WorldWide Markets with Simon Brown
All about investing on the JSE with Simon Brown. Every Thursday.
Episodes
Ranking JSE gold miners as the yellow metal is on the move
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is selling short-dated paper and buying long in an attempt to force the 10 and 30-year yields lower. Simon Brown explains why fighting a market rarely ends well, and what that trade has already done to gold and the rand. With gold back at $4,630 and the rand at R16, he then works through all five JSE-listed gold miners — Pan African, DRDGOLD, Harmony, Gold Field
Cheap for a Reason: ABSA versus Nedbank. Which to buy?
Absa and Nedbank are the two cheap banks on the JSE, both trading near 1.2 times tangible book while Standard Bank and FirstRand sit close to two. Simon Brown puts them side by side after both reported and finds numbers so similar that valuation stops being the question: the same fifteen percent return on equity, the same credit loss ratio near zero point nine percent, the same capital. What separ
Pick n Pay has stopped bleeding. But has it started healing?
Pick n Pay has stopped bleeding customers, but it hasn't started healing. Simon Brown goes deep on the retailer's 20-week trading update, where group turnover rose 2.7% while core Pick n Pay SA supermarkets went backwards. He unpacks the so-called negative stub — a R14 billion market cap against an R18.8 billion stake in Boxer plus cash — and explains why capital gains tax makes those "free" 1,538
Mr Price and Clicks. End of an Era, or an Entry Point?
Mr Price and Clicks have both been hammered, and on a chart they look like the same trade. They are not. Simon Brown holds both and spends this episode pulling the two businesses apart to work out which one he actually wants to own. Clicks is on its cheapest P/E in a decade but is losing share in the high-margin categories that pay the bills, with Dis-Chem, Checkers Sixty60, SPAR Health and Woolwo
Finding quality JSE dividends | Alphabet profits booms, stock falls
Vodacom has cut its dividend payout ratio from 75% to 65%, which pushes one of the JSE's dependable income names down the list. Simon Brown runs the Top 40 and the mid-cap screen to find where quality local yield actually sits, and shows how Growthpoint, Nedbank, Coronation and Standard Bank can be combined into a home-built income portfolio yielding roughly seven and a half to eight percent, grow
Finding an edge in prediction markets | Netflix, market hate is an opportunity?
Can you find a real edge in prediction markets? Simon hunts the arbitrage — and calls Netflix cheap. In this week's WorldWideMarkets: • 🎲 Prediction markets: where's the edge, and where's the scam? • 🇧🇷 The Brazil election "two-horse arbitrage" explained • 📈 Betting SA's 2026 inflation print with a Bayesian model • 🎬 Netflix halved — Simon says it's now cheap • 📊 Stocks on the move: Bid Corp, Mr
Purple Group goes all-in on AI | US 10-year at 4.63% is a crisis
A month after the year's most hyped listing, nearly everyone who bought SpaceX and held is underwater — and with the 180-day lock-up now gone, Simon Brown explains why insider selling is only getting started. He then tours the week's biggest moves: Apple's copyright lawsuit against OpenAI and what it means for hardware and an IPO, Purple Group buying Telescope AI to strengthen EasyEquities, oil c
Defence Stocks and the Replacement Trade | Why Lockheed Martin Wins
Wars burn hardware, and rebuilding it takes years. This week Simon Brown works through the defence sector as a replacement thesis — the US fired roughly half its THAAD interceptor stockpile in twelve days against Iran — and settles on Lockheed Martin as his pick, with RTX as a second choice. He weighs the faster-growing but pricier European names (Leonardo, Thales, BAE Systems, Rheinmetall), runs
Europe's Biggest Tech IPO: Bending Spoons
This week's WorldWideMarkets is a tour of cheap stocks that each come with a question mark. Simon Brown looks at Microsoft, where a forward PE of around 20 against a mean of 33 makes it look inexpensive — except free cash flow has slipped back to 2021 levels as AI and data-centre capex ramps. He revisits Afrimat, a high-quality cyclical now trading near 10-year lows, and digs into Bending Spoons,
MercadoLibre is Amazon with a bank and it's cheapest in years
MercadoLibre is down 40% for the year, and Simon Brown argues the market is mispricing it as a retailer while ignoring the fintech engine — Mercado Pago — that is becoming Latin America's biggest digital bank. Total payment volume now exceeds gross merchandise volume, even as management deliberately halves operating margins to grab market share. This week also marks the death of former Fed chair
Peace in Our Time | Are We Just Going Back to February?
A US–Iran cessation of hostilities, due to be signed Friday, has collapsed the oil price, firmed the rand back toward 16.00 and let gold hold key support — and Simon Brown argues markets are heading back to where they sat in late February, just with fewer rate cuts on the table. This episode also unpacks the most hyped IPO in history opening softer than expected, South African inflation surprising
Stocks for your Soccer World Cup
The World Cup kicks off Thursday — so which stocks actually win? Simon Brown ran a data-driven hunt and the answer is counter-intuitive: skip the obvious bets. His own scrape of stadium-adjacent hotels found accommodation available everywhere, with 84 of 104 games unsold, so hoteliers have no pricing power and the retail uplift is marginal. The real edge sits with the kit makers — Adidas and Nike
The US consumer has no savings left, should we worry?
Simon Brown unpacks a US personal savings rate of just 2.6% — one of the lowest on record — and why it matters more as a fragility gauge than a crash signal. He covers the collapsed Iran deal and its effect on oil and South African fuel prices, the SARB's prime rate hike to 10.5% and why he thinks the MPC has it wrong, and the near-10% surge in Naspers and Prosus on news that WeChat is putting AI
The SpaceX IPO Valuation Reality Check | The Pope on AI
SpaceX comes to market on 12 June at a $1.75 trillion valuation — 94 times sales, where Amazon trades at four. Simon walks through where to actually buy it (Robinhood, Charles Schwab, Fidelity), why xAI is a rounding error in the AI race, and why Tesla is likely to be rolled into SpaceX within two to three years. Plus the Dow Jones turns 130, Moody's lifts South Africa's outlook from stable to pos
Bond Yields Are Screaming | Why Isn't Anyone Calling It a Crisis?
Global bond yields are spiking to multi-decade highs across the US, UK and Japan, and Simon Brown argues this looks a lot like the emerging market debt crises markets usually call doom and gloom. He unpacks the Pick n Pay sell-down of Boxer shares, the Eastern Cape floods threatening the citrus crop, and the absurd Cerebras IPO trading at 150 times sales. Plus an update on JustOneLap's institution
Boxer's Blinder & The Pick & Pay Valuation That Makes No Sense
Boxer just posted ShopRite-level operating margins — so why is Pick & Pay, which owns 65% of it, trading at an implied negative enterprise value? Simon Brown unpacks the R10bn valuation paradox and whether it's a genuine opportunity. He also walks through his new AI-powered research workflow, using Claude and ChatGPT to produce and fact-check full initiating coverage reports on Balwin Properties
Hyperscaler Results, Berkshire's Cash Pile and Fuel Pain
Hyperscaler results from Microsoft, Amazon and Alphabet produced numbers that almost don't seem real — combined remaining performance obligations of $1.46 trillion and Q1 capex of $112 billion. Simon unpacks where that money is going, why copper is the quiet beneficiary, and which JSE stocks give exposure. Berkshire Hathaway is sitting on $380 billion in cash, roughly 38% of its market cap — a me
Tim Cook Out, Tariff Refunds In, Markets Back At Highs
US markets hit all-time highs this week even as $166 billion in Trump tariff refunds start processing — a windfall for retailers, but consumers who paid inflated prices at the till won't see a cent back. Tim Cook is stepping down at Apple with John Ternus taking over, Amazon is spending $11.57 billion to buy Globalstar and build a Starlink rival, and Netflix delivered Q1 results with a $2.8 bill
The Hormuz "Blockade" Has Fine Print | So Does the SA Fuel Crisis
US results season opens with Goldman Sachs and Johnson & Johnson both beating expectations — but the more interesting story is what those results don't show yet: the full impact of Middle East conflict and Trump's drug pricing pressure. Simon also unpacks South Africa's looming fuel crisis and makes the economic case for working from home, a new 100% offshore ETF listing on the JSE from ETFSA, and
SA Retail Stocks: Where the Value Is Right Now
South African consumer stocks have been hammered. In Episode 673 of WorldWideMarkets, Simon Brown works through the JSE's food and clothing retailers — Shoprite, Boxer, Pick n Pay, SPAR, Pepkor, Foschini Group, Mr. Price, Lewis, and Woolworths — asking where genuine value has emerged and where cheap simply means broken. He also sets the macro scene with Trump's Wednesday deadline on Iran peace tal
Six Space Stocks Reviewed, Which Ones Are Worth It?
Simon reviews six listed space stocks ahead of the expected SpaceX IPO, which could debut above $2 trillion as early as June. Rocket Lab, AST SpaceMobile, Intuitive Machines, Firefly Aerospace, Planet Labs and Spire Global each get a SWOT breakdown, with the Procure Space ETF (UFO) as a diversified alternative. On the local front, the JSE Top 40 just posted its worst month since September 2008, fa
Tariffs are Back with no Ceiling and Gold at $4,000
WorldWideMarkets episode 671 covers the return of US tariffs through Section 301 investigations targeting South Africa and 60 other countries — with no rate ceiling and no court precedent to stop them. Simon unpacks the Iran war's tentative ceasefire talks, why Goldman Sachs revised its Brent forecast to $85, and what happens to oil and interest rates if the conflict drags on. Monday's sharp gold
War, Fuel & Fertilizer: The Inflation Pipeline
Worldwide Markets — Episode 680 | 18 March 2026 Powered by Standard Bank, Global Markets, Retail and Shyft ⛽ Fuel Price Pain Coming Petrol 95 up ~R4.50/litre and diesel up ~R7.50/litre from the first Wednesday in April. On a 50-litre tank that's R200+ for petrol and close to R400 for diesel. Fill up before April if you can. 🛢️ Oil & The Iran War Brent holding above $100/barrel (currently ~$103.50
As Uncertainty Rules, Rate Cuts are Gone
🌍 World Wide Markets – Episode 669 📅 11 March 2026 | Hosted by Simon Brown Powered by Standard Bank Global Markets, Retail & SHYFT 🧭 Market Mood: Chaos Means Doing Nothing With geopolitical tensions and wild commodity moves, markets are extremely uncertain. Simon's strategy right now? 🧘 Do nothing. Panic trading rarely helps. In times of chaos, sometimes the best move is to step back, ignore the
Budget Boost, Oil Shock | SA's Two-Speed Week that Changed the Narrative
⚖️ Budget Boost: A Rare Win for Taxpayers 🇿🇦💰 This week kicked off with a surprisingly investor-friendly South African budget — and markets initially loved it. Key Changes: 📈 CGT annual exclusion: R40,000 → R50,000 🏠 Primary residence CGT exclusion: R2m → R3m 💼 Retirement contribution limit: R350k → R430k (or 27.5%) 🌍 Offshore SDA allowance: Doubled to R2m 🎁 Donations tax exemption: R100k → R150k
Budget panel 2026 with Deputy Minister & Christo Wiese
This special broadcast is the recording of the Budget Panel 2026 with AJM, Baker Tilly Greenwoods, and FNB. Simon Brown hosts and his guests are; The Hon Ashor Sarupen Dep Fin Minister Mamello Matikinca chief economist at FNB Dr Christo Wiese – business man Dr Albertus Marais – Partner AJM
Trumps Tariffs Trashed, Now What? | Budget 2026
🌍 World Wide Markets – Episode 667 📅 25 February 2026 | Hosted by Simon Brown Powered by Standard Bank Global Markets, Retail & Shyft ⚡ Eskom: 280 Days Without Load Shedding South Africa has now reached 280 days without load shedding. Standard Bank's electricity tracker report highlights that the last significant outages were 26 hours across April and May 2025, taking the effective streak back to
Can AI Value Stocks? Local | Yields at decade Lows
Worldwide Markets - Episode 666 📊 18 February 2025 🇿🇦 South African Economic Indicators Unemployment hits 5-year low - but still a tragic 31.4% The Achilles heel: Need GDP growth to break below 20% 10-year bond yields at decade lows - 7.97% (down from 11% during load shedding) Government saving on new bond issuances, though impact is modest Potential budget windfall from precious metals next wee
Hyper Capex Spending | Junior Miner Pain
🎙️ Worldwide Markets – Episode 665 📅 11 February | 🎧 Recorded Tuesday around lunchtime 💼 Powered by Standard Bank Global Markets & Shyft 🌍 This week in markets Massive hyperscaler CapEx is back in focus 💰🏗️ Markets appear calmer – the worst of the recent collapse may be behind us 😮💨 Bitcoin mining costs now around $70,000, putting pressure on miners ⛏️₿ A deep dive into junior miners – why so m
Is the Gold Collapse Over?
🌍 Worldwide Markets – Episode 664 📅 Recorded: Tuesday midday | 🎙️ Host: Simon Brown This week on Worldwide Markets, we unpack a wild ride across commodities, central banks, tech titans, and global trade — with gold stealing the spotlight once again. 🟡 Has Gold Bottomed? Gold went vertical — and then snapped back hard. 📈 Ran from around $4,300 → $5,600, before a brutal sell-off 📉 Dropped to $4
Stock Picks for the Cristal & Moneyweb Challenges
🎙️ Worldwide Markets – Episode 663 📅 28 January | Recorded late Tuesday afternoon Host: Simon Brown Powered by: Standard Bank Global Markets & Shyft – the global money app for travel, shopping, payments & investing 🌍💳 This week a quick look at gold and the Rand, both did what was expected over the year in the first month. Then picks for the Cristal Challenge 2026 and the Moneyweb Investor Challe
Fed Pressure, Gold Power and a Stronger Rand
Predictions 2026 with; Marc Ashton, Keith McLachlan & Simon Brown
For the thirteenth year in a row Keith McLachlan, Marc Ashton and Simon Brown kick off the new year with a predictions show. First they check in and mark what they said last year. Then they each offer three predictions for the year ahead and a view on the Top40 and Rand/ Find last years show here.
The Best, and Worst, on the JSE in 2025
🌍 Worldwide Markets — Episode 660 🎙️ The Best and Worst of the JSE in 2025 📅 10 December 2025 🎧 Final episode of the year — back 14 January 2026 💼 Powered by Standard Bank Global Markets & Shyft 🏁 Opening Thoughts Last podcast of 2025! 🎉 A huge thank-you to listeners, watchers and everyone who engaged across the year 🙏 A wild year for markets, but a great year for returns 📈 Wishing everyo
It's been a year, but markets loved it
Worldwide Markets – Episode 659 Show Notes "It's Been a Year… But Markets Loved It" 📆 3 December 2025 🎙️ Host: Simon Brown 🏦 Powered by Standard Bank Global Markets & Shyft — the global money app. 🌍 Opening: A Wild Year That Somehow Ended Beautifully Despite chaos from January to April — tariffs, collapsing markets, surging yields, rand at 19.90 — markets still delivered a stellar year. If yo
Best and worst JSE Stocks Over the Last Decade
dd 🌍 Worldwide Markets – Episode 658 📅 26 November 2025 🎙️ Hosted by Simon Brown 💼 Powered by Standard Bank Global Markets & Shyft 🔥 This Week's Big Themes 📊 JSE 10-year returns — miners dominate! 💽 Nvidia results: great numbers, strange market reaction 🥇 Harmony goes big on copper 🛠️ SA Inc sleeper stock ready to run with GDP recovery 📦 Process/Tencent update: super-app dreams + buyb
Good Things Happening in SA | How to Spot the Bubble Popping
Worldwide Markets — Episode 657 (19 November 2025) 🗓️📈 🔥 This Week on Worldwide Markets Good things are happening in South Africa 🇿🇦, bubble-watching on global markets 🎈, fresh ETF listings from Ninety One 📊, strong local results (Astral 🐔, WeBuyCars 🚗, Ninety One 💼), and the Year-End Power Hour opens for bookings 🎤✨. 🎈 Bubble Talk: When Does It Pop? Guest Insight: Citigroup's Dirk Willer (via Od
JSE in the Cross Hairs (and Proposing Changes) | Don't Fight the Trend
Worldwide Markets – Episode 656 (12 November) Powered by Standard Bank Global Markets and Shyft – the global money app that puts travel, shopping, payments and investments in the palm of your hand 🌍💸 1) JSE Under Pressure 🏛️⚖️ Two issues in the spotlight: a) Competition Commission Complaint A2X alleges JSE is being anti-competitive around BDA & settlement. This could have a long regulatory proces
When Will The Markets Crash? | Optasia IPO Fails to Pop
🌍 Worldwide Markets – Episode 655 Date: 5 November Host: Simon Brown Powered by: Standard Bank Global Markets & Shyft – the global money app for travel, payments & investing. 🎙️ This Week's Big Questions When will markets crash? 🤯📉 Will we finally get a sovereign ratings upgrade? 🇿🇦🔼 Optasia* lists… but no IPO fireworks 💼🔔 SA vehicle sales accelerate again 🚗📈 🚀 Shyft Migration Update I
Gold took us up … and Gold will take us down
🌍 World Wide Markets Ep. 654 — 29 October 2025 🎙️ "Gold took us up … and gold will take us down." 🪙 Gold Takes the JSE for a Ride Gold led the JSE to record highs — and now it's leading it back down. Year-to-date returns: Gold +49 %, Harmony +87 %, Pan African +126 %, DRD +150 %, Gold Fields +162 %, AngloGold Ashanti* +167 %! Excluding dividends! Simon notes clear support around $3,600-3,800,
Optasia, AI-enabled fintech business, listing on the JSE. Worth buying?
🌍 Worldwide Markets Ep. 653 – Gold Crashes, Markets Burn, and Optasia's JSE Listing 🎙️ Hosted by Simon Brown 📅 Recorded: Tuesday, 21 October 2025 📈 Powered by Standard Bank Global Markets, Retail & Shyft – The global money app that puts travel, shopping, payments and investments in the palm of your hand. 💥 Local Markets Crushed A brutal day on the JSE as the market closed down 2.5%, with resource
JSE Large Caps with Great Dividend Yields
🎙️ Worldwide Markets Ep. 652 — "Dividends, Gold, and Gearing Gone Wild" 📅 15 October 2025 | Hosted by Simon Brown | Powered by Standard Bank SHYFT 🪙 Gold Rush Continues Gold is unstoppable! 🚀 Now trading above R4,100/oz, the yellow metal has clocked eight consecutive green weeks — the longest winning streak since early 2024. Simon digs into: 📈 Historical patterns since the pandemic: jump → conso
Value on the JSE? We find the Cheapest Shares
🎙️ Worldwide Markets Ep. 651 — "Value on the JSE? We Find the Cheapest Shares" (8 October 2025) 📅 Recorded Tuesday afternoon | Powered by Standard Bank & SHYFT 💡 Episode Overview This week Simon Brown digs into value on the JSE — where the cheapest shares might be hiding 👀. He also unpacks: The Purple Group* pullback 🟣 ETF returns so far in 2025 📈 (spoiler: it's been a wild year!) Upcoming Sta
what's pushed Purple Group +140% this Year? And a Bull Case for SA Inc.
🌍 Worldwide Markets Episode 650 – 1 October 2025 Hosted by Simon Brown Powered by Standard Bank Global Markets & the Shyft Global Money App 💳🌐 🔑 Key Topics This Week 📈 Purple Group* & EasyEquities Purple Group share price up ~150% this year 🚀 Results driven by non-revenue income (inactivity fees & loyalty program) Strong client acquisition via Capitec & Discovery Bank partnerships 🏦 Tradi
Your Second Brain | Managing all the Data and Putting it to use
🌍 Worldwide Markets Ep. 649 – Building a Second Brain 🧠✨ Recorded on 24 September 2025 (from the beach!) – Hosted by Simon Brown This week, Simon takes a break from market talk 📉📈 to explore something equally powerful: how to manage the flood of data and information we face every day. Instead of focusing on stocks, currencies, or central banks, he dives into the idea of creating a "second brain" —
Three Stocks with Cash & Shares Worth more then their Market Cap
🌍 World Wide Markets Ep. 648 – Cash-Rich Companies, Fed Cuts & China's Housing Woes Host: Simon Brown Date: 17 September 2025 📉 China's Housing Market New house prices fell 2.5% YoY – still negative since May 2022. Bottomed in October 2023 (-5.9%) and now trending upward. Reflects weak Chinese consumer confidence, similar to South Africa 🇨🇳🇿🇦. Evergrande's collapse still casts a shadow. Chines
Alphabet Wins & Makes New Highs | OPEC Boosts Production
🌍 Worldwide Markets – Episode 647 (9 Sept 2024) This week on *Worldwide Markets*, Simon Brown dives into global markets, tech giants, crypto shifts, commodities, and currencies. Recorded a day early before heading to Leaderex, here's what's moving markets right now. Powered by Standard Bank and Shyft. 💳🌐 📊 US Jobs & Rate Cuts US jobs report was a mixed bag → +22k jobs, but mostly in healthcare.
Twenty Years of Poor EM returns | Sixty60 almost a R20bn Revenue Business
🌠Worldwide Markets Ep. 646 – 3 September 2025 ðŸŽ™ï¸ Hosted by Simon Brown Powered by Standard Bank & Shyft, the global money app ðŸ'³ðŸŒ ðŸ"ˆ Key Topics This Week 🌠Emerging Markets: 20 Years of Poor Returns EM ETFs have underperformed vs. the US and gold 20-year CAGR: ðŸ"Š NASDAQ: +1,400% (14.5% CAGR) 🟡 Gold: +700% (10.9% CAGR) 🇺🇸 S&P 500: +440% (8.7% CAGR) 🌠Emerging Markets: +
Naspers Stock Split | UK Yields at Worst Levels this Century
📌 Key Themes This Week 📊 Naspers share split – AGM approves a 5-for-1 split to make shares more affordable for smaller investors. 💬 Jackson Hole update – Jerome Powell's last appearance as Fed Chair, shifting focus from inflation to jobs. Markets pricing in September & December rate cuts with high certainty. 💸 Trump & the Fed – Trump fires Fed Governor Lisa Cook ❌ and pushes to pack the Fed
Buffett Buys UnitedHealth, should you? | The Google Listing with a Twist Turns 21
🌍 Worldwide Markets Ep. 644 – 20 August 2024 🎙️ Hosted by Simon Brown This week's episode dives into Buffett's latest moves, Google's iconic IPO, and big results from Standard Bank, MTN, and Sasol. Here's what you need to know: 📈 Buffett Buys UnitedHealth – Should You Follow? Berkshire Hathaway picked up UnitedHealth (UNH). Stock has fallen from $600 → $308 due to federal investigations ⚖️. On p
Share Buy Backs; the Good & the Ugly | Market Loving the Sasol Update
🇺🇸 US Inflation – Numbers come in softer than expected 📊, fuelling hopes for a **September rate cut** from the Fed 🏦. ⛽ Sasol trading update – PE under 3 😮, H2 profits looking stronger, and the market loving it (+9.7% 🚀). 💰 Share buybacks – Why US companies love them, the tax angle, and Apple's massive \$100bn spree 🍏. Apple out standing shares 🪙 Gold & the Resi10 index – Resource stocks roaring
SARB & Treasury Fight Over Inflation | Which MPs Hold Crypto?
🎙️ Worldwide Markets – Episode 642 📅 Recorded: Tuesday, 5 August 💼 Host: Simon Brown 🌍 Powered by Standard Bank Shyft – The global money app for travel, shopping, payments & investing. 🔮 Market Highlights 📈 Purple Group* rocks 🚀 Share price has more than doubled since April lows. 🧾 PE at 56, but strong growth potential and product expansion. 💼 Simon holds the stock — bought low, holding for the
SARB has not added to gold reserves in two decades | Which JSE stocks will be hit by tariffs?
🔺 Tariffs Incoming 🇿🇦 SA faces 30% US tariffs starting Friday. 🚗 Auto industry, 🍊 citrus, 🚚 logistics & 🧪 fertilizer sectors (like Omnia, Kaap Agri, Impact) to feel the heat — but no fatal blows expected. 📉 MPC Policy Misfire? 💰 SA inflation at 3%, but rates still stuck at 10.75%. 📉 Is the MPC behind the curve? Simon says: Yes. 📉 Calls for a rate cut of at least 0.5% to 1%. SA CPI and Prime | 29
Is a Lower Inflation target a Bad Idea? Is Afrimat Offering Value?
🌍 This week on Worldwide Markets, Simon dives into a packed show covering inflation, earnings, property deals, and opportunities in local stocks. Powered by Standard Bank Global Markets and Shyft — your gateway to global investing. 🌐💸 📉 Inflation Target Cut – A Bad Idea? • SA may shift to a 3% inflation target 📊 • Risks of higher interest rates 😬 • Real rates already sky-high 🚀 💵 Weaker US Dollar
What's with Bitcoin Treasury Companies? | Ouch US CPI and Chinese Home Prices
🎙 This Week in Markets: US inflation ticks higher 📈, putting pressure on rate cuts. Powell's in no rush. Local rates also due end-July. 🏘 China Housing Trouble: 3 years of negative home price growth in China 🇨🇳. Citizens frustrated as property values slide. Evergrande and other ghosts still haunt. Chinese Home prices Year-on-Year | June 2025 🚀 Elon Watch: Musk injects $2B into XAI 🤖. Deck chairs
Trump's Big (and Messy) Plan to Save America and Reduce the Deficit and Debt
Simon's on holiday in sunny Durban 🌞 but couldn't resist diving into what might be Trump's grand economic plan. On the surface, it's tariffs, spending cuts and tax breaks—but is there real strategy underneath the chaos? 🔹 Trump's Big Idea: Use tariffs to raise revenue and onshore manufacturing 🏭 🔹 Debt Drama: US debt now > $30 trillion 😬 🔹 Tariffs Everywhere: South Africa slapped with 30%—and so i
Market Surprises, Trump's Tariffs & Commodities Soaring | 2025 Year-to-date returns reviewed
The Year So Far 📈 Market returns in 2025 tell a story of extreme volatility rather than predictable trends. The US 10-year yield spiked above 4.5%, shaking confidence before Trump walked back tariffs. Trump's Second Term 🏛️ Tariffs on Mexico, Canada, China, and NATO tensions triggered waves of uncertainty. A 90-day tariff pause ends soon—more volatility ahead. Currency Moves 💱 The ra
EAC, the only fee that matters | Gold or PGMs?
💸 Know Your Fees: Effective Annual Cost (EAC) Not all fees are created equal — EAC is the real number to watch. Applies to retirement products, LISPs, and unit trusts — not to stockbrokers. 📊 Understand the difference: TER (Total Expense Ratio) TIC (Total Investment Cost) EAC (includes platform + advisor + product fees) 🍏🍏 Apples-to-apples: Compare funds using EAC. 🎯 Target an EA
Oil bad news for global economy | Tariff D-Day is 3 weeks away
Results Shows SA Consumer Improving | Renewable Energy Listing With ±9% DY
This week, Simon Brown unpacks the numbers behind a recovering South African consumer, an attractive new renewable energy listing, and the latest moves in platinum group metals (PGMs). Plus, CrowdStrike's results, Omnia's cash pile (and SARS headache), and what falling bond yields mean for SA. In this episode: 📈 Retail recovery? Results from Mr Price* and TFG* show H2 improvement — are SA consum
The anatomy of a financial crisis, 1987 to date | What happened, what changed and what we learnt
Simon has been doing a key note address over the last week and in this weeks podcast he takes a slightly different tack to what he usually presents. This time he is delivery his key note. He looks back over almost forty years of market crises that he's invested through. He shares the lessons he learnt, what caused the crisis and what the response was. This includes; 1987, EM Tigers of 1998, the Do
Peloton Free Cash Flow | New Inflation Target for SA?
SARB inflation target 🎯 Inflation remains well below target at 2.8%, raising expectations of a rate cut at Thursday's MPC meeting. New long-term target could shift to 3%. ⏳ Rate cut coming? Market's betting on 25bps; Simon wants 50bps. 💡 Lower target = anchored expectations = tamer wage negotiations. Peloton (PTON) 🚴♂️ The pandemic darling may be turning a corner with solid free cash flow retur
US Debt Downgrade Not New News | Big Day for Sasol & Renergen
Has Trump Shown us how Tariffs Resolve?
🎯 Tariff Talks: Where Are We Now? Simon Brown recaps the evolution of Trump-era tariffs, with recent developments around: US-China deal: effective 54% tariff on Chinese goods, 10% on US goods UK, Mexico, Canada, Vietnam likely settling around 10% Expectations for other regions like EU, Saudi Arabia, South Africa Conclusion: tariff escalation seems contained, reducing recession risks Key
We can all be Buffett, Kinda | Sell in May & Go Away?
🧓 Warren Buffett Steps Down as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Buffett officially steps aside as CEO at age 94, replaced by Greg Abel. Still remains Chairman Berkshire A shares up ~44,000% since the 80s No dividends ever paid, only share buybacks His legacy: simplicity, repeatable process, and long-term vision Emphasis on reading years of balance sheets and loving cash flow Fun fact: 96% of his net wor
Alphabet is way Cheap | Nasty US economic data
🎙 Episode Summary: This week, Simon unpacks Alphabet's surprisingly cheap valuation, troubling US economic data, South African CPI figures, Trump's trade mess, and the implications of Aspen's customer fallout. Plus, he previews the Berkshire AGM and upcoming JustOneLap events. 📉 US Economic Data Shock Q1 GDP: Expected +0.2%, came in at –0.3% 😬 Imports surged 40%, skewing GDP down Retail
Rare Earth Minerals. Not so rare, but worth a look?
Gold Pullback in Focus Gold surged to $3,500 before a sharp pullback to $3,321. Simon breaks down what caused the spike — including comments from Trump about Powell and rate cuts. Weekly chart shows potential kangaroo tail reversal — possible zone to watch: $2,800–$3,000. Gold | Weekly | 23 April 2025 Trump, Powell & IMF Forecast Downgrades Trump critiques Powell and Fed policy while possibly
Gold $4,500 by yearend, is it even possible?
🌍 Global Markets Rundown Goldman Sachs suggests gold could plausibly hit $4,500/oz by year-end. Gold is currently around $3,200/oz, but volatility and uncertainty are driving prices higher. Gold miners are benefiting from the price surge, with big leverage showing up in earnings. Example: Pan African Resources made $900/oz at $2,250; could make $2,900 at $3,250. Big upside still possible if go
Trade Wars | Recession | What about your Portfolio?
🇿🇦 South African Budget & Political Risk Budget framework passed (barely) – VAT increase to 15.5% effective 1 May. GNU under pressure as ANC signals reformulation talks with partners. Rand volatility: Touched nearly R19.90/USD before recovering to ~R18.70. 💥 Global Markets in Turmoil S&P 500 down 18.25%, Nasdaq down 22.5%. Massive selloff: One of the steepest 4-day drops since 1950. But histor
Glynn Allen | Shyft Global Offering JSE Shares
Simon Brown chats with Glynn Allen from Shyft Global on the history of the app and the recent introduction of JSE shares and a look ahead to new features.
Two US Stocks Looking Good | Commodities Quietly Having a Good Year
S&P 500 Bounce? After a rough start, Monday's trading saw a small recovery. But with Trump's "Liberation Day" tariff announcements looming, markets could be in for more volatility. Budget Vote Approaches: The ANC lacks votes to pass the postponed budget, with opposition parties like MK and EFF holding out. Political and economic uncertainty remains high. Commodities on a Quiet Rally: Gold (
Education Stock Highlights | Rhodium & Copper on the Move
Education Stocks: Winners and Losers Stadio: Strong performance with double-digit growth and 50,000+ learners. Benefiting from a shortage of university spaces and the struggles at UNISA. Potential for further growth through distance learning and university status. ADvTech*: Long-term holding with solid but not as aggressive growth. Strong presence in tertiary education and schools. Expansion into
Renergen sells Helium, Finally. Gold & Top40 at all-time Highs
Market Overview: Top 40 Index: Hit an all-time high of 82,378, currently at 81,800. SA markets remain strong despite a US market selloff. Top40 | Weekly | 18 March 2025 Gold: Broke $3,000 for the first time last week, currently around $3,030. Continues to rise amid geopolitical uncertainties. Gold | Weekly | 19 March 2025 Rand: Trading at 18.07, briefly touching 18.0088 earlier. Dollar we
Atlanta Fed has the US already in recession for Q1
The Atlanta Fed's GDP Forecast The Atlanta Fed GDPNow predicts a -2.4% GDP contraction for Q1 2025. Market uncertainty due to tariffs and economic policy concerns. Corporate travel and consumer bookings showing signs of weakness as Delta Airlines downgrades their expectations from mid January. Market Reactions and Sell-Offs Nasdaq and S&P had their worst single-day drops since 2022. Major sto
Tariffs, Results and a Strategic Crypto Reserve (#621)
Understanding tax and donations | Sasol results fail to excite
Xi Jinping makes nice with Chinese tech | Anglo raids Anglo Plat cash pile
Anglo-American's Cash Raid on Anglo-Platinum Anglo-American's decision to unbundle its stake in Anglo-Platinum raises concerns. Declaring a special dividend of R59 per share wipes out the company's entire R17.6 billion cash reserves. Implications for investors: selling pressure expected as shares land in new brokerage accounts. China's Tech Revival? The appearance of Jack Ma and Xi Jinping toge
China Running and Finally a Sasol Reversal Pattern?
Market Updates & Analysis: Sasol Reversal Pattern? – Examining Sasol's technical setup and the significance of a 'kangaroo tail' pattern. Rand Stability Amid Trump's Threats – Despite geopolitical concerns, the rand remains steady. Top 40 at All-Time Highs – Market momentum and investor confidence. South Africa's Budget Speech (Wednesday, 2 PM SAST) Revenue shortfalls and potential tax bracket
Golden Highs & Trump Trade Shambles
Trump Trade Tariffs & Global Market Impact: Initial tariffs of 10% (China) and 25% (Canada, Mexico) announced but later revised. U.S.-Canada relations strained, with Warren Buffett warning of reputational damage. Global negotiation shifts—China, Russia, and Europe eye opportunities. Continued U.S.-China trade tensions, including semiconductor restrictions and rare earth tariffs. Market volatili
Cristal Challenge Stock Picks for 2025 (#616)
The Cristal Challenge runs until October, with participants picking five local stocks (no ETFs or sub-20c stocks) to hold through the year. Simon's picks include a mix of stable "banker" stocks and speculative plays: Richemont*: High-end luxury giant with strong fundamentals and global market appeal despite challenges in China. Trading near R3,500, with long-term potential boosted by luxury mark
