The ETF Investor

In this episode we follow on with the theme of episode 20, being ESG ETF investments, by looking at the specific options available to South African investors on the JSE. Sygnia recently listed the third ESG ETF on the JSE – the Sygnia Itrix S&P Global 1200 ESG ETF. How does this differ from the other two options already available?

In this episode we focus on ESG investments, as in Environmental, Social and Governance, and how to get exposure to this strongly growing global trend via ETFs. But what is ESG, other than the clarification of the acronym, and why should you care? Is this a trend that is easily captured in index form, and therefore through an ETF, or is this best left to active investment management?

In this episode, the final one for 2020, we finish off with a nice Christmas bonus for investors in Tesla. The electric vehicle company will be included in the S&P500 index from the start of trading on Monday 21-Dec-2020. We discuss why now, and what this means for investors in S&P500 ETFs.

In this episode we are going back to basics to answer some of the most frequently asked questions. Having said that, even if you are an old hand at ETFs, there may be some new insights for you in this episode, such as investing in cryptocurrencies via ETFs.

In this episode we celebrate the 20th birthday of the ETF industry in South Africa, which was born on the 27th of November 2000 when the Satrix 40 ETF was listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. Since then, the industry has seen many firsts, remarkable growth, and broadening opportunity through both the breadth and the depth of the range of products, ETF issuers, investor types and investment strategies that can be accessed via Exchange-Traded Funds.

In this episode we focus on global bond ETFs, and specifically the six options available on the JSE. This is not intended to be a look at the value proposition of investing in global bonds, but rather a comparative look at the different options, how they differ, and where they are similar.

In this episode we focus on gold investments, and how gold ETFs in particular, give you easy and safe access to the yellow metal whose perceived value dates back at least to Biblical times. For South Africa as a country, an economy, and indeed, a stock market which was built on gold, this is fundamental. Add to this its performance in 2020, and you'll see why this topic is so important and relevant. We also explore the debenture structure, and how it is different from a CIS - a unit trust.

In this episode we commemorate Women's Month in South Africa as we celebrate the strength and resilience of women, the rock of our society. The JSE has interesting research that shows that women engage with investor communication more than men, but when it comes to taking action, they tend to fall short of their male counterparts. Some of the key reasons for this difference is sited as the general lack of education and particularly, of the lack of financial confidence in women. We discuss how ETFs help to bridge this gap.

In this episode we shift focus from ETFs, to their lesser known cousins ETNs – Exchange Traded Notes – to see how this type of investment instrument is different from an ETF, and how they are similar. The common denominator here is that they are all traded on an exchange, so the point of access is all the same, but the underlying investment may differ in its construct and the rules and regulations that govern it.

In this episode we travel east, to look at the investment opportunity presented by China, the second largest economy in the world, and the most populous nation on the planet. Satrix will be listing the MSCI China ETF on the JSE on the 22nd of July, offering investors access to this exciting global market, locally. We explore what exposure this ETF offers, and how its costs compare to alternatives.