In Episode 53 of Magic Markets, we kicked things off with a brief discussion on Jerome Powell (who is now apparently considered “hawkish”) and the Turkish Lira, which is rather broken. We then moved from fiscal balance sheets to company balance sheets. In particular, we explored what happens when bad balance sheets happen to good people. In the aftermath of the pandemic, we’ve seen companies struggle with unsustainable debt. In some cases, this is an opportunity for large new equity investors or existing anchor shareholders to increase their stakes at a depressed valuation. By working through examples like Tongaat, Brait and EOH, we show how important the balance sheet can be. Magic Markets is your invitation to be part of our discussions on macro themes and company-specific news in the markets. ...

After a flurry of international guests on Magic Markets, hosts The Finance Ghost and Mohammed Nalla take a breather for the one-year anniversary of Magic Markets and hang out with each other for a change. Of course, markets are always on the menu, so the hosts decided to discuss some of the important trends in the US market in the third quarter. There’s a brief discussion on inflation and the revenue growth numbers coming through in S&P 500 companies. The hosts also looked at the sectors that are expected to benefit over the next few months, referencing various data sources in the process. Magic Markets is your invitation to be part of our discussions on global markets. ...

Natale Labia is a South African living in Italy (Milan, to be exact) and so he brings a European perspective to the show. As an ex-South African banker, Natale is familiar with our market. He applies that expertise in his role as a partner at Lionhead Capital, where he is Head of Macro Strategy and Economics. You can read more about Natale's background at this link. Some listeners may recognise his name from his regular contributions to Daily Maverick, a publication which Magic Markets co-host The Finance Ghost also contributes to on a weekly basis. In this show, we discussed a macro view on the relative valuation of South African bonds and equities compared to other markets. We also talked about sectors of interest in South Africa and how international investors view our country. Magic Markets is your invitation to be part of our global conversations on the markets and investments. ...

After the controversy around Grand Parade’s efforts to sell Burger King South Africa to a private equity fund, the Competition Commission became even more topical for investors. South Africa is a somewhat unique environment, with public interest considerations creating the risk of unpleasant outcomes in deals. Internationally, antitrust legislation and regulatory policy can make a significant difference to investment returns. Some Big Tech companies are more at risk than others. To help make sense of it all, Duncan Lishman joined us to discuss the world of competition regulation. As a competition economist, Duncan is highly skilled and experienced in this area.  Magic Markets is your invitation to join our conversations with experts on topics that affect the markets. ...

There’s nothing more topical than ESG. There’s also nothing more complicated and politically sensitive on the global stage.  With COP 26 taking place soon in Glasgow, everyone is focused on ESG. We are seeing this in the markets, in corporate strategies and in asset management products.  To help us make sense of it all and to get a global view on these matters, we were thrilled to welcome Kate Mackenzie to the show. Kate is a Bloomberg Green Columnist based in Australia. We had to navigate some tricky time zones to make this episode work, but that pales in comparison to how tricky the underlying topics are.  Magic Markets is your invitation to join The Finance Ghost and Mohammed Nalla on a journey of discovery in the markets. ...

With the help of Future Forex CEO Harry Scherzer, hosts The Finance Ghost and Mohammed Nalla (Moe-Knows) unpack the opportunities of crypto arbitrage as well as the latest news in the crypto space. Yes, we even bravely discuss NFTs! Not for terribly long, though. Due to South African capital controls, significant price inefficiencies exist in the crypto asset space. Future Forex provides a streamlined service to help clients capitalise on these inefficiencies. For those seeking an alternative use of their offshore annual allowances every year, crypto arbitrage may be an interesting area for further due diligence and research. In Episode 48 of Magic Markets, you’ll learn about Future Forex's fully hedged arbitrage investment service as well as the latest news in crypto asset regulations. If you want to hear more from the Future Forex team, refer back to Episode 21 of Magic Markets where we discussed the crypto arbitrage space in detail. Visit the Future Forex website to learn more. ...