Optimism drives better money habits and long-term wealth creation. Adriaan Pask, CIO at PSG Wealth, explains how positive investors save more, stay resilient through volatility, and build discipline that compounds over time, ultimately positioning them for stronger financial outcomes.

Izak Odendaal explores the paradox of booming markets amid global uncertainty, arguing that while risks abound, strong profits, policy support, and AI investment keep growth resilient. He stresses diversification, long-term focus, and valuation discipline as timeless guides for investors.

Allan Gray’s Umar-Farooq Kagee explores gold’s resurgence as a trusted store of value amid de-dollarisation, rising debt, and geopolitical shifts. With central banks increasing reserves and miners outperforming, investors can benefit through balanced exposure to both physical gold and equities.

Global investors risk missing opportunities by assuming US stock performance reflects the world. Schroders’ Duncan Lamont highlights how Value and High Dividend stocks are thriving internationally, while Growth and Quality struggle, challenging assumptions, reshaping valuations, and underscoring the case for active, diversified investing.

The GDP grew 0.8% quarter-on-quarter, lifting annual growth to 0.6%, an improvement on Q1’s 0.1% but still below population growth, leaving the country in what Citadel Chief Economist Maarten Ackerman calls a “per capita recession.”

Despite South Africa’s political and economic challenges, local equities and bonds are delivering solid returns. Structural reforms, private-sector investment, and attractive valuations suggest a positive long-term outlook, highlighting why investors should look beyond headlines and focus on fundamentals and diversification.