Explore the Category

What does the "rise of the robots" mean for asset prices?

27 July 2017 | General

When we look at the immense advancement in automation, we can see how the world could be headed for a prosperous future in terms of technology growth.

SA’s potential as a top emerging market buy yet to ripen

27 July 2017 | Economy

In the first quarter of 2017, the average GDP growth experienced by emerging markets was around 4%, while South African GDP growth came in at a dismal -0.7% as it entered into a technical recession. For a foreign investor looking into emerging markets, South Africa isn’t looking like a very attractive prospect at this point. However, as the growth outlook continues to suffer, pockets of market value are likely to emerge.

Market snapshot – June 2017

27 July 2017 | General

Globally, the UK general election called by Theresa May to strengthen her majority resulted in a hung parliament. President Macron’s party won an outright majority in the French Parliamentary elections – making it the second successive defeat for nationalist apologists in Europe. Global bonds rallied hard as a result with 10-year Treasury yields reaching a post-Trump low of 2.10%. The ECB left rates unchanged but changed their language saying further rate cuts are off the table. Draghi later in the month opened the ECB forum with a less dovish speech, highlighting a strengthening and broadening recovery through the economic zone, and that the factors that are keeping inflation low are temporary in nature. Oil tumbled during the month on oversupply fears with Brent falling 4.75% to $47.90/barrel after trading as low as $44.40/barrel intra-month.

A world of uncertainty? Really?

27 July 2017 | Economy

It is understandable that investors are confused at the moment. The world is being bombarded with uncertainty: from Donald Trump’s “missing in action” economic policies, a backfired election outcome in the United Kingdom (UK) and tensions arising from North Korea’s nuclear programme, to geopolitical developments around Europe and more frequent terrorist attacks in London. In spite of the developments, global equity markets are setting new record highs and market measures of uncertainty or volatility are approaching all-time lows. A world of uncertainty? Really? What is going on here?

quick poll

Question

Do you think short-term insurance broking will survive the AI plus humanoid robotics age?

Answer

Human first always Not a chance Possibly maybe Yes, but reimagined

View the Results