Consumers’ first thoughts on tobacco companies are generally “unhealthy; addictive; money machines”. As an investor, one thinks “over reaching regulation; a dying industry; money machines”.

The debate around whether asset managers and corporates more generally, should explicitly take “social issues” into account in terms of their investment decision-making, is not without its controversy.

In the face of increasingly turbulent and unpredictable markets, as exemplified by the events of the past year, opinions grow louder, market pressures intensify, and headlines gain noticeable prominence, all of which encourage investors to attempt market timing. However, investors must bear in mind that every coin has two sides.

Momentum Metropolitan welcomes new appointments to their executive leadership team.

According to Varshan Maharaj, fund manager of the Allan Gray Frontier Markets Equity Fund, the earnings of companies in frontier markets such as Nigeria, the Philippines and Vietnam, have fared better than expected given these challenging conditions.

Mirroring other leading financial sector regulators across the globe, South Africa's Prudential Authority (PA) has signaled to banks and insurers that it is time for them to consider and integrate climate-related risks into their business practices, strategy, and management and disclose climate-related risks.