Feb 14, 2025
Stargazer Newsletter Q4
Great news to share about our Stargazer family this quarter! Our standout performer, Sygnia Stargazer Blue, has been living up to its stellar name with an…
News and insights
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Newsletters
Investment insights
May 15, 2025
How to stay financially focused when the world feels uncertain
Inflation. Market swings. Global tension. It’s a tough crowd out there for investors. When headlines are loud and your portfolio feels the pressure, the instinct…
Apr 25, 2025
Stay cool under pressure
Sygnia launches new fund range to ease investor anxiety amid market turbulence. Feeling stressed by market conditions? Sygnia has launched a new retirement savings fund…
Apr 2, 2025
What do coffee and investments have in common? SA asset manager brews up the answer
In the world of asset management, explaining risk profiles and investment strategies typically involves charts, graphs and technical jargon. But one South African firm has…
Mar 31, 2024
Maximising Retirement Income: Innovative Approach to Annuity Drawdown Offers a New Path to Financial Security
Kyle Hulett, Co-Head of Investments at Sygnia Asset Management, challenges the annuity status quo by offering a new solution to weathering down markets while still…
Feb 15, 2024
Tax-free Savings Account Myths Busted
It’s a great idea for parents to open a TFSA for their child, as it’s possibly the best savings vehicle for their future education. Due…
Feb 8, 2024
Five essential tips for picking your perfect retirement annuity
Navigating through the world of retirement planning in South Africa? Selecting the right retirement annuity is a big decision, one that’s going to shape your…
Nov 1, 2023
Sygnia creates new fund for offshore-maxed SA investors
The Life Transnational Equity Fund allows increased global exposure through a low-fee, actively managed fund. Regulations have long constrained the amount South Africans can take…
Jul 5, 2023
Choosing the right funds for your tax-free savings account
Choosing funds for your tax-free savings account (TFSA) requires careful consideration of several factors. This article provides some steps to help you make informed decisions….
Jun 29, 2023
Asset managers accustomed to the narrow SA equity market now have the task of navigating an expanded one
The recent SA Reserve Bank amendment to regulation 28’s foreign investment limits, which now permits retirement funds to invest 45% of their assets overseas, has…
Apr 23, 2023
Mind the gap: Why fees aren’t the only investment cost to consider when choosing between unit trusts and ETFs
When it comes to weighing up the cost of investing in ETFs versus unit trusts, Kyle Hulett, Head of Investments at Sygnia Asset Management, writes…
Jan 13, 2023
Maxed out your TFSA? There’s a new tax-free savings vehicle coming soon
The impending shake-up of South Africa’s failed retirement system may be the solution to our critical under-saving crisis, argues Kyle Hulett, Head of Investments for…
Jan 1, 2023
Buy when there’s ‘blood on the streets’: Investment front-runners for 2023
2022’s market bloodbath will have many investors hunkering down in the new year. It’s not a smart move for 2023, says Sygnia. From war to…
Jul 31, 2022
How to make the most of your larger offshore allowance
Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana gave institutional investors a plum opportunity in his February 2022 Budget Speech – a chunky increase in the annual offshore…
Jul 1, 2022
How to spot a scam
Between data hacks and the rise of sophisticated fraud syndicates worldwide, online users should be hyper-alert for scams, warns Wojtek Wierzycki, Sygnia’s Head of Systems…
Jun 22, 2022
Sygnia Banks On the Luck of The Irish With New Funds Launch
Sygnia has once again made headlines by launching new US dollar-based offshore funds. Kyle Hulett, Head of Investments for Sygnia Asset Management, explains the rationale…
Mar 9, 2022
The impact of sanctions against Russia on your savings
The Russian invasion of the Ukraine has escalated beyond most people’s wildest nightmares. The bombing of civilian areas in key Ukrainian cities, war atrocities and…
Feb 27, 2022
3 Simple Steps Kick-start Your Investment Journey
South Africans are notoriously bad savers for a variety of reasons, ranging from low income to lack of financial education. Somewhere in the middle is…
Feb 21, 2022
The numbers are in: Tax-free trumps short- and long-term investment switching
Failing to include tax-free investments in your portfolio mix is a huge mistake, writes Wessel Brand, Portfolio Manager at Sygnia Asset Management – and he’s got…
Feb 21, 2022
3 reasons a tax-free savings account should be your first investment
Investing for the first time doesn’t need to be scary or overwhelming, writes Wessel Brand, Portfolio Manager at Sygnia Asset Management, as long as you know…
Feb 20, 2022
5 guidelines to select the right tax-free savings account
Investing in a tax-free savings account (TFSA) should be the first port of call for any first-time investor, but how do you choose which TFSA…
Feb 1, 2022
How to invest safely (and smartly) for your child’s future
Wondering what strategy is best for safely investing in your child’s future? Wonder no more. Wessel Brand, Portfolio Manager at Sygnia Asset Management, has crunched the…
Sep 6, 2021
BEWARE THE BULL MARKET – 5 Ways To Protect Your Investments in 2021
Global financial markets have rebounded strongly from March 2020’s low, but Sygnia’s Head of Investments Iain Anderson warns investors to start preparing for the bull’s…
Aug 31, 2021
SEX, LIES & EMPOWERMENT – The Truth About Women & Money
The year is 2021. In most countries women have equal rights, at least on paper. But, writes Magda Wierzycka, the battle for equality is far…
Aug 9, 2021
Weighing Up Covid-19’s Unexpected Benefits To Global Healthcare
In a strange twist of fate, the Covid-19 pandemic is likely to benefit global healthcare in the long-term, writes Iva Madjarova, Head of Investment Consulting at…
Jul 28, 2021
Thematically adjusting your portfolio in order to thrive in a low-return environment
Combined with decades-low interest rates, this backbreaking global debt has set the stage for dismal real returns (returns after accounting for inflation) in South African…
Jul 26, 2021
When investing, fees matter more than you think
By earning interest on top of interest, you can build your wealth exponentially, which is why time is one of the most important factors in…
Jul 20, 2021
Reducing the fees you are paying on your investments
The fees you pay on your investments can have a big impact over time. As Sygnia founder Magda Wierzycka points out, a reduction in costs…
Nov 26, 2020
ASISA blocks offshore investments
How large asset managers collaborated to ensure you cannot invest your assets overseas. In a shocking development, proof has come to light that a handful…
Nov 19, 2020
Asset managers feel the pinch of the SARB’s new regulation
The circular recently issued by the SARB that reclassified exchange traded funds (ETFs) referencing foreign assets as domestic assets caught everyone by surprise, says Sygnia…
Nov 17, 2020
The future looks brighter for investors
The circular recently issued by the SARB which re-classified exchange traded funds (ETFs) referencing foreign assets as domestic assets caught everyone by surprise. And yet,…
May 17, 2020
The Oracle has spoken
What we can learn from Warren Buffett’s reading of the Covid-19 crisis. Billionaire investor Warren Buffett is a notoriously frugal man, both in his lifestyle…
Apr 14, 2020
Moody’s ‘junk’ downgrade is the kick SA’s economy needs right now
Moody’s decision to downgrade South Africa to “junk” status on the eve of the nation’s 21 day lockdown was a real double-whammy. After the initial…
Feb 28, 2020
Global markets test positive for Coronavirus
February saw the worst daily fall (-4.5%) in the FTSE / JSE All Share Index since 2008, amidst concerns that the Covid-19 virus will not…
Apr 11, 2019
Big changes in the retirement industry are here. You need to understand what they are – Part 1
The regulators of the financial services industry realise that for retirement funds to deliver better outcomes for members, investing in retirement funds and making investment…
Apr 11, 2019
Unpacking the new default regulations – Part 3
Turning retirement capital into income is one of the most complex financial decisions one is likely to make. The range of annuity products on the…
Mar 31, 2019
Full disclosure is nowhere to hide for asset managers
From March 1 2019, all service providers to retirement funds, including administrators, advisers and asset managers, have to comply with the full fee disclosure requirements…
Jan 23, 2019
Farewell to icon Bogle who fought high investment fees
The year started with flags at half mast at Sygnia as we heard about the death of global financial icon John “Jack” Bogle. Bogle was…
Nov 8, 2018
Beware the allure of dividends
High dividend funds are often touted as a one-stop solution for investors. They are sold with the promise of providing the growth prospects of equities…
Sep 17, 2018
SA cant afford to be in transition for much longer
This month South Africa was hit with the news that the country had been in a technical recession for the first half of the year….
Apr 12, 2017
Where is the FICA Bill, Mr President?
Almost six weeks after Parliament unanimously voted to adopt the new FICA Bill, President Jacob Zuma has yet to sign it into law. This means…
Dec 1, 2016
How to invest in a revolution
1. Do you believe that the 4th Industrial Revolution is a game changer? If yes, why? What makes you excited about it, and what scares…
Nov 25, 2016
Sygnia launches the 4th Industrial Revolution Global Equity Fund
The Sygnia 4th Industrial Revolution Global Equity Fund is the first product of its kind in South Africa. It offers local investors exposure to global companies…
Oct 31, 2016
Don’t panic when markets crash. Here’s why.
Given the sharp losses recently experienced by investors worldwide, we answer the two most pressing questions our clients are struggling with right now: What is happening?…
Oct 12, 2016
The fourth industrial revolution is upon us
The term ‘fourth industrial revolution’ is still largely unknown to the average South African, and yet it has the potential to change the way everyone learns,…
Oct 12, 2016
How to tell the difference between a robo-advisor and a calculator
A small number of websites marketing themselves as “robo-advisors” have been launched in South Africa to date, but more are coming. Having looked at “robo-advisors”…
Sep 20, 2016
What is a robo-advisor and should you use one?
A recent trip to the US proved very worthwhile in getting the lay of the land as far as robo-advisors are concerned. The new term…
Nov 12, 2015
Sygnia Has Big Plans For Growth
Sygnia’s private placement on the JSE in the middle of last month was one of the most well-received listings of the year. There was such…
AI Funds
Sep 28, 2023
Sygnia Launches South Africa’s First AI-Focussed Actively Managed ETF on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange
Sygnia will become the first asset manager in South Africa to launch a tech and AI-focused Actively Managed Exchange Traded Fund (AMETF) when the new…
Jun 30, 2023
AI is the new internet – Ready to invest?
Sygnia sharpens its FAANG to take a bite out of AI. While living in exile before the 1917 Russian Revolution, Vladimir Lenin famously said: “There…
Nov 8, 2018
Beware the allure of dividends
High dividend funds are often touted as a one-stop solution for investors. They are sold with the promise of providing the growth prospects of equities…
Press Releases
Aug 7, 2023
Sygnia’s Stargazer can help give your child a stellar tertiary education
Three low-fee funds offer parents a tax-free savings solution, so that every cent saved goes to tuition fees, and not the taxman. Every generation of…
Dec 6, 2018
Isibaya Fund offers SA salvation if it cuts ties with PIC
As SA suffers a new wave of power cuts, or to use its gentler euphemism “load shedding”, one has to wonder how we are going…
Nov 30, 2018
Regulators miss forex ‘spread’ charges
Having decided to open an office in London, I am travelling overseas more than ever before. And hence my latest hobby horse has become the…
Nov 8, 2018
Do nothing now that the bear has arrived
Given the sharp losses experienced by investors this year- the past two months in particular- there are two obvious questions that come to mind: why…
Oct 24, 2018
SA must invest in top conference tools
SA is about to host its first conference to stimulate investment in the country. I am not typically a fan of conferences, but in the…
Oct 10, 2018
As Greece knows all too well, beware the IMF dragons
Austerity Programme An IMF bail out is often mentioned as the “dark scenario” facing SA if we do not get our finances in order. I…
Oct 1, 2018
Fiscal consolidation is the only way out
How the world has changed in just eight months. This year kicked off in an exuberant mood with equity markets fuelled by synchronised strong global…
Dec 7, 2017
Steinhoff – The Largest Corporate Failure of the Active Asset Management Industry yet
The failure of Steinhoff has shocked even the most seasoned asset managers. It is the biggest corporate failure on the JSE. Allegations of earnings manipulations,…
Jul 26, 2017
Keynote Address AHI SME Indaba
We are living through unprecedented times in South Africa where politics and economics have converged – one completely dependent on the other. We are living…
Jul 1, 2017
Join us in the fight against corruption
We are living through turbulent times. Half of the current daily news articles are about government corruption, misuse of public funds, state capture, assault on…
May 1, 2017
NET1: We have not forgotten you
For many South Africans, what happened last week may seem far removed from the reality of their daily lives. And yet, apart from the moral…
Apr 18, 2017
Exchange Traded Funds – What Are They and Why Do They Cost So Much?
In newsprint lexicon, both in South Africa and globally, the terms “ETF” and “index-tracking” have become almost synonymous. It may thus be useful to explain…
Apr 17, 2017
Let’s talk about nationalisation of industry
If there is one thing that history has proven is that nationalisation is not a sustainable way of running an economy. It is a fundamentally…
Apr 12, 2017
Where is the FICA Bill, Mr President?
Almost six weeks after Parliament unanimously voted to adopt the new FICA Bill, President Jacob Zuma has yet to sign it into law. This means…
Apr 5, 2017
Standard & Poor’s 1 – Jacob Zuma 0
Standard & Poor’s fired its first shot by downgrading South Africa’s long-term foreign currency sovereign credit rating to “junk” status. This may sound like financial…
Apr 3, 2017
In the words of Pravin Gordhan, we need to organise. Here’s how.
For many South Africans, what happened last week may seem far removed from the reality of their daily lives. And yet, apart from the moral…
Apr 6, 2016
Vote with your conscience – you will not be left on your own
I was inspired by the rallying cry of ANC NEC member Nomvula Mokonyane who said: “Our struggle has been against a minority that wants to…
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