Tag: long-term investment

Any listed company has a strategy outlining where that company wants to go and how and when it is planning to achieve this. The same can be said about an investor looking to achieve long-term financial success. As an investor and saver, you should know where you want to go (identify your goals), how you are going to achieve this (investment and savings strategy), and the time frame associated with those investment and savings goals.

With several companies announcing their intention to delist from the JSE in 2020, many South African investors may feel that they have a limited investment universe when considering local stocks. While this may be true, it shouldn’t hinder but reinforce the case for pursuing a local environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategy.

The 2020 Global Wealth Migration Review cited that an estimated 4,000 of South Africa’s highest nett worth individuals – worth R17 million or more – have left the country over the past ten years. Wealth migration data such as this report is said to serve as a clear indicator of the health of the economy. 

The envisaged future relaxation of the prohibition on 'loop structures' will be accompanied by amended tax laws, but current proposals are likely to result in more tax on certain structures. National Treasury has proposed a number of amendments to tax legislation as a result of the potential future relaxation of the SA Reserve Bank's current prohibition on so-called 'loop structures'. 

Fear-fuelled stockpiling offers astute investors valuable insights into human nature. In August 2020, South Africans formed long queues outside liquor stores across the country, hoping to stock up on alcohol before a rumoured ban came into effect. But, as it turns out, the ban was fake news, spread on WhatsApp and social media.

Those fortunate enough to have some excess cash on hand are in a unique position within the global context as workers across the world continue to grapple with the economic fallout of COVID-19. While there may be the temptation to utilise excess cash flow on shorter-term expenses, recent events have emphasised the importance of positioning your finances for an uncertain future.

Following the endless stream of COVID-19 headlines, extended lockdowns and associated economic hardships, we are all suffering from Armageddon fatigue. It is easy to become pessimistic in the face of the very real challenges we are grappling with.

The stock market can be volatile, but it’s a market that many people will delve into at some point in their lives whether directly buying shares or through their employer retirement saving fund. I believe that investments should form a core part of any financial planning, even during uncertain times.

Bouts of market volatility may be unsettling but they are an unavoidable feature of long-term investing. The important thing is to avoid making mistakes along the way. These investment guidelines hold true for any environment, but they’re particularly useful to keep in mind during times of extreme volatility.

Where did all the toilet paper go? Snapshots of empty store shelves, low levels of storable staples like rice and noodles and city-states raising emergency levels has served to escalate panic buying and even shop-raiding in some parts of the world.