Posts by adminsam

As the global pandemic continues to exert its stranglehold on the global economy, it seems absurd that equity and fixed-income markets are still finding new highs. We’re unlikely to be wealthier given the devastating economic impact of covid-19, so what is really going on, and how will it impact investors?

After rising to their highest point since record lows in 2020 last week, the upward momentum in US
treasury yields paused. Despite this pause, Jerome Powell stated that Federal Reserve officials have been
monitoring the rise in yields since January but rejected claims that it warranted concerns.

It has been a strong week for equities as further dovishness from the Federal Reserve helped bolster market sentiment. Investors were relatively unfazed by Fed Chairman Jerome Powell’s further reminders that the pandemic is far from over, or by surprisingly high applications for US state unemployment insurance.

President-elect Joe Biden has unveiled a $1.9tn Coronavirus relief proposal, aimed at urgently combating the economic crisis which the pandemic has triggered. As the US faces its deadliest stage in its fight against the virus, Biden described the moment as “a crisis of deep human suffering”. If adopted, the proposal would tack on $1,400 to the $600 in direct payments for individuals that Congress approved recently.

We are thrilled to announce that the Sanlam Real Assets UCITS Fund has received “Best Specialist Real Assets Fund” at the Investment Week Specialist Investment Awards 2020.

London – Sanlam Investments today announces that it has agreed to assume responsibility for managing eight funds currently managed by Smith & Williamson Investment Management LLP.

For the past few years, bitcoin – the original cryptocurrency launched in 2009 – has been on a roller-coaster ride of note. After dipping below US$5 000 in March last year, bitcoin peaked at over US$46 000 a few days ago following a tweet by Elon Musk that his car firm Tesla had bought around US$1.5 billion worth of the digital currency. Its current market capitalisation is around US$840 billion. For many investors, what exactly bitcoin is and how it works remain an enigma – here’s what you need to know.

This week the UK death toll from Covid-19 exceeded 100,000. Boris Johnson said that he was “deeply sorry” for every death. Meanwhile AstraZeneca’s chief executive, Pascal Soriot, has insisted the UK will come first for vaccines as he rejected calls to divert doses to the European Union following a breakdown in supply. Rows are escalating over reduced supplies with whispers of vaccine protectionism on the horizon.

Join Sanlam and the South African Chamber of Commerce as Arthur Kamp, Chief Economist at Sanlam Investments, gives his outlook on the global economy for the year to come.