An international investment company that recently set up office in South Africa is optimistic that Africa is fast becoming the focus of investors who are looking for alternatives in the wake of the recent US financial crisis.

Read more: Africa catches investor's eye

The International Monetary Fund announced early in September 2008 that South African Minister of Finance Trevor Manuel will head an IMF committee to investigate and improve the organisation’s current decision-making policy and increase its legitimacy among member countries. The committee will then offer recommendations and advice on any modifications that will enable the IMF to carry out its function more efficiently.

Read more: Manuel to chair IMF committee

The principles underlying sub prime

The biggest mistake South Africans can make is to presume that the American sub prime contagion that cracked the international financial markets in October of last year, has no bearing on this country.

Read more: Greed and blind trust

Professional Financial Planning: It’s not about the money!

A professional financial adviser would probably define the outcome of a successful financial planning exercise as a process that provides clients with peace of mind, allowing them to achieve their financial goals. However, some financial advisers might regard a successful exercise as one that resulted in the sale of an investment product that pays a good commission.

Read more: Salesman or adviser?

Tax men of the world seek control

Should governments use taxpayers’ money to pay crooks for stolen data to gain information on the money stashed away by their wealthy citizens in so-called ‘tax havens’ elsewhere in the world?

This is one of the easier questions begging to be answered as the governments of particularly the developed western economies and international financial/economic organisations clamour for bigger checks on and transparency from tax havens.

Read more: Attack on havens