South Africa Archives - Along the Boards Wed, 24 Jun 2020 09:01:40 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.3.1 https://alongtheboards.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/cropped-Favicon-1-32x32.png South Africa Archives - Along the Boards 32 32 Foreign Investment Into South Africa https://alongtheboards.com/2020/06/24/foreign-investment-into-south-africa/ Wed, 24 Jun 2020 09:00:33 +0000 https://alongtheboards.com/?p=24711 Emerging market stocks can be a valuable addition to any investment portfolio. Investors around the world explore opportunities to benefit from the growth of the South African economy. The country is the most developed on the continent, as it relies on mining and raw materials. Unlike Nigeria, it is not dependent on oil exports. Here […]

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Emerging market stocks can be a valuable addition to any investment portfolio. Investors around the world explore opportunities to benefit from the growth of the South African economy. The country is the most developed on the continent, as it relies on mining and raw materials. Unlike Nigeria, it is not dependent on oil exports. Here is an overview of opportunities for foreign investment today.

Reasons for the Appeal

South Africa is the largest world producer of gold, chromium, and platinum. It also boasts large reserves of iron, ore, coal, uranium, and manganese nickel. This attracts large international oil and gas brands to the region.

The agricultural and banking sectors are expanding, as well as the demand for local services within the country. Finally, its location is strategic. It is a convenient investment gateway into the continent.

In 2018, Foreign direct investment into South Africa saw more than four-fold growth, rising to $7.1 billion. By June 2019, the figure had increased by  $1.8 billion. This considerable boost reflects the positive perception of the economy abroad.

Economic Outlook

Although the national economy has slowed down in recent years, it is predicted to recover soon. The official forecast by the World Bank for 2019-2023 was lowered largely due to political uncertainty. Now, when the COVID-19 pandemic is wreaking havoc across the world, the South African economy is in decline. However, growth is projected to resume in the next few years.

The South African Rand

Over the past few years, the national currency has been relatively firm. This contributes to the appeal for foreign investors. The South African Rand has shown impressive stability in comparison with USD and EUR, as majors were affected by Trump’s trade wars against China and the Brexit controversy.

Historically, the South African currency saw its record high against USD in early 2016 (17.83). The lowest value was observed in 1992 ( 2.71). Now, the pair is priced at 16.67. Today, the national currency is accepted as part of so-called exotic currency pairs (USD/ZAR).

In recent years, international brokers like FXTM have adapted their services to the needs of the African population. Moderate volatility of the South African Rand translates into lower risks for traders. Local clients are now buying and selling currencies, stocks, and CFDs through popular trading platforms and apps.

In South Africa and Nigeria, the offerings include copy trading. This allows the delegation of financial decisions. Brokerage firms educate locals on what is FXTM’s copy trading contributing to the level of financial literacy overall.

Stock Exchange

As the most advanced economy on the continent, South Africa has also the most developed stock market. The Johannesburg Stock Exchange is not only the biggest but also the oldest stock exchange in Africa. JSE was established in the late 19th century during the first South African Gold Rush. Today, both African and foreign companies are listed. In terms of market capitalization, it is the 19th exchange in the world.

Investment in Stocks

Now, the global crisis is pushing many stocks down. Hence, you may benefit from purchasing undervalued equity and holding it. Next year, the South African stock market is expected to rebound. Overall, the economic outlook is positive.

The highest return is expected in the mining sector. This industry is generally the most profitable. Therefore, foreign investors are advised to focus on mining stocks. Examples include companies like:

  • the African Rainbow Minerals Ltd,
  • Assore Ltd, and
  • Kumba Iron Ore Ltd.

Shares of Mediclinic (MDC), which are also traded on the London Stock exchange, are worth considering. This global hospital group based in South Africa has branches in many countries, including Switzerland. Its equity is included in the FTSE 100 market index. By October 2024, the value is predicted to rise to $65.973 per share.

Is South Africa a worth opportunity for the investors?

As we said, South Africa is more attractive for the investors compared to the other countries on the continent, because the country shows great progress in improving the general infrastructure. Their Government has an investment campaign and they are planning to earn more than $100 billion of foreign direct investments by 2023. It’s worth to mention that this country shows an exceptional improvement of almost every economic and financial aspect, and that makes it worth for the foreign investors.

According to the World Bank’s 2023 Doing Business list, South Africa is 84th between other 190 powerful or developing economies in the world. People in South Africa know how to use their assets to attract the investors because they have a transparent legal system, advanced financial sector, productive and hardworking citizens, and relatively stable politics. On the other side, the country is often related to corruption, high crime rates, lack of electricity, and bad reforms. All of these factors can make the country good for the investors, but only if they are aware of the potential negative sides of the society there.

The strongest points of the South African economy are the positive business climate and active (and attractive) stock exchange. They switched from traditional industries to more profitable businesses in the recent decade. Also, one of the strongest points in their economy is tourism. This African country is also known about its mining sector. According to some researches, they are the largest producers of chrome, platinum, manganese, and also the second largest producers of palladium and rutile. Coal exportation is also highly established in their economy. They also have a great geographical location, that makes them a strong market.

But, on the other side, there were a lot of labor strikes and violence is badly affecting their economy. They have a huge problem with unequal salaries between the workers. Some of them say they are not satisfied with the general working conditions at their workplace. South Africa also has strict immigration laws and policies, and not a lot of foreign workers can easily get a job there.

How the pandemic affected SA’s economy?

The coronavirus pandemic had a generally bad effect on the world’s economy. South Africa wasn’t an exception. People there also faced salary cuts, layoffs, unpaid leaves, lockdowns, and troubles when buying basic food and products to survive. But, since they are a pretty strong and growing economy, their government makes every possible effort to recover from the emergency situation and get back to normal, so the people can work and earn money again.

Until 23 June, this country has more than 102,000 confirmed coronavirus cases. More than 53,000 of them already recovered from the disease, but sadly, 1,991 people had died due to COVID-19 complications.

To Conclude

This state is the economic powerhouse of Africa. No other country on the continent is as attractive to foreign investors. In the future, FDI is projected to grow thanks to the development of infrastructure. The South African Rand is traded on the currency exchange where it is valued against the US dollar.

Due to the global pandemic, the local economy has slowed down. The government has released support packages to keep businesses and the economy afloat. However, a rebound is projected to occur in the next five years. This means a long-term investment in local stocks can bring sizable returns.

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Online Rehab From South Africa Saving Lives of UK Citizens https://alongtheboards.com/2020/01/24/online-rehab-from-south-africa-saving-lives-of-uk-citizens/ Fri, 24 Jan 2020 18:16:19 +0000 https://alongtheboards.com/?p=22975 As you already know, each person in the world is different. From the way we look to what we enjoy doing in our leisure time, all the way to how we process different events and situations that occur in our life. So, when it comes to treating alcohol addiction, should you really limit yourself to […]

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As you already know, each person in the world is different. From the way we look to what we enjoy doing in our leisure time, all the way to how we process different events and situations that occur in our life. So, when it comes to treating alcohol addiction, should you really limit yourself to a program that will restrict you in so many ways?

That is why you might want to apply for an online rehab program, especially if you want to go through the entire process from the privacy of your own home. However, before taking a look at a particular online rehab website, the text below will first explain what online rehab programs are and the benefits that the programs can bring. Let’s take a closer look at the article:

What Are Online Rehab Programs?

These online programs are extremely similar to physical rehab centers, however, they are a little bit different in what they can provide you with. Of course, they still provide the communication and openness that individuals need, as well as the benefits, but since it is online, it will not have a physical aspect to it – like, for example, someone hugging you when you are facing something difficult or emotional.

The goal of these programs is to help people stop using substances, teach them how to cope better with the situations that prompt them to drink more, as well as teach people how to be more productive in everything they do. Although that sounds quite easy, it is, in fact, extremely difficult – and that is why most people opt for online programs for battling addiction.

Source: The Recover

What is Recovery Direct?

The goal of the people behind this website is to offer individuals with substance abuse problems a chance to beat their addiction with an easy-to-use and access, updated, and well-designed strategy. The process will require you to go through specific courses such as what might be holding your recovery back, how addiction works and what you should be aware of, as well as dealing with the past.

During the courses, two experts, Reto and Gary will guide you through the educational aspect of the treatment program – which has had some major success in effectively treating patients. The videos contain courses that include a wide range of things that will help you in determining what fuels your addiction, as well as how you can change some things that might cause you to excessively consume alcohol.

The best thing about this program is that you can access the materials 24/7 in the privacy of your own home. You will also be able to track and monitor your progression, read and study specific materials again, as well as know when you should progress to the next stage of your rehabilitation process.

How to Sign Up?

The sign-up process is rather simple, in fact, it is the same as signing up for any other website on the Internet. Firstly, you should open the website and click on the “Your Account” button. Once a form appears, it will ask you to provide an email for your account and once you do, a password will be sent to your email. From there, you can choose a course that you want to study and hopefully, you will start your journey to becoming healthy. If you want to see more information, check out recoverydirect.net.

Source: Coastal Detox

The Benefits You Can Gain

As previously mentioned, they are quite similar to physical rehabilitation facilities, however, they do offer some benefits that the traditional one cannot. These benefits include:

1. Saving Money and Time

Participating in the aforementioned program will allow you to save a lot of money and time. Now, you are probably wondering, how on earth will it help with that? Well, firstly, you will not have to travel to a rehab facility or to your meeting, meaning that you will save a lot of money on parking and gas.

Secondly, if you did not do some research before, you probably do not know that staying at a rehab facility costs thousands of dollars – which is something a lot of people cannot afford. Hence, it is a time and money efficient way to get rid of your addiction and become healthy.

2. You Can Participate in it From The Comfort of Your Home

An online program will allow you to go through the entire process without leaving your home. This means that you will not have to spend time away from your family members, friends, and work. Also, since you will be going through the process in your home, no one will really know about it – except if you choose to tell them.

3. You Will Learn More About Your Underlying Problems

Sometimes, people do not know what causes their addiction problems – and programs such as this one can help you determine and deal with the underlying problems. Most often, people realize that past trauma or stressful situations caused their addiction problems, hence, by effectively and properly dealing with those problems, they can continue their road to recovery.

4. It is Simple And Easy-to-Use

One of the biggest benefits is that you can easily access and use the course materials – which is something that is quite important for people battling drinking problems. The reason why it is important is that it is stress-free, meaning that you will not get overwhelmed by downloading content, as well as waiting for something to load.

Conclusion

One thing that you should remember is that overcoming any addiction starts with you. And, like everything else in life, getting rid of your addiction or recovering from it will not happen overnight. However, participating in an online rehab program will help you regain some control over your life and it will definitely help you fight it better.

So, now that you know everything there is about these online websites, do not waste any more time, and start searching for a program that will help you get back on track. And, remember – addiction is entirely treatable and by starting right away, you will be one step away from having a normal life.

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