Explore the Category

Fundamentals Support Our Positive US Outlook

16 April 2014 | General

The US equity market has benefited over the last five years from a steadily improving domestic economy and a healthy combination of earnings growth and multiple expansion. Despite the market’s run, we continue to believe the fundamental case for the US economy and the US equity market remains largely intact. In 2013, we saw strong corporate earnings reports, with many companies reporting record levels of earnings and free cash flow. On the economic front, the data generally continue to improve; unemployment rates are at a five-year low and consumer spending data have been strong. US consumers have generally benefited from the improving economy and low interest-rate environment, increasing their savings rates and lowering their debt costs.

Growing capacity is essential to deliver Government’s solid infrastructure plan

15 April 2014 | General

The National Development Plan (NDP) is an effective plan and its fixed investment target of 30% by 2030 is an ambitious one. However, it will be challenging to meet this target, and it is vital to build capacity to effect the investment roll-out, according to Old Mutual Investment Group’s Senior Economist, Johann Els, and Head of Infrastructure, Jurie Swart, presenting at its Q2 Media Briefing.

The Economic Cost of Brazil’s Spending Spree

14 April 2014 | General

Brazil has been on a spending spree during the past few years, which, unfortunately, has failed to generate meaningful growth and has led to negative economic consequences. In addition to the lavish spending in preparation for the FIFA World Cup™ this summer and the Olympic Games in 2016, Brazil’s national oil company has been spending billions of dollars on expensive offshore oil exploration, production and energy development. Resources have also been pumped into other enormous projects including a major petrochemical plant, as well as various social programs to benefit the lower-income population. Brazil clearly faces some headwinds, but we believe meaningful reform efforts that open up investment to the private sector could help the country get back on a more positive track and take some pressure off government resources.

Passive investment methods are not the same as active management techniques

14 April 2014 | General

In recent times, there has been a significant number of articles written by active investment managers defending their investment methods relative to passive index tracking investment techniques. These articles often tend to focus on the superior intellectual capacity of active managers and their methods that allow them to beat the average returns of the market, which is the performance return provided by the passive index trackers.

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