading at month’s end, and of course, the second provisional tax return is due at month’s end too. […]

In South Africa this week it was the annual non-event the SONA, and the rest of the world was preoccupied with the Epstein files. Will Warsh drop interest rates despite a pretty hot economy? Is he going to be a Trump Yes-Man? This podcast is based on our free newsletter – get on the database […]

I hope you all had a great start to the year, and the best wishes for a ‘Perfect February’ that happens every 10 years or so. Fun fact…if we had 13 months, every month would have 28 days (and one would have 29 in the leap year, I vote that it’s not January). Your summary […]

This podcast is based on our free newsletter (www.rexolom.co.za) and this week we cover some of the earnings, and the misses and their impact, looking in more detail at Microsoft. We always keep an eye on what the next leg of this AI race is going to be, and try – not always successfully – […]

I hope you’ve all had a great start to 2026.  You are welcome to share this post or send us the email addresses of friends who might like to join our mailing list. If you missed my latest posts, I have consolidated the 2026 ‘planning’ posts into one ebook, available (free) on request. Your summary with […]

US and RSA interest rates are on hold, but at the Fed Trump’s floating kevin Warsh as his pick, only for his name to get entangled in the Epstein files. Friday was a volatile day on the markets – was it just the month-end clean-up?

I hope you’ve all had a great start to 2026.  You are welcome to share this post or send us the email addresses of friends who might like to join our mailing list. If you missed my latest posts, I have consolidated the 2026 ‘planning’ posts into one ebook, available (free) on request. Your summary with […]

This year Davos started to show the US/Everyone else cracks very strongly.  Europe and Canada are pushing back against Trump – a move that is long overdue. From an investment perspective, the theme is Diversify – downscale US stocks and bonds and prepare for a rocky ride. 

Welcome back, and wishing you, your family and loved ones a very peaceful, healthy and prosperous 2026. You are welcome to share this post or send us the email of friends who might like to join our mailing list. If you missed my latest posts, I have consolidated the 2026 ‘planning’ posts into one ebook, […]

This week Dawn and Cobie chat at length about the changing worldorder, and how this might affect global investments. China is quietly playing the long game and building the bridges that the US destroys. It’s going to be an interesting 2026!

Week 2 2026 Welcome back, and wishing you, your family and loved ones a very peaceful, healthy and prosperous 2026. You are welcome to share this post or send us the email of friends who might like to join our mailing list. If you missed my latest posts, I have consolidated the 2026 ‘planning’ posts […]

Last year was a turning point in so many respects, and a confirmation of the trends that have been building for a decade. Dawn and Cobie look back on 2025, and see what investment lessons will take us through to a prosperous 2026. 

Inflation has been the major driver of the central bank’s decisions in 2025 – will it still drive policy next year?  The NHI continues to hog headlines – can that cause damage even if it is a dead duck? Markets in 2025 would have been mediocre and dull without AI – what is the next […]

This will be the last newsletter for 2025. Thank you to all our clients and readers for a great 2025, and wishing you all a happy, peaceful, and prosperous 2026. We will be back early in the New Year. We will still be available to ask any questions you might have – or have a […]

If you’ve been following the 2026 planning blogs, these have now been consolidated into a single ebook, available (free) on request Dawn spoke about Medical Aid risk with Michael Avery on his Classic Business show last Thursday. You can listen to it here. Your summary with links, if you’d like to pick and choose China’s Port […]

This week Jonathan Brummer joins Dawn to look at global economic news over the last week. Fiscal drag is the new stealth tax in the UK. Are interest rate cuts nearing the end? The Chinese Silk Road is steadily spreading its tentacles across the world. 

Now that we’re deep into the silly season and looking forward to some down time, here’s a checklist of things to do before you head on out for that well-deserved break. (In case you don’t get to read all of this post, I have consolidated my last 4 posts on planning for 2026 into an […]

If you’ve followed the other parts of this series (Consolidation , OneWord Resolution and Vision/Mission ), then you’ve probably been waiting to get to the part where the rubber meets the road, turning those lofty ideals and objectives into an action plan. Remember, there are 2 aspects of the “Wealth Equation” that are 100% your responsibility – making the income and […]

The podcast to this newsletter can be found here Your summary with links, if you’d like to pick and choose RSA Inflation & Interest Rates South Africa’s inflation rose to 3.6% in October — the highest in a year — driven mainly by housing, utilities, electricity, alcohol/tobacco, and a rebound in fuel prices. Core inflation eased slightly […]

This week Dawn and Cobie talk about AI stocks, valuations, gold and the changing world order as the US focuses inward. 

Now that you’ve done a bit of consolidation and found all your ducks, or at least they are now all in one pond, let’s move onto the more exciting stuff. Vision and Mission Statement – the Wealth Version Okay, I lied, this isn’t exciting – it’s deeply personal and uncomfortable. I can hear half of you yawning […]

Your summary with links, if you’d like to pick and choose Debt Stabilisation: The 2025 Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) offered cautious optimism with government debt expected to stabilise at 77.9% of GDP—the first stable outlook since 2008. The budget deficit should narrow to 2.9% by FY27/28. US Market Caution: The Nasdaq fell by ~2.3%, S&P 500 […]

The RSA Medium Term Budget was out last week, along with optimistic new inflation guidelines.  Emerging markets are on a roll, and RSA forex is the best it’s been for a while. Beware of the share concentration in the US and Chinese markets, though, especially with market cap trackers. 

Every January, millions of people promise themselves they’ll “exercise more, save more, make more, read more.” By February, most of these well-intentioned resolutions are gathering dust in the bottom drawer of forgotten promises. Why? Because they’re vague, overwhelming, and often meaningless. Here’s a thought: instead of a laundry list of resolutions you’ll forget, try picking one word […]

The podcast to this newsletter can be found here Your summary with links, if you’d like to pick and choose 🇬🇧 United Kingdom Chancellor Rachel Reeves is signalling tax hikes, possibly the first rise in the basic income tax rate in 50 years, to stabilise public finances. The pound has slumped to its weakest level since 2023. Bond yields are falling (markets […]

We start to look ahead to 2027 – especially when it comes to markets – how about a ‘average’ year for a change? The UK might just be willing to impose austerity medicine on the economy, unlike the USA. The shutdown – who is going to blink first? 

Your summary with links, if you’d like to pick and choose ⚙️ Nvidia Mania Nvidia hit $5 trillion, now bigger than most national stock markets. Huang’s global chip deals and AI dominance have pushed it to 9% of the S&P 500 — a concentration risk for index investors. Still, Wall Street remains bullish, with 90% “buy” ratings.→ The stock […]

This week, Cobie and Dawn chat about Nvidia, AI and Trump’s Middle East excursion. In addition to the interest rate cut, the Fed signalled some dialling back of quantitative tightening to a more neutral position. There is much more detail in our newsletter, get on the database at www.rexsolom.co.za  

Now that the silly season is approaching fast, I thought it might be a good time to get ducks in a row for next year. Consolidation In our busy lives, it is often useful to have all our investments and policies summarised on one page, and if you have bits and bobs in Retirement Annuities (for example) on […]

The podcast to this newsletter can be listened to here. If you enjoy our content, please share it with your friends! Your referral helps us grow and bring even better content your way.  Your summary with links, if you’d like to pick and choose 💵 Understanding the U.S. Bond Market A primer on the Treasury vs. […]

AI is democratising access to information, especially for small and medium-sized companies. Cobie gives us some insight into how we do that at Rexsolom Invest. We have a look at Beyond Meat and the lessons to be learned in single-product, highly niche companies. The Rexsolom Newsletter has an in-depth story on bonds, and Cobie and […]

It’s that time of the year when you can change the plan you’re on with your medical aid. Just a quick heads up… changing your medical aid to another medical aid is not for the faint-hearted, and frankly, you have to be mighty miffed at them to do that. You could end up with general and […]

The podcast to this newsletter can be listened to here. Your summary with links if you’d like to pick and choose 🏦 US Bank WobblesZions Bancorporation revealed a $50 million charge-off tied to misrepresented commercial loans, sparking a 13% stock drop. Western Alliance faced similar challenges, losing up to 9% after disclosing its involvement with […]

Economies all over the world are having to face new realities, mounting debt and changing dynamics. This week Cobie and Dawn also look at the Health sector in RSA and the possibility of the loss of the Med Aid Tax credit, and funding of the NHI. 

The podcast to this newsletter can be listened to here Dawn was Michael Avery’s stand-in on Fine Music Radio last week, and had some interesting interviews, including one with Jeremy Sampson, The Brandfather and an interesting discussion with Johan Steyn around AI. Your summary with links if you’d like to pick and choose… ⚡️ Energy: Renewables vs Fossil […]

Government debt, especially in the US and France is front and centre of the issues at hand, what can be done to fix it? The USA doesn’t care about Taiwan, they just want the chips from the TSMC – once they have it, then what? Why has it taken so long for the massive wastage […]

Anyone who has been an entrepreneur or a manager, has personal experience of the journey from doing everything yourself, to gradually delegating your tasks so you can focus on what you’re good at, some with more success than others. We’ve all come across micromanagers at some time in our lives (and yes, sorry, they’re insufferable). […]

The podcast to this newsletter can be listened to here Global Roundup USA: Latest Market and Economy * U.S. stock markets set new record highs over the last week, with the S&P 500 closing above 6,700 and the Nasdaq and Dow also reaching unprecedented levels despite a federal government shutdown that began on October 1, […]

Dawn and Cobie have an in-depth discussion this week around the Gold bonanza that has been lifting the JSE. The Rand is at its strongest it has been for a while – can these greenshoots last? The US shutdown is an ideal opportunity for the US to bring down its debt burden, extra points if […]

The podcast to this newsletter can be listened to here Global Roundup South Africa* The South African Reserve Bank kept interest rates unchanged the week before last, disappointing those hoping for lower loan repayments and signalling ongoing caution in monetary policy. * Consumer prices for food eased to 5.2% year-on-year in August, attributed to lower food inflation […]

Dawn and Cobie drill down into some of the valuations, especially in the US, and ask – is this a good time to buy or are we topping out… We also look at Argentina, and closer to home, the local JHB Mayor elections, and some of the issues facing the new incumbent. 

This week, Jonathan Brummer and Dawn Ridler chat about the interest rate cuts and the independence of the Fed. We also have a deeper dive into the Chinese economy, which is cooling, and the prospect of increased dumping of manufactured goods.  This podcast is backed by our weekly free newsletter. Sign up at www.rexsolom.co.za

The podcast to this newsletter can be listened to here. Market and Economic Roundup Of course. Here are 5 key topics on the economy and markets for South Africa (RSA), the United States (USA), and the globe, specifically focused on the last week. South Africa * The South African Reserve Bank held interest rates steady […]

Helping investors protect and growth their wealth is the most enjoyable aspect of being a wealth advisor – it is gratifying both for the client and I to go back into the records and watch how the ‘plan’ has come together, not unlike a fitness coach watching their client complete a marathon. We can see […]

This week, Dawn and Jonathan discuss the buoyant markets, including the surprise bump from Oracle. Is 3% the new normal for inflation in the West, and with the 25 bps drop in interest rates backed in, might we see 50bps? 

The podcast to this newsletter can be listened to here. Market and Economic RoundupSouth Africa: Real GDP growth of 0.8% in Q2 2025, driven by manufacturing, mining, and trade sectors. This is still very low, but at least it is positive. Headline inflation rose to 3.5% in July, the highest since September 2024, mainly impacted by […]

The podcast to this newsletter can be listened to here. Market and Economic Roundup Week 36 Year-on-year, the JSE is still showing returns well above average.  South Africa 1. Job Losses Deepen: South Africa lost 291,000 jobs recently as major companies exit and retrench, worsening the already high unemployment rate.  2. The B20 Summit in […]

Every day we investors have yet more investment choices piled onto our already overloaded buffet plate – we know that we’re not going to be able to eat them all, and have to make some choices – so what do we do? Put a little bit of each on our plate and hope for the […]

The podcast to the newsletter can be found here. Market and Economic Roundup South Africa South Africa’s currency is on track for its biggest August gain in two decades, with stocks not far behind, as a weakening dollar spurs demand for high-yielding assets outside the US. The rand is up 3% against the greenback this […]

I understand the pushback on advisors that insist on doing you a plan, only to give you some CRM cookie-cutter report, heavy on where you need to spend more, but light on real insight – it’s a great way to justify parting you from your money into grudge purchases, right? Absolutely, that is what they […]

The podcast to this newsletter can be listened to here. Market and Economic roundup RSA Over the past week, the South African markets have demonstrated resilience amid mixed economic trends. * The FTSE/JSE All Shares Index reached 101,750 points on August 21, 2025, marking a 0.69% daily increase and a robust 2.44% gain for the month, […]

This newsletter is also available in podcast format. It can be found here Markets and Economics RSA US Tariff on SA Exports:   The US’s new 30% tariff is impacting South African exports, leading the government to respond with strategic trade initiatives and negotiations. The move is expected to weigh on export volumes and local growth. […]

For most of us during our working lives the question that is usually top of mind, and most often asked when first embarking on formal retirement savings, is ‘when’ are you going to retire – that ‘event’ date. Retirement today is not what it was for our parents, and not even what it was a decade or two ago. […]

The podcast to this newsletter can be listened to here Markets and Economics RSA: US Tariffs Threaten South African Exports: The United States has announced new 30% import tariffs that pose significant risks to South Africa’s economy, particularly industries reliant on US trade. This could hurt key export sectors and worsen the trade deficit.  Despite […]

The podcast to this newsletter can be listened to here. Markets and Economics The JSE. The JSE All Share Index (SAALL, more commonly still called the ALSI – despite the change taking place in 2002) fell to 98,520 points by July 31, 2025. Despite this weekly dip, the index is up about 1.66% for the […]

Globally the trend is lower interest rates, and South Africa is is on that train, even to the extent that the SARB dropped our rates before the Fed did. (A move often called ‘front running’ The Fed, not usually a good idea for a minnow like us to do, but the US have a unique […]

The newsletter podcast can be listened to here Market View , The JSE The JSE hit a major milestone last week – it finally breached the 100,000 mark. The FTSE/JSE All Share Index reached a historic milestone of about 100,000 points around July 23, 2025, marking a significant landmark for the market. This was a milestone reflecting 65 years of […]

This year, so far, has one common theme – massive market volatility, the sort of volatility we haven’t seen since the pandemic. Most of that volatility has come from Trump’s Tariff tantrums, but locally there was also a brief wobble around the budget. Source: Sharedata.co.za Watching an investment go through wild swings can be highly […]

The podcast to this newsletter can be found here. Market View , The JSE This week, the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) continued its strong performance, with the All Share Index (ALSI) sustaining levels above 91,000 points, reflecting an advance of over 8% for the year to date, 21,8% y-o-y Banking, retail, and property stocks were buoyed by […]

The podcast to this newsletter can be found here Market View This week on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), market activity has been quiet with , typical for this time of year as global markets transition into the Northern Hemisphere summer. The JSE Top 40 index has experienced moderate trading volumes, reflecting cautious investor sentiment […]

The podcast to this newsletter can be found here. Market View Markets around the world seem to be shrugging off the upcoming tariff uncertainty and keep on hitting record highs.  S&P 500 and Nasdaq hit fresh all-time highs. Nvidia, Microsoft, and Meta led the tech surge. The Dow Jones broke 40,000 again, its best week […]

The podcast to this newsletter, can be listened to here Market View Like most markets around the world, the JSE had a bit of a wobble during the heat of the Iran/Israel/US attacks last week, but that was short lived.  The Nasdaq has been the first US bourse to get back to business, and is […]

If you’ve done your retirement planning based on assumptions made in 2005 (no, I can’t believe it’s twenty years ago either, in my head 20 years ago is 1980) – then unless it has been regularly reviewed, your retirement plan might not be on track.   Back in the noughties it was still considered appropriate to […]

Cobie and I like to keep this newsletter and our podcast evolving. We’d love to hear from you about what you like or dislike and what you’d like more or less of – both in the newsletter and podcasts.  Market View Thanks to the tensions in the Middle East and the new Iran/Israel ‘front’, emerging markets like […]

There are several pivotal times in your life where you’re going to have to have difficult financial conversations – some related to your income, others to your consumption. While many of us are tempted to avoid these conversations and hope everything will come right in the end (let’s face it, they often do) you could […]

The podcast to this newsletter, can be found here Market View Wall Street seems to have regained some of the confidence it lost over the last few months with the Trump shenanigans. The TACO Trump idea seems to prevail—in other words, he will inevitably backtrack, so keep calm and carry on. The JSE continues to […]

The podcast to the newsletter is available here. Market View The JSE continues to shine, with most sectors in the green. While Wall Street has recovered from the ‘Liberation Day” shock, and has become desensitised to TACO diplomacy, it still can’t seem to get back to the highs we saw in January. RSA GDP  South […]

The podcast for this newsletter is available here Market View The JSE continues to find new highs, unlike the US, while recovering from ‘Liquidation day’ on the 2nd of April, is still shy of the highs seen in January.    Trump’s ‘Mood shifts’ Trying to decipher market movements is all about trying to predict the […]

The podcast to this newsletter can be listened to here.  Market View On the back of the fairly favourable reception that Team RSA got at the White House, the All Share continues to hit new highs.   Moody’s downgrade of US  Blink and you missed it. The historic downgrade of US sovereign debt announced Friday […]

The podcast to this newsletter is available here. Market View The JSE hasn’t stopped hitting new highs if you do a bit of deeper dive into the sectors, the one stand out is the industrial sector: And here is the individual category performance:   Budget Deficit update Just when you thought the tariff de-escalation was […]

The podcast to this newsletter, is available here Market View Although the JSE eased off slightly last week, it is still holding its own on a year-on-year basis. The bleats heard around the world. Which economist would have thought that a day would come where a major FOMC announcement would barely register, but a Bleat/Tweet/Chirp […]

I know you might think this topic strange coming from a financial planner – why would I outsource my job and encourage clients to do it on their own? Look, this probably isn’t going to make me popular with my fellow planners and advisors, but unless you have significant investable assets that the planner can […]

Cobie and I like to keep this newsletter and our podcast evolving. We’d love to hear from you about what you like or dislike and what you’d like more or less of – both in the newsletter and podcasts.    Market View Last week, the JSE hit another all-time high of 92,331, and the good […]

Perhaps because of all my years’ experience on this planet, but I have cartloads of stories to tell about clients’ philosophies around legacies and retirement – and yes, they run the full spectrum from…  “Make sure my last cent is buried with me”  to “I don’t care if I have to sacrifice my retirement, I […]

Cobie and I like to keep this newsletter and our podcast evolving. We’d love to hear from you about what you like or dislike and what you’d like more or less of – both in the newsletter and podcasts.    Market View The graphs below, one of the JSE, the other of Wall Street, are […]

Cobie and I like to keep this newsletter and our podcast evolving. We’d love to hear from you about what you like or dislike and what you’d like more or less of – both in the newsletter and podcasts.  Market View Markets across the world have had a rocky week, but the JSE seems to […]

In the last month, and picking up speed last week, my clients are very worried about their portfolios, especially when they are in, or approaching retirement. Let’s take a breath for a second and get some perspective. Sure, thanks to Trump’s bazooka approach to trying to solve decades of US problems in his first 100 […]

Cobie and I like to keep this newsletter and our podcast evolving. We’d love to hear from you about what you like or dislike and what you’d like more or less of – both in the newsletter and podcasts.  Market View Before we get going with the newsletter, let me just reassure everyone out there […]

Cobie and I like to keep this newsletter and our podcast evolving. We’d love to hear from you about what you like or dislike and what you’d like more or less of – both in the newsletter and podcasts.  Dawn will be running Michael Avery’s Classic Business show on Fine Music Radio at 6pm next week […]

There is a podcast available for this newsletter.  Market View The JSE continues to give good returns, while the US markets slump. Other international markets, like Germany (below) and China however are showing much better growth – thanks in the main, from the ‘decoupling’ of US from everyone.     FED holds rate drop The […]

Cobie and I like to keep this newsletter and our podcast evolving. We’d love to hear from you about what you like or dislike and what you’d like more or less of – both in the newsletter and podcasts.   Market View Despite the sharp sell-off in the US in the last week, the JSE has […]

If you’ve been following my posts, you’ll know that I talk extensively about that ‘event’ called retirement – which is changing in its time frame and duration all the time. These changes started over two decades ago when pensions, in the main, stopped being ‘defined benefit’ (DB) and turned into ‘defined contribution’ (DC) funds. In […]

Budget 2025 v 2 The full budget speech,  the summary, the (invaluable) tax booklet is available HERE Well, finally the budget went ahead. It is interesting to watch the potential parallels between what is happening in the US and here. Like the States, our government separately needs to cut back on spending, not just expect […]

Cobie and I like to keep this newsletter and our podcast evolving. We’d love to hear from you about what you like or dislike and what you’d like more or less of – both in the newsletter and podcasts. Do you have topics you’d like to hear a blog on? Do other people’s wealth journeys […]

Cobie and I like to keep this newsletter and our podcast evolving. We’d love to hear from you about what you like or dislike, what you’d like more or less of – both in the newsletter and podcasts. Do you have topics you’d like to hear a blog on? Do other people’s wealth journeys interest […]

Cobie and I like to keep this newsletter and our podcast evolving. We’d love to hear from you about what you like or dislike, what you’d like more or less of – both in the newsletter and podcasts. Do you have topics you’d like to hear a blog on? Do other people’s wealth journeys interest […]

Cobie and I like to keep this newsletter and our podcast evolving. We’d love to hear from you about what you like or dislike, what you’d like more or less of – both in the newsletter and podcasts. Do you have topics you’d like to hear a blog on? Do other people’s wealth journeys interest […]

One of the ongoing challenges of being a financial advisor is managing a client’s expectations – and the only way I have found to do that is by communicating, doing skills transfer and understanding the human psyche when it comes to wealth. Financial behaviour is a whole hornet’s nest to itself, and often other aspects […]

Welcome back to our Newsletter and podcast – We hope you had a great break and looking forward to a happy, healthy and above all, prosperous 2025. Cobie and I like to keep this newsletter and our podcast evolving. We’d love to hear from you about what you like or dislike, what you’d like more […]

Welcome back to our Newsletter and podcast – We hope you had a great break and looking forward to a happy, healthy and above all, prosperous 2025. Cobie and I like to keep this newsletter and our podcast evolving. We’d love to hear from you about what you like or dislike, what you’d like more […]

Behavioral finance is a relatively new facet of investing, and two of the key drivers that came out of the body of research done on the subject are the roles of fear and greed, and they are not mutually exclusive. You can see this behavior on a macro level in markets – with fear fueling […]

Welcome back to our Newsletter and podcast – We hope you had a great break and looking forward to a happy, healthy and above all, prosperous 2025. Cobie and I like to keep this newsletter and our podcast evolving. We’d love to hear from you about what you like or dislike, what you’d like more […]

Welcome back to our Newsletter and podcast – We hope you had a great break and looking forward to a happy, healthy and above all, prosperous 2025. Cobie and I like to keep this newsletter and our podcast evolving. We’d love to hear from you about what you like or dislike, what you’d like more […]

We’re coming to that time in January where New Year’s resolutions are coming under strain, if not completely abandoned. Many of us do resolutions because it gives us a great feeling that this year will be different and better and leave us in a better, happier, wealthier place than when we started. Unfortunately, as soon […]

This is a single blog of the 3 posts that were published on Moneyweb (and picked up by the Citizen newspaper) on Wills and Estates. If you’d like a copy of the Will checklist (or Redfile template), kindly send us an email. Why You Need a Will  At this time of the year, I get a […]

Cobie and I like to keep this newsletter and our podcast evolving. We’d love to hear from you about what you like or dislike, what you’d like more or less of – both in the newsletter and podcasts. Do you have topics you’d like to hear a blog on? Do other people’s wealth journeys interest […]

Cobie and I like to keep this newsletter and our podcast evolving. We’d love to hear from you about what you like or dislike, what you’d like more or less of – both in the newsletter and podcasts. Do you have topics you’d like to hear a blog on? Do other people’s wealth journeys interest […]

Cobie and I like to keep this newsletter and our podcast evolving. We’d love to hear from you about what you like or dislike, what you’d like more or less of – both in the newsletter and podcasts. Do you have topics you’d like to hear a blog on? Do other people’s wealth journeys interest […]

In my last blog I talked about pre-retirement, and how to use those crucial accumulation years to fatten the pot and give you the retirement you expect. Once you have reached that ‘event’ and now that pot of money has to be converted from accumulating for retirement, to producing you an income you have reached […]

Cobie and I like to keep this newsletter and our podcast evolving. We’d love to hear from you about what you like or dislike, what you’d like more or less of – both in the newsletter and podcasts. Do you have topics you’d like to hear a blog on? Do other people’s wealth journeys interest […]

Cobie and I like to keep this newsletter and our podcast evolving. We’d love to hear from you about what you like or dislike, what you’d like more or less of – both in the newsletter and podcasts. Do you have topics you’d like to hear a blog on? Do other people’s wealth journeys interest […]

Cobie and I like to keep this newsletter and our podcast evolving. We’d love to hear from you about what you like or dislike, what you’d like more or less of – both in the newsletter and podcasts. Do you have topics you’d like to hear a blog on? Do other people’s wealth journeys interest […]

The years in the run-up to retirement, probably from the age of 55, are probably going to be the most important in terms of what your eventual retirement looks like. You at least have some wiggle room to improve the outcome. It’s also the time to do some serious adulting – risk and gambling have […]

Cobie and I like to keep this newsletter and our podcast evolving. We’d love to hear from you about what you like or dislike, what you’d like more or less of – both in the newsletter and podcasts. Do you have topics you’d like to hear a blog on? Do other people’s wealth journeys interest […]

Cobie and I like to keep this newsletter and our podcast evolving. We’d love to hear from you about what you like or dislike, what you’d like more or less of – both in the newsletter and podcasts. Do you have topics you’d like to hear a blog on? Do other people’s wealth journeys interest […]

Cobie and I like to keep this newsletter and our podcast evolving. We’d love to hear from you about what you like or dislike, what you’d like more or less of – both in the newsletter and podcasts. Do you have topics you’d like to hear a blog on? Do other people’s wealth journeys interest […]

Self-insurance – does it work? Everyone, including me, hates the grudge purchases. The medical aid when you’re never sick and probably cross-subsidizing old folks and hypochondriacs. Short term insurance on house, car, contents, valuables when you never claim. Life insurance that goes up in double digits but with minimal benefit increases and your kids are grown. […]

Cobie and I like to keep this newsletter and our podcast evolving. We’d love to hear from you about what you like or dislike, what you’d like more or less of – both in the newsletter and podcasts. Do you have topics you’d like to hear a blog on? Do other people’s wealth journeys interest […]

Cobie and I like to keep this newsletter and our podcast evolving. We’d love to hear from you about what you like or dislike, what you’d like more or less of – both in the newsletter and podcasts. Do you have topics you’d like to hear a blog on? Do other people’s wealth journeys interest […]

When we look back on it, life seems to happen along a nice, neat timeline, but we all know it is never that simple. “Life” happens along the way, sometimes pushing us forward – in our career, relationships, health and wealth – but sometimes settling us back years. Nothing ever stays the same, and if […]

Cobie and I like to keep this newsletter and our podcast evolving. We’d love to hear from you about what you like or dislike, what you’d like more or less of – both in the newsletter and podcasts. Do you have topics you’d like to hear a blog on? Do other people’s wealth journeys interest […]

Cobie and I like to keep this newsletter and our podcast evolving. We’d love to hear from you about what you like or dislike, what you’d like more or less of – both in the newsletter and podcasts. Do you have topics you’d like to hear a blog on? Do other people’s wealth journeys interest […]

Biomes and Ecosystems grow naturally – but not quickly, and certainly take way longer than a human working lifetime – because unlike your wealth, they do not have a manager. Left to their own devices an ecosystem will take a very meandering route to maturity – and many don’t make it. A cycle of droughts […]

Cobie and I like to keep this newsletter and our podcast evolving. We’d love to hear from you about what you like or dislike, what you’d like more or less of – both in the newsletter and podcasts. Do you have topics you’d like to hear a blog on? Do other people’s wealth journeys interest […]

On the first of September (called T-day) the long awaited two pot retirement system came into effect (it was announced and promulgated on 1/3/2021) and it is still difficult for the man on the street to decipher exactly how this will affect them. There are some good visuals, videos and calculators around to take you […]

Cobie and I like to keep this newsletter and our podcast evolving. We’d love to hear from you about what you like or dislike, what you’d like more or less of – both in the newsletter and podcasts. Do you have topics you’d like to hear a blog on? Do other people’s wealth journeys interest […]

THE PODCAST RELATED TO THIS BLOG IS AVAILABLE HERE One of the so-called sensible decisions most of us make when we start a family or buy a house is to take out ‘Life cover’. I know this is a grudge purchase – but think of it like this – it’s one way of ensuring that your […]

The podcast of the newsletter is available and you can download it HERE. We welcome all your input so please don’t hesitate to contact us if you’ve got any queries or suggestions.   Many of our clients come from referrals from our existing clients, often through the forwarding of this newsletter – so if there is anyone […]

THE PODCAST RELATED TO THIS BLOG IS AVAILABLE HERE Having spent decades building up your wealth ecosystem so that it can sustain you in your old age – whether that’s by the way of traditional investments, a property portfolio or building a company so that it has valuable shares that can derive a sustainable dividend […]

The podcast of the newsletter is available and you can download it HERE. We welcome all your input so please don’t hesitate to contact us if you’ve got any queries or suggestions.   Many of our clients come from referrals from our existing clients, often through the forwarding of this newsletter – so if there is anyone […]

In nature, weather is one of the volatile elements that ecosystems, concrete jungles and ordinary humans all must deal with daily. One of the reasons that humans have survived to become the dominant species over millennia is their ability to adapt the environment to suit themselves. They grow their food and don’t have to forage […]

The podcast of the newsletter is available and you can download it HERE. We welcome all your input so please don’t hesitate to contact us if you’ve got any queries or suggestions.   Market Watch  Despite global markets going into a bit of a panic Monday following the global sell-off – which will be discussed – the […]

The podcast on this post is available HERE Pruning plants is a task most of us gardeners are very familiar with, especially at this time of the year. A good pruning leads to better fruit, and flowers in the next season. Pruning is often done during the growing period too – it’s called “pinching out”. […]

The podcast of the newsletter is available and you can download it HERE. We welcome all your input so please don’t hesitate to contact us if you’ve got any queries or suggestions.   From this week we are going to be publishing a second podcast on Thursday mornings based on Dawn’s Wealth Ecology posts (which can be […]

The podcast of the newsletter is available and you can download it HERE. We welcome all your input so please don’t hesitate to contact us if you’ve got any queries or suggestions.   Market Watch The JSE has reverted to its factory settings for the moment and is tracking sideways but has hung onto the gains we […]

The podcast of the newsletter is available and you can download it HERE. We welcome all your input so please don’t hesitate to contact us if you’ve got any queries or suggestions.   Market Watch The JSE has managed to hang onto those post-election gains and is taking a breather. The Nasdaq has retreated off its recent […]

The podcast of the newsletter is available and you can download it HERE. We welcome all your input so please don’t hesitate to contact us if you’ve got any queries or suggestions.   Market Watch The JSE has recovered somewhat after the GNU jitters settled down and hopefully, everyone in government gets on with the job we […]

Over the last few weeks markets and exchange rates have been exceptionally volatile as the horse-trading and negotiations around the GNU go on behind the scenes. While the ministerial positions have now been announced, this volatility is probably going to continue until everyone carves out their niches – and the ‘official opposition’ is not going […]

The podcast of the newsletter is available and you can download it HERE. We welcome all your input so please don’t hesitate to contact us if you’ve got any queries or suggestions.   Market Watch The JSE has recovered from the previous week’s wobble while the GNU was being thrashed out and now looks like it’s sustaining […]

The podcast of the newsletter is available and you can download it HERE. We welcome all your input so please don’t hesitate to contact us if you’ve got any queries or suggestions.      Market Watch Uncertainty has crept back into the market thanks to the delays and public horse-trading around cabinet seats – remember, this is […]

The podcast of the newsletter is available and you can download it HERE. We welcome all your input so please don’t hesitate to contact us if you’ve got any queries or suggestions.   Market Watch The markets last week gave the new political dispensation a resounding round of applause. The JSE is now up 6.6% year on […]

The podcast of the newsletter is available and you can download it HERE. We welcome all your input so please don’t hesitate to contact us if you’ve got any queries or suggestions.   Dawn is going to be hosting Michael Avery’s Classic Business Radio show on Fine Music radio next week. You can stream it off the […]

The podcast of the newsletter is available and you can download it HERE. We welcome all your input so please don’t hesitate to contact us if you’ve got any queries or suggestions.   Market watch As expected, the turmoil around the direction of the government has created turbulence in the markets which have retreated over the week, […]

The podcast of the newsletter is available and you can download it HERE. We welcome all your input so please don’t hesitate to contact us if you’ve got any queries or suggestions.   Market watch The JSE All Share softened over the week, probably more in line with the US markets softening than the local elections. On the […]

The podcast of the newsletter is available and you can download it HERE. We welcome all your input so please don’t hesitate to contact us if you’ve got any queries or suggestions.   Market watch The last month has seen a good runup in the JSE as you can see from the graph below – a 9.3% […]

The podcast of the newsletter is available and you can download it HERE. We welcome all your input so please don’t hesitate to contact us if you’ve got any queries or suggestions.   Market watch: The US markets have been on a tear, making new highs (more about that later) but the JSE is also seeing a […]

The podcast of the newsletter is available and you can download it HERE. We welcome all your input so please don’t hesitate to contact us if you’ve got any queries or suggestions. Market watch: The JSE has shown a marked improvement over the last 3 months – double the growth in Wall Street over the same […]

In nature one of the signs of a robust ecosystem is biodiversity  – not only is it common sense, there are plenty of lessons we can learn from that and adapt to managing our wealth. By having that diversity, one event – even a small event cannot destroy the entire ecosystem. We often see the […]

The podcast of the newsletter is available and you can download it HERE. We welcome all your input so please don’t hesitate to contact us if you’ve got any queries or suggestions.   Market watch:The graphs below, over a 3-month period, are a cautionary tale of cherry-picking intervals to distort your perception of statistics.  Over the last […]

It isn’t easy to find a financial advisor who is sufficiently qualified and experienced to both look after your wealth portfolio and care about your risk-mitigation portfolio but they are inextricably linked.Why is important to look at your wealth holistically? Essentially, your wealth is an ecosystem.     No, I am not using that term […]

The podcast of the newsletter is available and you can download it HERE. We welcome all your input so please don’t hesitate to contact us if you’ve got any queries or suggestions.   Market watch: The JSE continues to tread water as the US markets slide. There are some signs that China is starting to buy commodities […]

I am sure most of you have experienced that sickening feeling when an investment goes wrong – instead of beating yourself up for being stupid, it might help to understand some of the entrenched emotions and biases that led you to make the bad decision in the first place. Behavioural Finance is a new-ish field […]

The podcast of the newsletter is available and you can download it HERE. We welcome all your input so please don’t hesitate to contact us if you’ve got any queries or suggestions.   Market watch: Markets around the world have come off the boil somewhat in the last 10 days or so. While it is much too early […]

Occasionally I am asked straight out what the value of a financial advisor is, and why they should be paying for the advice.  It’s not an unreasonable question given the experiences of some, especially those who had a product sold to them or where fees are still being collected from an investment product despite a […]

The podcast of the newsletter is available and you can download it HERE. We welcome all your input so please don’t hesitate to contact us if you’ve got any queries or suggestions.   Market watch: Middle East tensions and the fear that inflation may return to the US continue to impact on markets across the world.  The fear […]

The podcast of the newsletter is available and you can download it HERE. We welcome all your input so please don’t hesitate to contact us if you’ve got any queries or suggestions. Market watch: The JSE has been on a more positive trajectory recently, but still trading in that band between 70,000 and 75,000 that it’s been […]

There has been plenty of press over the years on how high fees can impact on your investment – and has led to the trend toward ETFs, Trackers and DIY stock portfolios. It’s interesting to look back at the way the average person invests and how that has evolved over the decades. Before 1965 in […]

Market watch: The JSE continues to amble sideways, which is unsurprising as we do not have the AI companies that are driving the offshore markets and commodities are out of favour – for now. The Russell 2000, which is much more broad-based than the Nasdaq, for example, while not showing the same growth in the […]

Market watch: The JSE has returned to it’s factory settings – crawling along sideways only to make sudden movements up or down, just when you don’t expect it. This is somewhat different to the US markets which just keep on going up – with some indications that investors are looking through all the AI froth […]

I am not a fearmonger, and actually abhor people who play on people’s fears to bolster their popularity or business – but the National Health Insurance Bill (NHI) which is about to be promulgated is different.I have been covering news around the NHI for decades. This is not a new concept but was first touted in 2007 with […]

Market watch: For a change I have used the graph below to show the last 3 months returns and not over a year or more as is usually shown – but it still doesn’t show a pretty picture for the JSE. To be fair we just don’t have those AI-focused stocks that are driving the […]

The podcast of the newsletter is available and you can download it HERE. We welcome all your input so please don’t hesitate to contact us if you’ve got any queries or suggestions.   Market watch: Although the base effects from this time last year is working out of the year-on-year stats the US surge at the end of […]

Have you ever looked back and remembered what your parents or grandparents were like at your age? While we might not have noticed it while it was happening, we humans are slowly evolving and changing. We just have to look back at our parents or grandparents and what their ‘retirement’ looked like to see how […]

We hope you have all had a great start to the new year. The podcast of the newsletter is available and you can download it HERE. We welcome all your input so please don’t hesitate to contact us if you’ve got any queries or suggestions.   Market watch: The markets and currencies did not treat us kindly following […]

The general consensus is that global interest rates are going to start declining this year, after a longer-than-expected run of higher interest rates. Those interest rates started rising when central banks, especially in the US, woke up to the fact that inflation was not ‘transient’ after all and was, in fact, getting out of control. […]