What history tells us about the current state of the JSE
March 29, 2019--Markets are long-term machines
After the weak returns on the JSE over the past five years, it's difficult to remember where the market was back in 2014. At that point, South African equities had delivered 19.9% per year for the five years following the 2008 financial crisis.
It was an exceptional period of growth, fuelled by the stimulus injected by the world's central banks. Investors had rarely enjoyed such sustained high returns. However, as Graham Tucker, portfolio manager with the Old Mutual MacroSolutions boutique points out, it was never going to be sustainable.
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Source: moneyweb.co.za
Mixed trading session for the JSE as SARB keeps rates unchanged
March 28, 2019--The South African Reserve Bank left the repurchase rate unchanged at 6.75% as the Monetary Policy Committee indicated that there was little evidence of demand side pressures to the economy.
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Source: Zawya.com
Ethiopia: Africa's Next Powerhouse?
March 29, 2019--Ethiopia's prime minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed-the youngest African leader at 42 years old-has initiated a series of unprecedented economic and political reforms in his first 12 months in office.
The core challenge that he faces is moving the economy from state-led to market-based growth while overseeing far-reaching political reforms. Success is far from guaranteed but his accomplishments so far have created an enormous sense of opportunity within the country.
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Source: /allafrica.com
Markets WRAP: Rand closes at R14.60/$
March 27, 2019--The rand closed at R14.60/$ on Wednesday.
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Source: FIN24
JSE steam rolls ahead despite concerns over Turkey winners and losers
March 27, 2019--The Turkish government has implemented measures to control trading in the lira in an effort to plug the sell-off in the currency by investors looking to flea to safety ahead of the upcoming elections.
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Source: FIN24
Only One Country Needed to Realise Africa Single Market
March 26, 2019--Ethiopia last week ratified the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), leaving only one more ratification for it to take effect.
Twenty-two ratifications are required for the agreement to enter into force and so far 21 countries have ratified their instruments.
Since the March 2018 AU Summit in Kigali when the continental pact was launched and signed by 44 states, eight more---South Africa, Sierra Leone, Lesotho, Burundi, Namibia, Guinea Bissau, Botswana and Zambia ---have signed. Only Eritrea, Benin, Nigeria and Tanzania remain.
This is the price context driving the recent performance of Standard Bank's rhodium and palladium ETFs which have been, respectively, the first and second-best performing ETFs in South Africa for two years in a row. view more
How mobile money can lead a fintech revolution in Africa The use of mobile money has grown exponentially over the past 10 years, making the region the global leader in mobile money innovation, adoption, and usage. M-Pesa services are now offered in countries as diverse as Albania, D.R. Congo, Egypt, Ghana, India, Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique, Romania, and Tanzania. view more
Markets WRAP: Rand closes at R14.37/$
In fact, the US dollar price of both palladium and rhodium has increased by 40% and 84%, respectively, since January 2018, and 117% and 310% over the two years since January 2017.
Source: etfstrategy.com
If you are reading this blog-drawn by current buzz around financial technology and the "fintech" reference in the title, and its promise to democratize financial services-then it is probably a safe bet to assume that you have heard of M-Pesa.
This mobile payments system started in Kenya in 2007 now boasts 30 million users in 10 countries, with other competitors, such as MTN Money and Orange Money, also operating around the continent.
Source: World Economic Forum
March 25, 2019--TreasuryONE said earlier that emerging market currencies had weakened, led by Turkey's lira and the rand.
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Source: FIN24