Spotlight on Spotify

Good Morning Voornaam,

Ghost Mail is back!

The problem is that SENS announcements aren't, really, so the JSE newsflow isn't going to set your hair on fire this morning. Aside from the usual stuff (director dealings / complicated Steinhoff announcements that only lawyers understand / Trustco upsetting the JSE), there wasn't too much to report over the past couple of weeks.

I'm confident that things will kick off this week in a big way, so let's dust the cobwebs off our brains by looking abroad at some fun facts about a business that many of us use every single day.

Whether you're listening to podcasts or vibing around the braai, Spotify is probably involved. It's a great alternative to suffering through another Monday.com ad on YouTube, or one of those unskippable ones that make you want to throw your phone into the swimming po ol. Yet, as I've often written, there's a big difference between a great platform and a great investment. With the share price down nearly two-thirds in the past year and around 45% lower than its IPO levels in 2018, Spotify has been a good choice for your playlist and a horrible choice for your portfolio.

Here are some fun facts about Spotify to make you sound smart at the office this week:

Spotify's next results release is scheduled for 31st January. It will be interesting to see if growth stocks can catch a bid this year, as Spotify is on my radar to be covered in Magic Markets Premium with my partner Mohammed Nalla.

Speaking of that research product, I am very excited about what Magic Markets Premium will deliver to subscribers this year. With over 60 reports and podcasts now in the library, we offer arguably the best value for money research on global stocks that you'll find anywhere. Dig out that change between your couch cushions and subscribe for R99/month or R990/year - you won't regret it.

Chris Gilmour is back too!

To remind us of the geopolitical challenges being faced in the world right now, Chris Gilmour kicks off 2023 by taking a look at the Russia - Ukraine situation and how this is playing out. Read his views here>>>

I love engaging with different viewpoints and learning from them. As a supplement to Gilmour's views and for an explanation of multi-polarity and why many countries and companies haven't rushed to denounce Russia, our last Magic Markets show in 2022 featured international geopolitical analyst Marko Papic. If you missed it or even if you want a refresher, it's well worth listening to his fascinating and often controversial views>>>

Volatility in SA and more jobs than expected in the US

A Bloomberg headline that the ANC is seeking a constitutional amendment to the SARB's mandate was even more of a shocker than our batting performance in Australia, with the rand jumping from R17.20 to R17.42 after the news broke. It traded back below R17.30 in afternoon trade.

In the US, non-farm payrolls surprised to the upside with 223,000 jobs added vs. 200,000 expected. The US unemployment rate dropped to 3.5% from 3.7% and TreasuryONE thinks that the market expected the number to be even higher after other strong data releases during the week. Wage growth that was lower than expected will be encouraging for the Fed in its battle against inflation. The dollar held on to gains to have the best week in three months.

Welcome to 2023 and thank you for reading Ghost Mail!