Investments / General

Great Expectations

There is a simple equation for happiness that not everyone quite grasps. Contentment is the difference between expectations and reality. Lower your expectations sufficiently, and almost any experience turns out to be pleasant or at least bearable.

How did EM stocks perform in 2023?

2023 was a bitter-sweet year for EM stocks. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index rebounded from a 20% decline in 2022, delivering a gain of 10%. However, EM stocks lagged developed market (DM) peers by a wide margin, for the third year in a row, with the MSCI World advancing 24%.

Offshore investing risks in 2024

At M&G Investments, we don’t pretend to have a crystal ball to be able to forecast the future, instead building our portfolios based on current asset valuations. In our view, these valuations are telling us that South Africa is the place to be in 2024 rather than offshore, and particularly not in US equities.

Sanlam Investments’ Alternatives business invests in Nova Pioneer’s school expansion in South Africa