It is very fashionable to have your very own share portfolio. It has been for a very long time. These days you have an array of retail share portfolio options. You can go directly through most banks or through a broad array of “discount brokers.” There is something very fulfilling about owning a little piece of a few companies which you like. It is even more satisfying when the companies you have purchased some shares in turn out to be good investments and you watch your money grow. Who needs professional investors when your own share portfolio track record is giving your retirement portfolio a hiding? Apart from the ability to brag on the golf course about how clever you were to purchase Na

Today I am taking a break from analysing the current market conditions and the choice of economic policy. Instead I am going to talk about what many are calling the future of financial services –”Fintech” or Financial Technology. For those of you who have no idea what I am talking about. Basically the start-up, entrepreneurial technology hub of the world, Silicon Valley, California has decided to take on Wall Street. A bold move to say the least but they are in fact succeeding to a certain extent. When I say “taking-on” I simply mean that the traditional finance, banking, investing and advisory models, that have we have all come into contact with as did our parents and their parents before t

In my last article prior to the Budget Speech I spoke about my view of the lay of the land. Mr Gordhan has since delivered this speech and many a verdict has been given. The ratings agencies seem to be happy for now. This has for all intents and purposes kept our investment grade rating in tact until June 2016 unless we do something dramatically stupid. Now if you rewind back to your childhood I am sure most of you can remember at least one time that one of your parents forced you to take some kind of medicine that was so repulsive you literally had to force it down. The reason you were taking the medicine is that you were obviously ill. You subconsciously understood that in order not to fee