Are we actually out of the woods?

In the clear light of early 2010, we know that the United States and the United Kingdom have emerged from recession, realising along the way that there was not, in fact, a global credit crunch, only a Western credit crunch. Much of the East was just fine, thank you very much. South Africa also has emerged tentatively from recession, but is there an aftershock on its way?

Read more: Investment outlook

The No 1 Foreign Direct Investor in India for the last decade

Over the years, Mauritius has evolved as an international financial centre of substance.  The thriving financial sector, contributing to nearly 11% to GDP, is home to 19 banks and 18 insurance and re-insurance companies serving both domestic and global markets. Islamic Finance and Wealth Management have grown to have an even larger influence on the economy recently. With 91 companies listed and an ever growing market capitalization, the Stock Exchange of Mauritius continues to be among the top exchanges in the region.

Read more: Mauritius

Listed South African real estate instruments are showing their mettle and continue to offer value in the global context, says Dr Prieur du Plessis, Plexus group chairman.

The global real estate market has recovered by a massive 65% in US dollar terms since the carnage ended in February 2009, according to Plexus Asset Management research into the performance of Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs). The bear market saw prices, as measured by the Plexus Global GDP-weighted REIT Index, fall by more than 68% from the all-time high in January 2007. According to Du Plessis, the Plexus Global REIT Index is still more than 47% below the all-time high.

Read more: SA LISTED PROPERTY SHOWS ITS METTLE

New law could have South Africa out of international sync

Following a spate of highly negative media reports these past few years about its poor service delivery following a transformation process, South Africa’s Companies and Intellectual Property Registration Office (CIPRO) has been put under the spotlight again by the passing of the new Companies Act, which redefines the framework of services that CIPRO should be rendering; while another legislative process is in conflict with an agreement that South Africa signed as member of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

Read more: Focus on CIPRO

Which Unit Trust did investers back in 2009

After the onset of the global credit crisis in mid-2007, 2008 and the start of 2009 were understandably characterised by extremely low levels of investor sentiment and high risk aversion. According to Dr Prieur du Plessis, Plexus group chairman, the result thereof was that unit trust investors moved large sums of money to the so-called safe-haven investments such as money market and fixed interest funds.

Read more: Investment