Flagship Asset Management

30/07/2025

What has been the JSE's top-performing stock since September 2023 with gains exceeding 400%?

Answer: Blue Label Telecoms

Why aren't more investors talking about it?

The complex accounting structure of the company has deterred many investors, creating a compelling investment opportunity, according to global portfolio manager, Philip Short.

Even more exciting is that Blue Label Telecoms is poised for another potential doubling, as the company prepares for a major restructuring of its Cell C subsidiary within the next six months.

Our mission is to be the navigators and global authority of your complete investment future, wherever it may lead.

22/07/2025

The convergence of immediate military crises and structural geopolitical realignment has created the most compelling investment environment for defence stocks in decades.

According to global portfolio manager, JD Hayward, this promises to be not just a cyclical opportunity, but a fundamental reshaping of the global security architecture, that will drive sustained defence spending growth for years to come.

Read JD's thoughts to find out why he believes this to be the case or listen to his interview with Moneyweb.

Our mission is to be the navigators and global authority of your complete investment future, wherever it may lead.

15/07/2025

US equity indices followed on from strong performances in May to close the 2nd quarter well in the green. The S&P 500 closed 5.1% higher for a total gain of 10.9% during the quarter - a new all-time high.

US fiscal concerns remain front and centre, reflected in the US Dollar hitting multi-year lows against a basket of peers, mainly driven by concerns around Trump’s tariffs and his Big Beautiful Bill.

The JSE All Share index also continued its strong performance, rising 2.4% during the month, resulting in a quarterly gain of 10.2%.

Read more about these and other significant world events in our June 2025 monthly commentary.

Our mission is to be the navigators and global authority of your complete investment future, wherever it may lead.

06/06/2025

Market volatility continues, but at least it was to the upside during May.

US markets rallied this month, with the S&P 500 gaining 6.3%, while the Nasdaq was up 9.7%. It was the S&P’s strongest month since 2023.

In the UK, the FTSE 100 gained 3.8%, while Europe’s Stoxx 50 rose by 4%. In the East, Japan’s Nikkei ended 5.3% higher, while the Hang Seng rallied nearly 6%.

This performance was mainly driven by the easing of tariff-tensions between China and the US.

Despite the apparent optimism in the market, we note that several other indicators remain weak.

Read more about these and other significant world events in our May 2025 monthly commentary.

Our mission is to be the navigators and global authority of your complete investment future, wherever it may lead.

09/05/2025

Investors who thought the first quarter was volatile were in for a nasty surprise at the start of the second quarter.

April started with one of the steepest two-day declines in market history as the S&P 500 plunged 10%, on par with Black Monday in 1987, the Lehman Brothers rout in 2008, and the Covid plunge in 2020. Both the Nasdaq and S&P 500 briefly flirted with bear markets. The S&P went on to record its worst four-day loss since the 1950’s yet managed to end the month only 0.7% lower while the Nasdaq composite ended in the green, gaining 0.9%.

The main reason for stocks recovering most of their early losses were the postponement (again) of US tariffs. The 90-day reprieve gives negotiators more time to piece together trade deals. On the back of this optimism, the Nasdaq Composite recorded its best day in 24 years, rising more than 12% on the day. The S&P 500 rose more than 9.5%, its biggest move since 2008.

The combination of aggressive retail buying, mixed with hedge fund short covering, led to the biggest ever trading volume on 9th April, with nearly 30 billion shares changing hands on the day.

Read more about this and other significant world events in our April 2025 monthly commentary.

Our mission is to be the navigators and global authority of your complete investment future, wherever it may lead.

23/04/2025

With headlines like this, "Global Market Meltdown Deepens as Tariff Turmoil Spreads," we are acutely aware of President Trump's decision to launch a global tariff war, resulting in major market volatility.

Whether you buy into the long-term theory that the Trump administration is creating a market correction in order to bring down interest rates and bond yields, (which will benefit the average American on the street as well as ultimately decrease the size of the US deficit) or not, there are other 'MAGA' strategies of interest, such as the desire for US energy independence through aggressive oil and gas production.

Global Portfolio Manager, JD Hayward, CFA, highlights the rapidly evolving US energy landscape in his latest article, published in Glacier by Sanlam.

Breakthroughs in fracking and horizontal drilling have positioned the US as the world's leading natural gas producer and, as of 2023, the largest LNG exporter. Natural gas now accounts for nearly 45% of US electricity generation, surpassing coal, though political and regulatory changes continue to influence the industry.

If you want to focus on long-term investment opportunities and take a break from the current market turmoil, you will enjoy reading JD’s outlook for US natural gas.

Our mission is to be the navigators and global authority of your complete investment future, wherever it may lead.

10/04/2025

Global equity markets experienced a torrid month to close the 1st quarter of 2025.

The past month has been all about Trump’s tariffs, resulting in a bloodbath in markets during the first week of April. The S&P dropped more than 9% and the Nasdaq more than 10% in a single week, marking the S&P’s worst week since the COVID-selloff in 2020.

Local markets fared better than their global peers. The ALSI was up 3.6% for the month, with the resources index rising by a staggering 18.55%.

Read more about this and other significant world events in our March 2025 monthly commentary.

Our mission is to be the navigators and global authority of your complete investment future, wherever it may lead.

10/03/2025

INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY: Apply before 30 May 2025

We invite students in their final year of study to apply for our 2-week winter internship program: https://flagshipsa.com/internship-programme/

07/03/2025

Congratulations to Niall Brown, who won the best South African Multi-Asset Flexible Fund award at the inaugural FundHub Industry Performance Awards!

His Flagship IP Flexible Value Fund ranked first out of seven hundred funds over five years to December 2024.

Learn more about his fund here: https://flagshipsa.com/domestic-specialist-mandates/

12/02/2025

This is Flagship value manager Niall Brown's third consecutive Raging Bull nomination for the Flagship IP Flexible Value Fund, having won 4 Raging Bull Awards for his fund over the past 20 years.

Visit our website to find out more about his award-winning fund:
https://flagshipsa.com/domestic-specialist-mandates/

10/02/2025

Equity markets across the globe enjoyed a strong start to the new year.

In the US, the S&P 500 increased by 2.8%. In fact, Japan’s Nikkei 225 was one of the few indices to close the month in the red, declining by 0.8%.

News flow during the month, predictably, was dominated by Donald Trump, who started his term with a flurry of executive orders.

Adding to the month-end volatility was news of DeepSeek AI, a Chinese rival to the West’s perceived AI-dominance, which cast doubt on all previous AI-related assumptions

South Africa, as part of BRICS, did not escape Trump’s wrath, and yet, the JSE All Share managed to have a positive month, gaining 2.3%

Read more about this and other significant world events in our January 2025 monthly commentary.

Our mission is to be the navigators and global authority of your complete investment future, wherever it may lead.