Foreword | Issue 70 | 2nd Quarter 2024
DID YOU KNOW? RISK PREMIUM
Risk premium refers to the additional return investors expect as compensation for taking on additional risk. In financial markets, every investment carries a degree of risk, whether it's market risk, credit risk, liquidity risk, or others. Investors require compensation for bearing these risks beyond the risk-free rate of return (traditionally, the yield on US government bonds).
INSTABILITY WILL BE OUR GNU REALITY
As the dust settles on South Africa’s national elections, we can all heave a sigh of relief. With the formation of a clunky Government of National Unity (GNU) that excludes the two most radical parties, South Africa has again walked back from the abyss. Markets nervously cheered the result. Portfolio manager NANCY HOSSACK discusses the election outcome and what South African investors might expect from the GNU government in the years ahead.
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NHI BILL SIGNED — WHAT'S NEXT FOR PRIVATE HEALTHCARE?
President Ramaphosa hurriedly signed the controversial National Health Insurance (NHI) bill into law days before the end of his term. Foord’s healthcare analyst Dhersan Chetty unpacks the implications of the NHI, given the widespread worries about its implementation and the feared death knell of the private healthcare industry.
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GREEN LIGHT FOR THE FOORD INTERNATIONAL FUND
Sustainable income streams have always been fundamental to Foord’s long-term investment philosophy. Portfolio managers bring an acute awareness of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors to the stock selection process when buying stocks for the long term. Foord global funds director PAUL CLUER writes that Foord has now formalised an enhanced sustainable investment programme for the Foord International Fund.
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BEYOND THE GREAT FIREWALL OF CHINA — AN INVESTMENT IMMERSION
Asia is the backyard of Foord’s global investment team, which is based in the booming city-state of Singapore. In May, the Foord Singapore investment team hosted 22 South African investment professionals on an 11-day, in-depth investment immersion of Singapore, Macau, Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Beijing. JULIE MACLEOD-HENDERSON recounts the concept behind the tour and key observations from this maiden voyage.
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EMPOWERMENT CREDENTIALS CREDITED
South African financial services firms are obliged to report empowerment progress under the Financial Sector Charter Code. The financial services regulators take empowerment factors into consideration when awarding and maintaining financial services sector licenses. Progress in this area is therefore not only the right thing to do but is also a regulatory requirement. Director BRENDAN AFRICA explains Foord’s path to achieving an empowerment milestone
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MARKETS IN A NUTSHELL
We summarise the market movements for the latest quarter.
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