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Working through volatility and evolving political pressures

17 January 2017 | General

“We are encouraged by companies that have focused their efforts on new drug discovery platforms, novel compounds and areas of significant unmet medical need, and we have been selectively investing in areas such as orphan drugs, biologics and drug-device combination products. We are also seeing the benefits of heightened activity in terms of development and the new-product pipeline, and we think the FDA has been sufficiently accommodative.”

Driving a case for convertibles in 2017

12 January 2017 | General

When many people hear the word “convertible,” carefree driving, sunny roads and wind-blown hair probably come to mind. Franklin Equity Group Portfolio Manager Alan Muschott thinks of convertibles as something entirely different. He sees an investment vehicle, and one that doesn’t represent reckless abandon, but rather, one that can offer attractive yields to income-seeking investors as well as an asymmetric risk/reward profile. Here, he makes the case for why investors might consider convertible securities in the coming year, particularly as US interest rates look set to continue rising and many global uncertainties remain.

2017 global investment outlook updates

09 January 2017 | General

“We believe financial markets will begin to recognize tailwinds to inflation going forward. Improved employment indicators, along with proposals in the United States for increased infrastructure spending and trade protectionism, support a rise in US inflation expectations in the medium term, in our view. Our outlook is most favorable for assets we view as having attractive relative valuations, such US Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities. Given what we have viewed as excessive developed-market government bond valuations, in particular those outside the United States, we favor cash as a way to remain moderately defensive and tactical in 2017.”

December 2016 – etfSA.co.za monthly South African ETF, ETN and Unit Trust passive index tracking performance survey

09 January 2017 | ETF's (Exchange Traded Funds)

The Performance Survey for the period ended 30 December 2016, is attached. The Survey measures total investment returns for all 71 JSE listed ETFs/ETNs, and 24 index tracking unit trusts for periods of one month to ten years. The summary table of the best performing passive index tracking products is shown below. The total return performance of each Exchange Traded Fund is shown in Section A (pages 3-5); Exchange Traded Notes in section B (pages 5-6); and Index Tracking Unit Trusts in Section C (pages 7-8).

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

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