• About Us
  • Write for Us
  • Paid Content Solutions
  • Contact Us
  • Login
ExpertHub
  • HOME
  • LAUNCH
  • BUSINESS
  • LEADERSHIP
  • MONEY
  • SUCCESS
  • NEWS
    • All
    • Company Posts
    • ExpertHub Today
    Transunion Global Capability Centres Boom

    Global Capability Centres Boom As They Move Up The Value Chain

    Global Tech companies

    Global Tech Companies Are Turning To South Africa For Media And Marketing Expertise

    Innovation Summit

    Innovation Summit 2021 Showcases SA’s Top Tech Entrepreneurs

    Three customer experience strategies you’re missing-23Sep21

    Three Customer Experience Strategies You’re Missing

    Embracing digital 1st world, SMBs confid. to thrive-23Sep21

    Embracing A Digital-First World, SMBs Can Have The Confidence To Thrive

    SAB Foundation Calling All Entrepreneurs Tholoana Entps. Prog.

    Applications for SAB Foundation Are Now Open

    Trending Tags

    • About Us
      • Write for Us
      • Paid Content Services
      • Contact Us
    No Result
    View All Result
    • HOME
    • LAUNCH
    • BUSINESS
    • LEADERSHIP
    • MONEY
    • SUCCESS
    • NEWS
      • All
      • Company Posts
      • ExpertHub Today
      Transunion Global Capability Centres Boom

      Global Capability Centres Boom As They Move Up The Value Chain

      Global Tech companies

      Global Tech Companies Are Turning To South Africa For Media And Marketing Expertise

      Innovation Summit

      Innovation Summit 2021 Showcases SA’s Top Tech Entrepreneurs

      Three customer experience strategies you’re missing-23Sep21

      Three Customer Experience Strategies You’re Missing

      Embracing digital 1st world, SMBs confid. to thrive-23Sep21

      Embracing A Digital-First World, SMBs Can Have The Confidence To Thrive

      SAB Foundation Calling All Entrepreneurs Tholoana Entps. Prog.

      Applications for SAB Foundation Are Now Open

      Trending Tags

      • About Us
        • Write for Us
        • Paid Content Services
        • Contact Us
      No Result
      View All Result
      ExpertHub
      No Result
      View All Result
      Home MONEY Investing

      Topsy Turvey Markets

      Eamonn Ryan by Eamonn Ryan
      Oct 27, 2009
      in Investing
      13
      Topsy Turvey Markets
      Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on LinkedIn

      RelatedTopics

      The Comprehensive Beginner’s Guide To Investing (And Growing Your Personal Wealth)

      What You Need To Start Saving Each Month In Your 20s To Retire With R5 million

      What Major Global Issues Affect International Investments?

      Unit trusts have always been the primary vehicle for private investors to gain access to equities for their well-documented benefits: diversification, ease of buying and selling, their low-cost entry, and transparency.

      However, given the drubbing that equities have taken over the past year (the JSE is 32% off its peak, and 26% down for the past 12 months), it is worth reviewing the case for investing in unit trusts.

      When investing, there are a number of decisions to be taken: which asset class (equities, bonds, property or cash – each can be accessed via unit trusts), and whether to go passive or active.

      Mark Lindhiem, Investment Solutions head of manager research, says that over the 12 months to April the best performing asset class was bonds (+15%), while inflation-linked bonds returned +12%, the money market +12% and income funds (with an element of bonds) +13%. Domestic general equity funds did worst, producing a negative return of –24,6%.

      Cautious investors

      During the past year, R50 billion flowed into the money market, and a third of all investment capital is now in the money market. This reflects the cautiousness of the average investor. However, these results cover a 12-month period during which a great deal happened. During each successive reporting month, the return of equities worsens, but this is disguising the true state of the equities market that has enjoyed a strong rally for the past two months. When reporting over a 12-month moving average it takes some time for the upturn to be reflected in the figure.

      Bull runs & bear markets

      Lindhiem says active managers of general equity funds tend to underperform the market in a bull run because they are invariably underweight resources, which make up a high proportion of the total market capitalisation, and had a terrific run last year.

      On the other hand they outperform in a bear market for the same reason, and that outperformance has increased by 1,5% in just two months – reflecting the sharp improvement in equities.

      Armien Tyer, managing director of Sanlam Investment Managers says the returns on the money market and bond markets are due to fall, given the 450 basis points drop in interest rates so far this year.

      It therefore appears that the returns over the next 12 months will be quite different from the past 12.

      Tyer says there is no blanket answer to what an individual should invest in. “It is a function of his risk profile and cash flow needs.”

      On the question of whether or not to opt for an active manager, one who actively trades to try to outperform the overall index, at the end of December last year the index had outperformed the average general equity unit trust, suggesting investors would have done better selecting one of the JSE’s index funds.

      Passive Funds

      For this reason, Tyer advises private investors that they would be better off with passive funds, such as one of the Satrix options. This way, one buys the index, without the costs of paying for a fund manager.

      “For those who decide not to go for an index fund, the best choice would be a balanced fund. Most people cannot handle the short-term volatility of the equities market, despite the fact that equities traditionally outperform every other asset class over the long-term.

      “Another option is a targeted fund, which seeks to deliver a real return. While these haven’t met their inflation-linked returns over the past year, most fulfilled their mandate of protecting investors’ capital during this bear market,” says Tyer. Coronation chief investment officer, Karl Leinberger, summarises the current market:

      “Making predictions about short-term return expectations for risky asset classes is difficult and can only be done within broad parameters and the caveat that the margin for error is extremely high. We therefore recommend investment terms of at least three years or longer for most unit trust funds. 

      “We do however know the following: Short-term interest rates will continue to decline, making the hurdle rate presented by the expected return on cash holdings easier to clear; domestic longer-dated bonds remain on the expensive side, with significant risks presented by a fairly sticky inflation environment and much more demand coming on stream; equities are at worst fairly valued and at best significantly undervalued,” says Leinberger.

      Eamonn Ryan

      Eamonn Ryan

      Before becoming a financial writer and freelance journalist in 1997, Eamonn Ryan was a legal adviser, company secretary and alternate director at listed company Cashbuild Limited from 1988 to 1997. Since becoming a financial writer, he has focused on the business and financial sectors, as well as personal finance, writing for Finweek, The Star Business Report, Sunday Times Business Times, Business Day, Mail & Guardian, Entrepreneur, Corporate Research Foundation (which brings out a series of books each year ranking SA’s best employers and best managers), as well as a host of once-off and annual publications such as ‘Enterprising Women’ and ‘Portfolio of Black Business’. He also writes media releases, inhouse magazines and sustainability or annual financial reports for various South African corporates and financial services groups, including the Ernst & Young annual M&A book.

      Quick Links

      • Business Plan Advice
      • Business Plan Format Guide
      • Business Plan Format
      • Sample Business Plans

      NEWSLETTER SIGN-UP

      Sign-up for Weekly ExpertHub Updates

      * indicates required




      EXPERT INSIGHTS

      Building a vision for your business

      Must Have A Vision For Business Success

      by Natalie Shand-Spellman

      Capturing a vision is beneficial in having a successful business and can be a first step before creating business plans.

      For Simple First Steps for Starting a business

      Simple First Steps To Starting Your Business

      by Stacey Sparks-Huff

      The first step to making sure you will have a profitable business is to test the market. You have to...

      Startup Content Marketing: 3 Things To Do Right Now

      Startup Content Marketing: 3 Things To Do Right Now

      by Frank Hamilton

      Content marketing has become so popular that brands both big and small eagerly use it in almost every marketing campaign....

      Work Life Balance - Morning Mindset Practices

      Morning Mindset Practices Are Key To Maintaining Balance

      by Sheila Vaske

      Work / Life balance is a huge topic these days, and one that really needs some attention. I hear it...

      • HOME
      • LAUNCH
      • BUSINESS
      • LEADERSHIP
      • MONEY
      • SUCCESS
      • NEWS
      • About Us
        • Write for Us
        • Paid Content Services
        • Contact Us
      • About Us
      • Write for Us
      • Paid Content Services
      • Contact Us
      • Terms & Conditions
      • Data Privacy Policy
      • Privacy Policy
      • Sitemap

      Copyright © 2022 ExpertHub.info
      Revenue Growth Experts

      No Result
      View All Result
      • HOME
      • LAUNCH
      • BUSINESS
      • LEADERSHIP
      • MONEY
      • SUCCESS
      • NEWS
      • About Us
        • Write for Us
        • Paid Content Services
        • Contact Us

      Copyright © 2022 ExpertHub.info
      Revenue Growth Experts

      Welcome Back!

      Login to your account below

      Forgotten Password?

      Retrieve your password

      Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

      Log In