Appointment Announcement: CEO of Prescient Management Company

Prescient Management Company has appointed Kim Gibb as its Chief Executive Officer, effective November 2023.

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Lessons from an unexpected contender in the rand's battle against ongoing currency weakness

South Africa’s rand has had an exceptionally volatile year, almost reaching R20 to the dollar in May before strengthening to about R17.27 in late July and then weakening again to trade between R18 and about R19.30 to date. Most notable about the domestic currency’s weakness is that it has been weak on a relative basis compared with some of the other emerging market currencies and not just against the US dollar, which suggests that there are other forces at work.

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Private credit funds offer SA investors a unique asset class with attractive investment qualities

In recent years, there has been a significant shift in the landscape of lending and financing in the US, with a notable surge in the popularity and growth of private credit funds.

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Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) Summary

Summary on the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS), delivered by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana in Cape Town on Wednesday, 1st November 2023.

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Appointment Announcement: Head of Retail at Prescient Investment Management

Murray Anderson, a seasoned asset management and advice professional, joins Prescient Investment Management (PIM) as its new Head of Retail and exco member effective from 1 November 2023. Anderson brings with him 23 years of experience from some of South Africa’s leading financial services and boutique asset management companies.

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Decoding debt-to-GDP using a multi-faceted risk score

Let's compare debt-to-GDP ratios and understand why they pose unique challenges for countries like South Africa and Brazil, as opposed to more stable economies like the US and Japan, which have higher ratios.

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Prescient launches SA's first co-named passive and actively managed ETF platform

Prescient Management Company, a leading investment fund platform provider in South Africa, has launched the country’s first full-service, co-named platform for both index tracking (passive ETFs) and actively managed exchange traded funds (AMETFs) on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). Six funds will be listed on the JSE before the end of 2023 and the company has plans to grow this number in 2024.

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What does South Africa stand to gain from an expanded BRICS?

It is difficult to assess what an expanded Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS) grouping will mean for South African trade fortunes and broader economy amid the shifting global power dynamics between North and South, East, and West. However, there are several advantages that could be harnessed, all going well, including improving access to funds, and fostering collaboration across the member countries in developing infrastructure and industrialising.

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Structural forces should prove disinflationary after transient inflation disappears

A long-term perspective reveals compelling structural forces that favour lower rates. The convergence of technological disruption, shifting demographics, and escalating debt levels all point towards deflationary pressures going forward.

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Systematic Investing: The future of investing

The days of large, traditional asset management teams are fading, making way for leaner and more technology-driven approaches, with investment management systems focused on data-driven decision-making at the forefront of this paradigm shift.

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Unlocking the gridlock: Decoding Africa and South Africa's struggles with infrastructure implementation

Corruption, a skills gap, fragmented planning and coordination and political stability stand in the way of infrastructure reaching its potential in driving economic progress and societal advancement across Africa. The pervasive mismanagement of infrastructure projects across the continent, and South Africa as a regional economic powerhouse, has far-reaching consequences for the continent, impeding economic growth, social development, and sustainable progress.

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Evaluating the Cabinet-approved SOE plan against a mixed global track record of full or partial privatisation

Last week the Cabinet approved a new State-Owned Enterprise (SOE) plan, which will lay the basis for private equity investment in state companies and listings on the stock exchange. It has already stirred significant debate and discussion – and rightly so, because full or partial privatisation by countries around the world has been met with mixed success.

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Structural forces should prove disinflationary after transient inflation disappears

Higher for longer is a narrative that took hold in August, with investors and economists warning that inflation and interest rates were likely to be higher than pre-Covid. But, while the strength of the US economy and transient inflation dynamics may, indeed, contribute to a short-term scenario of moderately elevated interest rates, this is not necessarily indicative of a structural shift.

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Appointment Announcement | Prescient Securities

Prescient Securities (PSec) chief executive officer (CEO) Chris Craddock is stepping down from his position after five years at the helm due to family commitments in the UK, effective 31 October 2023.

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Goldilocks economy revival: a data-driven perspective

The global economic landscape remains a subject of intense debate, with forecasts oscillating between impending recession and a Goldilocks scenario characterised by balanced economic growth, moderate inflation, and stable employment. But if you filter out the noise and rely on real time data that captures the state of the economy, the evidence shows that the US is in the midst of an economic upswing, dispelling concerns of an imminent recession.

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Is ESG still relevant today?

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) investing has come under fire over the past year from various fronts, being levelled as “woke” capitalism and some big institutional investors who have pushed back against the expectation that investment managers should carry the burden of responsibility for policing ESG corporate practices. But if you strip out the noise, the evidence of the positive impact ESG has on driving long-term value is still compelling.

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Prescient Celebrates 25 Year Anniversary

Prescient celebrates its 25-year anniversary this month after opening its doors in 1998 as a small business located in the stables of the Alphen Hotel in Cape Town.

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Not another Women's Month article

As we reflect on Women’s Month, this article may not follow the trend of what you have been seeing in the industry.

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It’s time to accept that diverse investment teams lead to far better investment outcomes

At Prescient, we have seen a steady increase in the number of female employees within the business. In 2019, our female employees made up some 43% of the SA business and to date now comprise over 50%. Our women in leadership have grown by over 10%, from 27.9% to 38.3%. The number of new hires for 2023 comprises 65.2%, indicative of our commitment to building diverse teams within our business.

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ChatGPT & AI - The 21st Century Calculator

To fully grasp the implications of ChatGPT and data science for the future of systematic investing, it’s crucial to take a look into the history and trajectory of data processing.

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Prescient Securities becomes one of the first South African agency-only stockbrokers to trade on A2X

Prescient Securities (PSec) announced today that it had recently become one of the first agency-only stockbrokers to trade for clients on A2X, an alternative exchange for listed South African stocks that currently provides additional access to 166 listed companies.

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Soft landing or hard recession for global economy

The current uncertain economic climate is likely to persist for the rest of the year, but there are nevertheless encouraging signs of resilience, both internationally and at home.

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Prescient Clean Energy Fund invests R220 million in H1 holdings’ Grootfontein Solar PV Farms

Through its Clean Energy Fund, Prescient Investment Management has concluded a deal with H1 Holdings to provide R220 million to fund the latter’s investment in three Grootfontein 75MW (each) solar PV farms located in Touws River in the Western Cape.

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Harnessing the Power of Time: The Basics of The Time Value of Money

Welcome to the exciting world of the time value of money, where we'll explore how time, risk, inflation, and opportunity costs play a significant role in shaping our financial future.

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Announcement

Prescient increases staff economic interest in the business to 25%

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Prescient launches an ETF Fund Platform

Prescient Management Company (RF) (Pty) Ltd (“Prescient”) this week announced the launch of its newly approved co-named exchange traded fund (ETF) platform, which will initially launch with three index tracking ETFs, adding to its existing collective investment schemes, being Traditional Funds, Retail and Qualified hedge fund co-named platforms.

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Debunking Infrastructure Investment Myths

Investing in infrastructure is often seen as the preserve of institutional investors and deemed too risky and illiquid for the ordinary investor. However, these perceptions are slowly changing. Given investments made into infrastructure over the last decade and the scale of further investment needed, the importance of considering infrastructure as part of one’s portfolio cannot be ignored.

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Grid and battery storage capacity, not capital, are hurdles to plugging the electricity gap

Resolving South Africa’s energy crisis hinges largely on two crucial elements: (i) expanding the grid capacity and (ii) installation of sufficient battery storage capabilities. When complemented with storage capacity, we are confident that renewable energy will go a long way in alleviating our energy woes.

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Taking Stock of South Africa's Environmental Journey in the wake of COP27

South Africa has made some environmental progress towards transitioning away from fossil fuels to renewable energy. But much more needs to be done if the government is going to make good on its global commitment to meeting the global temperature rise target by 2100.

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Social Impact: The forgotten child in ESG considerations

The social aspect or “S” in ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) has not always received the same level of attention as its counterparts, particularly of late. The emphasis has, predominantly, been placed on the environment, to ensure sustainability for future generations and was recently brought to the fore by the COP27 meeting.

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Is the widely predicted recession in the developed world still coming?

Economic data prints over the last month have been confusing to say the least – in just three weeks the picture changed completely and market sentiment with it.

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Why South Africa's greylisting didn't move the Rand

It was a Friday afternoon when the news that South Africa had been put on the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATFs) grey list didn’t necessarily surprise financial markets. Yet, it was a disappointing moment for us.

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Derivatives are not the enemy

As we face the uncertainty of 2023, amidst threats of a global economic recession, one could benefit from some assistance when navigating these markets. Enter: derivatives.

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The knock-on effect of inflation and interest rates in our daily lives

So, what is driving their decision to increase rates, and how do these interest rate hikes ultimately affect us as consumers?

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The merits, or not, of hedging exchange rate risk in a strong dollar world

The US dollar has produced some of its strongest performance this year against a basket of other currencies while most asset classes have fallen deeply into the red. When a crisis hits, investors tend to respond by putting their money in a safer place – and this year’s perfect storm of events has seen investors head for the perceived safe-haven of the US dollar and dollar -denominated assets.

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Navigating Market Uncertainty

We believe a careful, considered approach to navigating the South African credit market in trying times like these should focus on these six key considerations, which we at Prescient Investment Management have embedded into our investment philosophy and approach.

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Systematic Investing in Practice

An analytical investment process that marries quantitative methodologies with robust bottom-up practices

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Responsible Investing

Our systematic investment process is premised on rigorous research, to ensure that we appropriately discharge our duty with proper due diligence and care.

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The Prescient Secure Portal

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Prospect of peak inflation improves outlook for fixed interest rates

Recent data reveals that while inflation is still higher than expected, the extent of surprises are no longer as significant as they were previously.

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The odds of a recession have increased, but mixed messages prevail

Economic nowcasts, using high frequency data reflecting current conditions, have increased the odds of a US recession. However, the yield curve, a valuable indicator of whether a recession is approaching, is giving mixed messages.

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Leaving behind the 'E' in 'ESG' in the global energy crisis

With elevated global energy prices as the war in Ukraine drags well into its sixth month and prospects of a cold winter begin to loom across Europe, more than ever, governments across the world will need to take serious consideration of their climate goals and how they plan to keep them on track, particularly over the next year.

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JSE ESG standards lift the game for SA companies

Companies listed on the JSE that ignore the developments in ESG and impact investing will fall behind in a competitive environment where meeting sustainability requirements has become a ticket to the game for investors.

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Investing in the nationwide roll-out of fibre and the sub-contractors laying the fibre optic cables

The nationwide roll-out of fibre, accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic, and work-from-home arrangements, has provided the Prescient Infrastructure Debt Fund with a promising investment opportunity in Enable Capital – a black-owned provider of invoice discounting services to the sub-contractors that lay fibre-optic cables.

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Infrastructure definition guidance remains outstanding in the gazetted Regulation 28 amendments

The government took another significant step in paving the way for retirement funds to invest meaningfully in infrastructure investments when it gazetted Regulation 28 last week.

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New offshore limits - Removing the Rand-om walk

In March 2022, following the changes to offshore limits for regulated pension funds, Prescient shifted its multi-asset funds from the previous 30% limit out to the new 45% maximum.

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ESG plays an essential role in closing the gender equity gap

The need to improve gender equity on the Boards of Directors of public companies and at Senior Executive level is one of the key areas we’ve prioritised internally and seen grow in importance externally.

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Systematic Investing in Practice

Using quantitative investing tools to achieve optimal outcomes

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Infrastructure as an engine of economic growth

The role of infrastructure in the developmental narrative has received a significant amount of attention over the last 40 years, with the macroeconomic effects of infrastructure the predominant area of research. A key reason for this academic focus, is to determine the influence of infrastructure on income inequality, poverty, and unemployment, given their importance in a human context.

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The odds of a global recession are slim

While opposing forces are pulling the global economy in different directions and the global economy is likely to soften from here, based on our assessment of inflation dynamics, labour market trends and market behaviour and a host of other factors, we do not believe a global recession is on the cards.

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Prescient’s investment into SA’s overly indebted public sector helps employees get back on their feet

A unique debt restructuring model reduces the financial burden on lower LSM employees while simultaneously improving financial literacy.

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Sorting the wheat from the chaff in ESG investments

Navigating the Environmental, Social and Governance (“ESG”) landscape in 2022 is no mean feat for investors. While it seems that the world is embracing ESG factors and addressing long-term sustainability challenges, the asset management industry, as well as investee companies, still have a long way to go.

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Credit cautious optimism at play

South Africa’s non-governmental capital market has been stagnating since 2017, with issuances languishing. As a result, the size of the debt capital is currently just short of R1 trillion, or c25% of the total bond market.

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Forces driving asset class decisions amid Ukraine war-related market volatility

As humans we are intrigued by media headlines and tend to respond emotionally to them, but at Prescient we remain unbiased and prefer to make sense of the noise by being data and evidence driven

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Striking a new balance with increased offshore allowance

Local fund managers have universally welcomed the new 45% offshore limit, but discussions about how best to use it are ongoing.

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A different take on stagflation prognoses as an outcome of the Ukraine war

We don’t buy into the doom and gloom prognoses that tend to emerge during times of grave uncertainty and panic.

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Investing in corporate credit in a rising interest rate cycle

At Prescient, we believe in a systematic investment philosophy. Our approach is rational, rules-based, and data driven, feeding into an investment process free of irrational biases.

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Markets price in significant 2022 short-term rate increases

As we head into 2022, we’re asking ourselves: What theme will impact markets the most this year? While our list of potential drivers is long, and we have views around a wide set of outcomes, we rely on the evidence, not the narratives that hold sway in financial markets at various points in time.

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Funding South Africa's infrastructure spending gap

Government is making critical headway in paving the way for private sector involvement in infrastructure investment, but there are outstanding factors that still need to be resolved if South Africa is to close its substantial infrastructure investment gap.

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Screening for ESG risks and opportunities using the Prescient ESG scorecard

ESG risks are now acknowledged as the most prominent long-term risks to investment outcomes and, as such, need to be appropriately assessed and managed. For that reason, we have created our own proprietary ESG risk assessment tool – the Prescient ESG Scorecard – to manage risks and take advantage of opportunities as and when they arise.

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SA remains resilient in its transition towards renewable energy

South Africa’s renewable journey has experienced some stumbling blocks along the way. However, the country is still positioned favourably as one of the global leaders in renewable energy procurement.

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Prescient Overview on MTBPS 2021

Reza Ismail, Head of Bonds at Prescient Investment Management, provides us with an overview of the salient features of the 2021 Medium Term Budget Policy Statement.

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Are Net-Zero goals realistic for South Africa?

At Prescient, we continuously seek to invest in net-positive counters. We assess the overall contribution of a given counter from an ESG risk and opportunity perspective based on our in-house developed ESG risk scoring tool, the Prescient ESG Scorecard.

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The more cultural diversity, the better.

At Prescient, we value our differences. We believe that innovation flourishes when individuals are allowed to challenge boundaries and stretch themselves.

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What's going on in China? - A different perspective

In this short update, we aim to summarise recent events in China, with some additional insight into what we’ve been reading elsewhere.

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Income Funds dispel the notion that risk and return are opposites

They can and do outperform other asset classes.

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Diversify across markets to limit risk in Africa

Although the recent experience in Nigeria is a reminder that the high rewards investors seek in Africa tend to be accompanied by elevated levels of risk, the long-term outlook for African markets remains positive.

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Market Neutral Hedge Fund likely to benefit from normalisng markets

Dr Nafees Hossain is making good progress with the Prescient Market Neutral Hedge Fund, a South African statistical arbitrage strategy that launched in October 2015.

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Alternative equity investing on the rise as active fund managers disappoint

Traditional active asset managers have added very little value relative to their market capitalisation weighted benchmarks over the last 10 years.

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Clean energy and infrastructure fund on the way

The South African government has indicated that it would like pension funds and other institutional investors to increase support of infrastructure development significantly, and also move beyond traditional listed bonds issued largely by state owned companies.

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New liquidity rules suppress banks' appetite for lending

South African asset managers are likely to play a growing role in commercial financing as the ability of banks to lend is constrained by more stringent regulation intended to protect depositors.

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Investors turning increasingly to alternative assets

Alternative assets including hedge funds, private equity, infrastructure funds and art provide major opportunities for investors to diversify away from traditional asset classes to benefit from reduced overall portfolio risk and wider opportunity set.

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Adopt a pragmatic approach when navigating rampant volatility

Global markets are witnessing an unprecedented dislocation between emerging and developed markets, excluding South Africa, having fallen much further over the recent past and larger developed markets are expected to continue delivering more stable returns.

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Diversifying a position and calculating a large variety of risk factors

A more sustainable approach than trying to get the big bets right all the time.

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Pension funds looking for new energy and infrastructure investment options

Strong demand from financial institutions in South Africa for infrastructure investments is being supported by a growing range of opportunities, notably in renewable energy.

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What about tax efficiency?

Meyer Coetzee, Head of Retail at Prescient Investment Management, looks at key aspects of taxation that investors need to consider.

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Markets may have stabilised but the reserve bank finds itself in a quandry

The rand has been relatively settled since the April MPC meeting but it has been a case of dollar weakness as opposed to rand strength.

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Asset allocation becoming more adaptive

Asset allocation, arguably one of the most critical aspects of fund management when it comes to performance, is becoming more adaptive and dynamic in response to market volatility.

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Top performing Prescient expects continued solid returns from volatile China

After a tumultuous 2015, market volatility in China is expected to persist, creating opportunities for solid returns in a market that is home to some 50 million retail investors.

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The journey matters in reaching the desired investment destination

Taking a pragmatic approach to navigating uncertain markets.

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Novel approach to max yield after income tax

The spot of a gap in the market has led to the creation of the new Prescient Optimised Income Fund.

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Administration in South Africa

In April 2015, the South African Financial Services Board released Board Notice 52, declaring all hedge funds to be regulated hedge funds, falling under the Collective Investment Schemes Control Act.

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Asset managers need to reinvent themselves in a changed world

To deal with quantitative easing, low real returns and the challenges of the future, asset managers need to reinvent themselves by constantly adapting to changes in the global environment.

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Africa looking for good news

The Africa Rising narrative from a few years ago has increasingly become an Africa is dead storyline.

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Ockham's razor and index investing

The simplest investment solutions are often the wisest.

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Global economies show strength in global go-around

Haakon Kavli and Raphael Nkomo of Prescient Investment Management argue that, on their own, the South African and United States recoveries are not yet convincing. But the signal from China is undeniably strong.

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Multi-asset income funds

Multi-asset income fund : A good alternative to boost investors buying power

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Time for medical scheme trustees to re-evaluate their investment mandates

Medical aid funds are sensitive to capital losses and have a low tolerance to take on investment risk.

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Power On: Africa works on solving its electricity deficit

The slow pace of electrification is the Achilles' heel of the African growth narrative. Electricity in many African countries is still inaccessible, unaffordable, and highly unreliable.

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Sudden stop: the perils of turning investor sentiment

Sudden stop has become a widely adopted term for an abrupt slowdown, or reversal, of capital flows to emerging markets.

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The importance of global assets in your investment portfolio

Building financial immunity against the antics of South African politicians should be a discretionary savings priority.

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Succeeding at CSI that supports sustainable projects

Rooted in a desire to contribute to the lives of people, the Prescient Foundation houses the group's corporate social investment activities that focus on lifestyle improvement projects.

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Alternative Investments are good diversifiers

Considering the place of alternative investments in the active versus passive debate.

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Diversified Multi Asset funds bring stability in an uncertain world

It is agreed that there is no need to be concerned about non-resident purchases of South African bonds holding up as long as foreigners are cash-flush.

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Do South African bonds offer valuation compared to emerging market peers?

It is agreed that there is no need to be concerned about non-resident purchases of South African bonds holding up as long as foreigners are cash-flush.

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Time to rethink your investment strategy

The past has seen an escalation in the debate about the relative merits of active and passive investing in the South African equity market.

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Lifting the lid on quantitative equity investing's black box

Different themes drive the market at different times

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Prescient Fund Services appoints new Head of International.

Robert Childs has been appointed as the Head of International at Prescient Fund Services (Ireland)

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Prescient Fund Services wins at Africa Global Funds Service Provider Awards 2017

Prescient Fund Services awarded Best Hedge Fund Administrator in Africa at the Africa Global Funds Service Provider Awards 2017.

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Prescient Investment Management boosts its equities team.

The appointment of StJohn Bunkell.

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Making the most of Tax Free Investing

Before considering a tax-free investment, it is important for savers to understand the benefits attached to these investments.

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Industry Trends

There has been an escalation in the debate about the relative merits of active and passive investing in the South African equity market.

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Prescient appoints two new CEOs

Cheree Dyers has been appointed as CEO of Prescient Investment Management and Christopher Craddock has been appointed to fill Dyer's former role as CEO of Prescient Securities.

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China- The next 30 years

Liang Du, CEO at Prescient Investment Management China, gives his perspective on President Xi Jinping’s mission to modernise China by 2035

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Prescient Fund Services (Ireland) becomes a patron of basis.point

Prescient Fund Services (Ireland) announced that it has become a corporate patron of basis.point, the Irish Fund Industry's charitable initiative, which helps to make a sustainable and tangible difference to the lives of those living in poverty, particularly young people, by supporting charities which focus on education.

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Risks to Income Fund Investing

The twelve months to 31 March 2018 was generally a good period for income funds. With the local equity indices on average delivering mediocre single digit returns and property and rand strength weighing heavily on balanced fund returns, the stability of inflation beating income fund returns in general, proved its value to risk averse investors.

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Understanding the relationship between Risk and Return

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As economic growth eludes, the case for investing in SA is not clear-cut.

Equities look expensive, but attractive valuations make a positive case for listed property.

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Alternative Investments are good Diversifiers : An update

Considering the place of alternative investments in the active versus passive debate.

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Listed Property and Tax Free Savings

Examining the benefit of including Listed Property in a Tax-Free Savings Account (“TFSA”) over other asset classes given the current market environment.

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Dispelling fund manager stereotypes - key to driving greater industry diversity in SA

Stereotypes hinder diversity in the fund management industry.

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Interest Bearing Team Appointments, Changes & Staff Share Scheme

Prescient Investment Management recently announced changes and promotions to its Interest bearing team as well as a stronger staff retention scheme implemented in March 2018.

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Why Culture Matters in the Fund Industry

It is well known that culture cannot be replicated. It is the one winning (or losing) edge that competitors have on each other.

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Enhance Returns with Prescient Optimised Income Fund

Minimising tax while investing for stability.

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Innovation in Management of Passive Investments

A hybrid option could finally settle the debate as to whether an active or passive investment strategy is best.

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Prescient BEE Staff Deal

Prescient drives transformation with new BEE staff deal.

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China Trump Trade War

Could US President Donald Trump be correct in saying that “Trade wars are easy to win?”

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The End of Quantitative Easing

Re-pricing of risk has proved to be a theme for 2018.

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Income funds dispel the notion that risk and return are opposites.

They can and do outperform other asset classes.

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Low Cost Investing

A balanced fund retirement solution that ticks the boxes.

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Prescient Launches China Equity UCITS Fund

Prescient Investment Management announced the launch of the Prescient China Equity Fund.

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Benguela selects Prescient Fund Services for UCITS Manco and Fund Administration Services

Benguela Global Fund Managers has selected Prescient Fund Services (Ireland) Limited as the UCITS Management Company and Fund Administrator for its latest fund.

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Yield and uncertainty everywhere

A review of 2018 and outlook for 2019.

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Making the most of tax free investing.

In one’s quest to save cash for retirement, two vital factors need to be considered.

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Volatility and the case for Market-Neutral Investing

Markets look set to revert to the ‘old normal’ as QE-fueled liquidity dries up.

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Don't bank on interest rates coming down

Uncertain times call for a measured approach to risk.

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Asset Allocation in Constantly Evolving Markets

At Prescient Investment Management we are cognisant of continuously evolving markets and take on a quantitatively and macroeconomically inclined asset allocation methodology.

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Nationalisation of the SARB

An objective look at the debate about who should own our central bank, and the effect of ownership on its mandate.

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Prescient's Foresight Delivers a Transformative BEE and Management Ownership Structure

Prescient has concluded a deal, effective 1 April 2018, that significantly elevates the group’s empowerment credentials.

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Investment Themes for 2019

Resisting the temptation of making a prediction.

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Employment Creation & Asset Classes

Which asset classes have the biggest impact on job creation?

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Currency Strategies in a Balanced Portfolio

For transactions to take place, a country needs sufficient currency (or units of account) in circulation so that there is no scarcity or oversupply.

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Optimising After-Tax Savings

At its core, saving involves deferring consumption by not spending money now with a view to obtaining greater spending power in the future. While future spending is entirely discretionary, goals like children’s educational needs or splurging on a dream holiday are some standard objectives.

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Maintaining Stability in Times of Heightened Uncertainties

In the investment world, macroeconomic factors can be likened to the ‘strong winds and tides’ that sway the performance of investments.

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Asset Class Views

Market participants will need to navigate what might prove to be a treacherous path ahead given the elevated economic and market risks.

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Sustainable Investing Beyond the Box Ticking and Questionnaires

Capturing the investment return premium increasingly available from sustainable companies.

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South African Asset Prices look Attractive

The rand, bonds and real assets offer compelling valuations, says Prescient Investment Management.

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Prescient credited for BEE Status and Top-Ranked Investment Performance

Prescient Investment Management is included in the 27four BEE Survey in acknowledgement of our transformation achievements.

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A step ahead of Enhanced Indexation

savers don’t need to choose between taking the escalator or the stairs to reach investment nirvana.

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The saver's attitude to risk should determine their investment path

Why the investment journey is as important as the destination

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Demystifying Artificial Intelligence

The Impact of Technological Advancements on Investments

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Prescient Fund Platforms convert to ICAV

Prescient Fund Services (Ireland) Limited announced today the conversion of two of its fund platforms from PLCs (“Public Limited Companies”) to ICAVs (“Irish Collective Asset-management Vehicles”).

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Facing the Unknown

Prescient’s processes prevent us from getting caught up in the day-to-day uncertainty of the market.

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The Rand as a Source of Risk Premia

Without robust risk management in place, the potential to harvest risk premia is to an investor what “hitting the jackpot” is to the frequent and hopeful lotto player.

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Monetary Easing saves World Stocks in 2019

For equity markets, liquidity has beaten geopolitical uncertainty this year

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The SA Budget Wishlist

Unpacking how the budget will be viewed by rating agencies and what it means for the investment landscape

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The Coronavirus and South African Bond Markets

A discussion: Two economic forces at play as a result of the Coronavirus

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Finding Calm in the 2020 Global Investment Storm

Two critical components to delivering consistently strong investment returns.

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COVID-19 What can we learn from the past?

The coronavirus outbreak has sent worldwide fear across financial markets amid concerns of a hit to the global economy

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All Purpose Funds for Retirement Income

Channeling one’s savings towards investment vehicles that will not only preserve their value, but ensure that capital appreciation materializes becomes a paramount exercise.

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Reserve Bank could have been even bolder in addressing local liquidity constraints

We welcome the decision by the central bank but question whether this will be enough to ease the tight liquidity conditions that have contributed to unprecedented moves in short-term credit and bond yields.

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South African bond market will overcome ratings downgrades

It is true that the domestic economy has experienced several body blows in the past few weeks but the impact of the ratings downgrades may not be as severe as expected

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The view from China

We believe that investments should be based on research and facts, and that emotions are counterproductive to successful investment decisions. But in these extraordinary times, we are going to glean insight from a local team working in China, who have witnessed the progression of the COVID-19 virus there first-hand

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When the free lunch is not always free, at least in the short term.

In investment terms, we’re all too familiar with the relationship between returns and risk. Investors can’t earn returns above the risk-free rate if they’re not willing to take on some risk.

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SA faces a two-year journey to win back COVID-19 lost economic ground

Outlining three different potential scenarios and their implications for asset classes and asset class returns.

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Reconciling the market rebound and underlying economic weakness

When considering the current equity index levels alongside emerging economic numbers, there appears to be a somewhat contradictory trend between the two.

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Fairtree Asset Management launches Global Real Estate UCITS Fund on the Prescient Global Funds ICAV Platform

Fairtree Asset Management has launched its second Irish UCITS fund, the Fairtree Global Listed Real Estate Fund, on the Prescient Global Funds ICAV platform.

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Prescient Securities expands stockbroking services into 81 countries

Prescient Securities (PSec) expands its global footprint into 81 countries, offering clients the ability to trade seamlessly and cost-effectively across Africa, Asia, Europe and the US.

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How to avoid the snakes and find the ladders

Process matters more than past performance, although past performance is often indicative of a solid process.

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Global equity markets - Wary of chasing bear market rallies

At the beginning of the year, when the S&P 500 Index was flirting with new all-time highs, the market didn’t exhibit all the classic signs of a bubble.

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Bacci Investment Solutions launches Global Equity UCITS fund on the Prescient Global Funds ICAV platform

BACCI Investment Solutions has launched its inaugural Irish UCITS fund, the BACCI Global Equity Fund, on the Prescient Global Funds ICAV platform.

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A Prescient approach to sustainable investing

Growing investor awareness and the willingness to engage on issues related to sustainability, combined with the increasingly vivid positive relationship between sustainable practices and financial performance, have cemented ESG considerations as an integral part of any robust investment strategy.

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Now is not the time to take investment matters into your own hands

Unless you have the necessary financial market experience, insight and expertise, going at it alone could well make a bad situation even worse.

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Maintaining connection and investment excellence in a work-from-home environment

The team-based and systematic outcomes-based approach adopted by Prescient ensures strong team alignment.

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Managing operational risk in a work-from-home environment

Q&A by Nasreen Hisham, Head of Operations

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The unintended consequences of regulations in asset management

While no one will deny that regulations are necessary for a complex environment such as financial services, where the man in-the-street hands over control of their life savings to a third party to invest, the sheer volume of regulation can result in unintended consequences.

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The role of data science in money management

In the investment industry, data science, which relies on structured and unstructured data sources to inform decision making, promises to be one of the most exciting and value-adding areas of analysis.

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Central Bank responses to COVID: Initial actions, current risks and implications for inflation

As lockdown measures are being eased across various countries, a cautious recovery in activity is currently taking place

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Average is not enough in the investment world

Prescient looks at how you construct a multi-asset benchmark that is better than average.

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What is systematic investing and why is it the way of the future?

At Prescient Investment Management (PIM), we take emotion out of the equation and turn investing into a science instead of an art, allowing us to deliver consistent and predictable results.

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Harnessing the power of ESG Risk premia in systematic investing

Risk premia strategies have been used for decades in systematic investing as a method for harvesting excess returns.

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Prescient Fund Services’ AIFM Surpasses EUR 1 Billion AUM

Prescient Fund Services (Ireland) Limited, announced today that its Alternative Investment Fund Manager assets under management surpassed EUR 1billion in the third quarter of 2020.

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Thuso Incubation Partners selects Prescient Fund Services for broad-based black economic empowerment service provider relationship

Thuso selects Prescient Fund Services as the Fund Administrator to its Fund of Private Equity Funds and associated incubation programme.

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Prescient Fund Services positioned for growth in Ireland with new office move

Prescient Fund Services (Ireland) Limited has announced its move today to their new offices in the heart of Dublin’s city centre.

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Reitway Global selects Prescient Fund Services for Malta fund range

Reitway Global (Pty) Ltd has selected Prescient Fund Services (Ireland) Limited as the fund administrator to its Maltese fund range. Expanding Reitway Global’s presence internationally is Reiway’s priority and the new partnership with Prescient is another significant milestone in this process.

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Vuna partners selects Prescient Fund Services for private equity fund administration

Vuna Partners (Pty) Ltd (Vuna Partners), a mid-market private equity firm, has selected Prescient Fund Services (Pty) Ltd (Prescient) as the fund administrator to the Vuna Partners Fund. The fund’s strategy is to invest in quality medium-sized businesses across a range of sectors with high growth potential.

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Alternative solutions to the SMIC dilemma

Investment managers sit on the frontline during these crises, managing billions of rands through these precarious and unpredictable times.

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Investment lessons learnt during COVID-19

Investment managers sit on the frontline during these crises, managing billions of rands through these precarious and unpredictable times.

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Risk Premia Investing

The reason why risk premia investing is so appealing is that it does not rely on stock picking or market timing.

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Equitile Investments launches global equity fund on the Prescient Global Funds ICAV UCITS platform

Equitile Investments Limited, a London headquartered investment management company, has launched its first Irish-domiciled UCITS fund, the Equitile Global Equity Fund, on the Prescient Global Funds ICAV platform.

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Prescient Fund Services hires Finian Power as assets under management exceed US$4 billion.

Prescient Fund Services (Ireland) Limited, has announced the appointment of Finian Power as Head of Investment Manager Oversight to the growing management company team in Dublin.

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Investing your lump sum in 2021 - The most suitable options

Lump-sum allocations often occur in the first few months of the calendar year, with investors taking advantage of annual TFSA allowances, bonuses and possibly even a cheque from Santa. But what are the most suitable investments in such uncertain times, and with so many options on offer?

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2021 - More of the same or a time of change

News in November that a COVID-19 vaccine had a 95% efficacy rate and was on track for emergency approval before the end of the year was this sliver of light at the end of the tunnel that prompted a 6.5% rally in the bellwether US stock market index, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, taking it to fresh highs, which it managed to sustain into the New Year.

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Moshesh Partners selects Prescient Fund Services for private equity fund administration

Moshesh Partners selects Prescient Fund Services for private equity fund administration. The fund’s strategy is to invest in renewable energy and clean infrastructure with the goal of securing South Africa’s long-term energy viability and empowering its people.

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A smart, sober and responsible budget

A budget summary by Reza Ismail, Head of Bonds at Prescient Investment Management.

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Peregrine Capital partners with Prescient Fund Services for its first Global Equity UCITS fund

The fund, which sits on the Prescient Global Funds ICAV platform and is authorised by the Central Bank of Ireland, will initially be distributed to investors in South Africa, and subsequently to investors in other key European markets.

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Alternative Solutions to the SMIC Dilemma Update

Fund management substance and the economics of outsourcing

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PPS Global Equity Fund outperforms benchmark and exceeds USD 250 million in its first year on the Prescient Global Funds ICAV UCITS platform

PPS Multi-Managers has announced the first full-year performance of the PPS Global Equity Fund since launching on the Prescient Global Funds ICAV UCITS fund platform.

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Irish ManCo Substance - The clock is ticking but there is still time to act

PPS Multi-Managers has announced the first full-year performance of the PPS Global Equity Fund since launching on the Prescient Global Funds ICAV UCITS fund platform.

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Laurium Capital launches Africa USD Bond Fund on the Prescient Global Funds ICAV UCITS platform

Laurium Capital (Pty) Ltd (Laurium) has launched its first Irish-domiciled UCITS fund, the Laurium Africa USD Bond Fund, on the Prescient Global Funds ICAV platform.

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Infra Impact selects Prescient Fund Services for Infrastructure fund administration

Active funds have been subjected to continuous waves of attack from passive alternatives, and the gist of the argument is that they are in some way inferior to their passive peers. The reasoning is mixed, but the argument’s primary drivers are historic under-performance over the past five years, lower fees and fund costs, and high tracking errors vs what investors are expecting – i.e., you invest in “SA equities”, but often get a completely different animal with an active approach, with returns drifting away from the market.

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The systematic decline of active funds

Active funds have been subjected to continuous waves of attack from passive alternatives, and the gist of the argument is that they are in some way inferior to their passive peers. The reasoning is mixed, but the argument’s primary drivers are historic under-performance over the past five years, lower fees and fund costs, and high tracking errors vs what investors are expecting – i.e., you invest in “SA equities”, but often get a completely different animal with an active approach, with returns drifting away from the market.

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The case for diversification has never been stronger

In the latest Federal Reserve’s Monetary Policy Setting meeting, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) chair, Jerome Powell, noted that these are extraordinarily unusual times, and not a time to reach hard conclusions. At Prescient, we couldn’t agree more.

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Equity market meltdown unlikely if central banks act according to expectations

The big topic in equity markets, particularly in the US where stock markets continue to reach new highs, is whether extended valuations are signaling that a big meltdown is in the offing. The safest and easiest answer would probably be yes.

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