The Olympic Games are here! I must say, I absolutely love a random evening of watching frightening-looking people hurl pieces of metal across a field. Even more than that, I loved watching the Blitzboks beat New Zealand in the quarter-final. We are already fighting for a medal this weekend and that's a great way to kick off the games!
I thoroughly enjoy recording a Ghost Stories podcast with the Satrix team. The insights are fantastic and I learn from every episode. The latest example is no exception, with Nico Katzke joining me to talk about investment strategies in a post-election South Africa. We also covered really important topics like how the carry trade tends to protect the rand. Find the time today to listen to this terrific show or read the transcript at this link.
For a really well-rounded knowledge base when it comes to the markets, you should make an effort to learn about trading alongside investing. Thankfully, my collaboration with IG Markets South Africa makes that really easy. The best thing to do is open a demo account at this link and start playing around with how trading actually works. Then, get to grips with trading vs. investing by listening to The Trader's Handbook podcast, in which Shaun Murison of IG joins me to explain trading concepts and how it all works. The latest episode focus on how trading differs from investing and you can enjoy it along with a full transcript at this link.
In Ghost Bites today, you can look forward to both big and small. Anglo American and British American Tobacco both released numbers, while at the other end of the size spectrum we saw important updates from the likes of Mpact, PPC and Tharisa. Don't miss news from Equites Property Fund, Hammerson and Spar as well, all in Ghost Bites.
Have a great day! |
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FEATURED: The Trader's Handbook Ep 2 |
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IG Markets collaboration: In the second episode of this exciting new podcast series, Shaun Murison of IG Markets South Africa joined me for a discussion on leverage, the importance of newsflow and how stop losses work, alongside other trading concepts. Get ready to learn about this wonderful element of the markets at this link>>> |
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FEATURED: Investec Structured Products new product applications close on 8 August |
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| | Investec Structured Products: Applications for the Nikkei 225 Autocall and Euro Stoxx 50 Autocall close on 8 August. Don't miss the opportunity to learn about these offshore investment opportunities. |
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FEATURED: Magic Markets - Why the US election matters for everyone |
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Magic Markets: Even down here in South Africa, we need to keep a close eye on US elections. In this podcast, Mohammed Nalla shared his views on Democrat vs. Republican policies and how they can impact us, along with how the Trump Trade works. Find it here. |
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FEATURED: The dinosaurs are dying |
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| | Fedgroup: The modern world is no place for a dinosaur. This is why Fedgroup does things differently, with a focus on their clients and delivering superior risk-adjusted returns to investors. Read more about their approach here>>> |
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Ghost Bites: Get the latest on Anglo American, British American Tobacco, Equites, Hammerson, Mpact, PPC, Spar, Tharisa and more in Ghost Bites here>>> |
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| | Ghost Wrap: Get the latest on Richemont's sales, AVI's profitability, Karooooo's growth and the remuneration package for the new CEO at Prosus, all in just a few minutes in the Ghost Wrap podcast. |
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Unlock the Stock: Attacq and Capital Appreciation returned to Unlock the Stock to present the recent numbers and take questions from the attendees of the live event. Learn about both companies by watching the recording here>>> |
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- Investec No Ordinary Wednesday podcast: The market may be unpredictable, but your investment strategy doesn’t have to be. Investec Investment Management experts share their insights on what approaches are winning, common mistakes investors make, and why staying the course is important. Enjoy it here>>>
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International Business Snippet: |
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Two headlines caught my eye on CNBC this morning, both related to China.
The first is that Apple is no longer among the top 5 smartphone vendors in that market, with market share down to 14% in the second quarter. Some quick maths will tell you that the five domestic manufacturers ahead of Apple all have fairly similar market share, with no obviously dominant name in that market. Vivo (which I had never even heard of) sits at the top with 19% share.
The second headline is that Chinese shoppers are travelling to Tokyo to take advantage of the weak yen. We know this because of the recent results from luxury players (local giant Richemont included), with weakness in Asia Pacific and strength in Japan. It really is a different life when you're getting on a plane to go shopping somewhere else, isn't it?
Our latest Magic Markets Premium report covers CrowdStrike, which is highly topical after a software update broke Windows computers. Having shed a quarter of its value in the past week, is it a buy at these levels? To get access to this research and the rest of the vast library, subscribe to the platform here. |
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IG Morning Call: daily macroeconomic update |
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US equity markets continued their sell-off yesterday after better than expected GDP data caused some doubt around the pace of monetary easing in the world’s largest economy.
While Asian markets are having a mixed session this morning, US and European index futures are suggesting a minor rebound from oversold levels.
The sustainability of the tentative move higher will likely be tested by this afternoon's PCE inflation data release, a key indicator for the Federal Reserve.
The dollar is trading well off yesterday’s highs and with it we see the rand clawing back some strength this morning.
Oil prices have started to rebound after US GDP data provided some optimism around demand for the commodity.
Gold is trying to rebound from oversold territory as well this morning, supported by marginal weakness in the US dollar.
Key Indicators: USD/ZAR R18.30/$ | US 10yr 4.24% | Gold $2,373/oz | Platinum $941/oz | Brent Crude $81.60
The macroeconomic update is based on IG's morning call update |
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