Page 4 - SA Chamber UK Newsletter April 2024
P. 4

ADVERTORIAL CONTENT










            REFLECTIONS FROM



            SOUTH AFRICA








            Barclays  colleagues,  Alexander  Joshi  (Head  of  Behavioural  Finance)  and  Stephen
            Moroukian (Product and Proposition Director, Real Estate Financing) recently hit the
            road, bringing their professional insights to Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town.


            Here  are  the  highlights  as  they  reflected  on  the  global  economic  outlook,  investor
            behaviour and the real estate market.



            The global economy – opportunities amidst uncertainty
            Despite a strong start to 2024, the global economy is expected to experience a slowdown
            in growth, with forecasts suggesting a decline from 3.2% in 2023 to 2.9% in 2024. But

            there is better news on inflation, which is likely to keep falling – potentially paving the
            way for central banks to cut interest rates later this year.


            For anyone looking to navigate the current economic climate, it’s important to build a
            solid investment plan with a long-term focus. Spreading investments across different
            asset  classes  (think  about  not  putting  all  your  eggs  in  one  basket)  is  still  key  for
            managing risk. And even with the inevitable bumps in the road, for those who’ve done

            their homework, you can still find opportunities to grow and preserve wealth (albeit
            nothing is risk free when investing).


            Investment strategies for uncertain times

            The first challenge investors face? Beating inflation. You want your money to hold its
            value (and ideally grow) over time, but that can feel especially tricky during uncertain
            periods. Having cash on hand can feel like a security blanket – but remember, inflation

            constantly eats away at its purchasing power.

            Yet, conversely, staying invested through market ups and downs is often crucial for

            achieving long-term financial goals and growing wealth. Patience is very often a virtue
            in  investing.  While  history  is  never  a  guarantee  of  future  performance,  past  trends
            provide useful context. Even periods of wild market swings haven’t necessarily derailed



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                                                            SA CHAMBER UK NEWSLETTER APRIL 2024
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