Tag: stock market

As if the threat of a large-scale outbreak of an infectious disease isn’t enough to worry about, coronavirus has financial implications too. You might have read about the virtual shutdown of industries in some parts of the world and large falls in global stock markets and in the price of commodities such as oil.

It’s always darkest before the dawn, and markets across the globe are looking pretty dark right now. I’m not saying that the worst is over, or nearly over (my crystal ball is simply not giving me any clear answers) but if you look at the past, history will remind you that following the herd and selling up due to panic are not sensible strategies.

The spread of coronavirus, COVID-19, beyond China has created fresh uncertainty for the global growth outlook and sparked volatility in financial markets. Outbreaks in South Korea, Iran and Italy have raised concerns that the spread outside of China may be accelerating.

History is one of investors’ greatest teachers, offering rich lessons and valuable guiding principles. But this aspect of investing is very much a level playing field – the past is 'open access'. The distinction of the skilled investor lies in the discipline of applying the lessons and principles from history to the future.

The first quarter GDP growth of 2019 for South Africa announced 4 June, and it is once again a negative number. The numbers are showing that the South African economy contracted 3.2% year on year, following a 1.4% growth in the previous period. It was the sharpest decline in the GDP since the first quarter of 2009, as output declined sharply in manufacturing, mining, agriculture and utilities.

For the past few years, the industrial property sector has outperformed the office, retail and leisure property sectors. The good news is that it appears that the industrial property sector should continue to perform reasonably well into the foreseeable future.