Assets & Investments

It has been a standout year for the Group. Naspers simplified its Group structure, delivered improvements across all core performance metrics and achieved Ecommerce profitability six months ahead of target. Operating businesses have performed well, accelerating profitable growth, while the open-ended buyback programme continues to deliver value for our shareholders every day. The rapid deployment of AI-led technologies across the Naspers ecosystem is generating real results and will set the next frontier of value creation for the Group. Naspers has a strong balance sheet and is well positioned to generate improved returns through smart and disciplined capital allocation, driving value for all stakeholders. 

In recent years, market uncertainty has become the norm, leaving most investors actively searching for opportunities that offer them stability and long-term growth potential while limiting volatility in the face of constantly shifting economic sands. Against this backdrop, the luxury goods sector has emerged as a compelling investment opportunity for investors.

Losing a loved one is hard. It’s even more difficult to deal with such a loss in the face of long and complicated estate administration processes. It can become emotionally and financially taxing. In South Africa, it is not uncommon for a deceased estate to take two to five years to finalise.

The financial year to 31 March 2024 (FY24) saw the culmination of four years of strategic planning, with MultiChoice Group (MultiChoice or the group) now fully operational in its three core segments, namely video entertainment, interactive entertainment and fintech.

When we think about estate planning, we think of a plan outlining a tax-efficient way to deal with our assets when we pass away. Instead of viewing this as a ‘death plan’, try to think of it as a ‘life plan’ – a strategy created during your lifetime to ensure that your wishes are fulfilled, and that your loved ones benefit as intended after you pass away.

Traders and investors must overcome many hurdles in order to succeed. Among the most common of these hurdles are emotional pitfalls such as fear and greed, and behavioural shortcomings such as impulsivity. Neuroeconomics – a relatively new discipline – may hold the key to understanding the neural processes that govern the way traders make decisions, and assist them in making the right ones.

The volatility of the South African Rand (ZAR) against the US Dollar (USD) and other major currencies is a trend that is keeping many South Africans up at night. How well the USD performs and how it impacts the value of the ZAR, is greatly impacted by factors such as the US employment figures, inflation rates and gross domestic product (GDP) data, pronouncements by the US Federal Reserve (Fed), and locally, South Africa’s trade balance, GDP, inflation levels, unemployment figures, and guidance from the South African Reserve Bank about monetary policy.

For most people, purchasing a home represents the largest investment they will ever undertake, and carries emotional significance as a symbol of stability, security, and achievement. Property can offer much more than just a place to live – and it can also be a powerful investment vehicle capable of generating wealth, providing liquidity, enhancing cash flow, and diversifying one's portfolio.

Against all odds, 2024 is still believed to be the year of the first-time homebuyer resurgence. And while it’s a slow climb to the top, a combination of low house prices, competitive bank interest rates and impending rate cuts has many aspiring homebuyers hungry to get into the property game.  

Following the events of October last year, the situation in the Middle East has become increasingly volatile. In April, Israeli forces attacked the Iranian consulate in Damascus, killing most of the Quds Force leadership. The Quds Force is part of the Iranian National Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), which deals with Iran’s overseas activities and its relationships with its proxy forces in Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq.