STEPHEN CRANSTON: The ups and downs of unit trusts
It is curious how often a unit trust with a boastful name gives disastrous returns
STEPHEN CRANSTON: Meet the ‘Smart Trackers’
It will be interesting to see if Forbes launches ETFs that are available to the public
STEPHEN CRANSTON: A bright light at Eskom
There is a least one pocket of excellence left in the Eskom group and that is the Eskom Pension & Provident Fund
STEPHEN CRANSTON: Motsepe picks the veterans
Most BEE investment companies are slimming down, but Patrice Motsepe, head of the Ubuntu-Botho consortium, has different views
STEPHEN CRANSTON: Paying for Steinhoff a mere gesture
It is a symbolic gesture for Sanlam CEO Ian Kirk to give up R2.5m of his annual bonus
STEPHEN CRANSTON: How actuaries became cool again
Like Uber drivers, the actuaries are effectively selfemployed, using the Virtual Actuary site for referrals
STEPHEN CRANSTON: Unit trusts not penetrating the mass market
The unit trust industry still depends on lump-sum investment from the elite part of the population
STEPHEN CRANSTON: Quality, value or neither?
You will often find that there is no value in quality and no quality in value
STEPHEN CRANSTON: Investors not running the same race
The reality is that active management is cyclical, and it has not done well in poor environments such as the months after the 2008 global financial crisis
STEPHEN CRANSTON: How’s the restructuring?
It makes sense not to have an in-house fund manager if you claim to be in the business of objective advice
STEPHEN CRANSTON: A legend fund manager rides into the sunset
It is hard to imagine Mark Mobius with a pipe and slippers at home. More likely he will buy Steinhoff’s cut-price Gulfstream and continue flying around the ...
STEPHEN CRANSTON: Unpacking smoothed bonus funds
I will be deeply disappointed if the Financial Services Board allows life offices to offer smoothed bonus funds as the default portfolios for retirement funds
STEPHEN CRANSTON: Fund shares: looking ahead
Factors such as expenses and the ownership of fund shares are often ignored in favour of past performance
STEPHEN CRANSTON: How Brexit affects SA
I don’t think the UK can operate as a self-contained economic bloc — it is not China and it is certainly not the US
STEPHEN CRANSTON: Stress spending and your pocket
Stress spending is seen as a short-term solution, like drinking coffee to calm you down
STEPHEN CRANSTON: How Coronation is faring
I’m certainly impressed by Coronation’s track record and the calibre of the team; it has maintained a collegiate, unstuffy culture
STEPHEN CRANSTON: Old Mutual's corporate disability monitor reveals some surprises
Focus has shifted from physical injuries to stress-related and psychological problems
STEPHEN CRANSTON: Under the hood of Avena Asset Management
Avena still has to learn to fly, but at least it is bringing something different into the market
STEPHEN CRANSTON: Hedge fund massacre
It is time for local hedge funds to roam wider and become fully flexible in their approach
