James Luke, Senior Portfolio Manager at Schroders, says gold’s recent sharp decline reflects short-term market dynamics, including rising rate expectations and liquidity pressures, rather than a structural shift. He maintains that gold remains a valuable long-term hedge amid ongoing geopolitical and fiscal uncertainty.

Yusuf Wadee, Head of Exchange-Traded Products at Satrix, says the firm’s strong showing at the 2026 SALTA awards reflects growing investor reliance on ETFs as transparent, cost-effective building blocks for long-term portfolios, supporting Satrix’s mission to make investing more accessible to South Africans.

Arthur Kamp, Chief Economist at Sanlam Investments, says rising oil prices threaten South Africa’s disinflation outlook by pushing inflation expectations higher. While rates may stay on hold short term, sustained inflation pressures could force the SARB to delay cuts or even hike rates.

At the 2026 SAVCA Conference, industry leaders debated private capital allocation, with some advocating a flexible, generalist approach for diversification and agility, while others stressed the need for segmented allocations to ensure transparency, accountability, and alignment with differing risk-return profiles.

Mark Phillips, Head of Portfolio Management and Analytics at PPS Investments, says rising geopolitical tensions and higher commodity prices are increasing inflation risks and complicating monetary policy. Despite this, the SARB held rates at 6.75%, with future decisions dependent on inflation trends and currency stability.

Philip Robotham, Head of South Africa at Schroders, warns that prolonged geopolitical tensions and elevated oil prices are increasing stagflation risks. He advises investors to stay diversified, favour resilient equities, remain cautious on bonds, and avoid reactive decisions, focusing instead on long-term portfolio robustness.