Fortunes were lost and made on global stock markets in 2020. Uncertainty about the impact of the new coronavirus initially led to a sharp sell-off in the first few months of the year, wiping billions of dollars off the value of some of the world’s most valuable companies. But some became greater than ever. 

These include:

Shopify (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQRXssjlk9U), 

Amazon (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQRXssjlk9U, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GltlJO56S1g), 

Tesla (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0871VJfvD1c), 

Spotify (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdQ7mippAiU) 

Apple (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHUz63xFyyw, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vX9xBB_vBsc).

In case you missed it, a Dutch court ordered Shell to pay Nigerian farmers over oil spills (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NxLooQPOMA, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZ69CaFspXw), 

Sweden is building reindeer bridges over roads and railways (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ND0D3bVbM7Y), and there was a £17 000 Cadbury golden Creme Egg auction (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4d8Ew8LfxA0&feature=youtu.be, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0M0wogky6w0&t=9s).

Want some conversation starters? The motto on the first US coin was “Mind Your Business” (https://youtu.be/A36Iq5qNukQ, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVd7oyk1eSA, https://youtu.be/Nt_2H9UMhEc). 

Archaeologists have discovered a cave painting estimated to be 45 500 years old in Sulawesi, an Indonesian island (https://youtu.be/A31GyV6TX7g, https://youtu.be/UD7mjRz33QU, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gx8ohlEAfy4). 

And 2020 created 56 new billionaires in the U.S. (https://youtu.be/aoR5sniTnv4, https://youtu.be/jYrQdtMl5hw).

“Success is not just the crowning moment, the spiking of the ball in the end zone or the raising of the flag on the summit. It is the whole process of reaching for a goal and, sometimes, it begins with failure.” – Erik Weihenmayer (blind climber, motivational speaker and author) https://youtu.be/EGZPTtmydkE, https://youtu.be/mzj7rTY0c4U

From bartering to blockchain, money has come a long way. This week we take a look back at the history of currency and gaze into its future in Africa. Cash may be a casualty, but the concept of money won’t disappear into the digital void along with paper notes. Also in this edition, we learn about how 3D printing could change the future of orthopedic implants, why Bitcoin is currently under scrutiny in SA, and how quarantine baking proved some of the world’s top sugar traders wrong.

From cows to classic cars and artwork to Air Max, investing isn’t always about assets and equities. This week, we’re talking alternative investments – the type that have nothing to do with stocks and shares. Some investors choose wine, some choose comic books, and usually they all see their wealth growing in unusual ways with these unexpected additions to their investment portfolio. Also in this edition we learn about a pigeon sold for R29 million, an award-winning deepfake detector invented by a teenager, and what South Africans spend more time doing than any other nation.

With a few weeks of 2021 behind us, it’s time to think about balance. Because many people now dial in from home, attaining work-life balance has become trickier than ever. While we may have gained extra hours by cutting the commute, those hours are more likely to accrue to our employers than to leisure. The good news? Harmony, not balance, is the new goal, and we can show you how to make it happen. In this edition we also learn about offshore investment red flags, how Bitcoin is breaking records, and why your pineapples may be worth more than you think.

As the year draws to a close and we look back on 2020, this edition hones in on an activity that some have turned to in the wake of lost income: trading. Forex trading levels have increased hugely in Africa this year, growing by almost 500% in the first five months of the pandemic. Trading is far from a get-rich-quick fix, however: here be dragons. We asked six forex traders to share their know-how. In this edition we also learn about 2020’s best apps, the humble origins of Netflix, and how not replying to emails will help fight climate change.

Welcome to the first edition of The Weekly Shyft, the regular news digest for global citizens based in South Africa. In this episode, we’re talking to Arno von Helden, head of FX solutions at Standard Bank, about getting schooled by 2020. Also, we discover more about a young billionaire’s self-driving car company, hydrogen-powered trains, and a new feature of the award-winning forex app, Shyft. Finally, feast your ears on conversation starters such as how many times you can fold a dollar bill, a surprising erstwhile Olympic event, and what prompted Jeff Bezos to found his online bookstore back in 1994.

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TopCo and Standard Bank's Business Unusual Podcasts with Glenda.