BizNews Briefing – Sanlam and Ninety One’s R5bn deal; Restructuring portfolios Viljoen’s way

In this episode BizNews editor Alec Hogg and his guests provide context on the news that matters to your money from the mega deal between Sanlam and Ninety One through to expectations on Nvidia and growing vaccine hesitancy following Trump's RFK appointment. Plus structuring your portfolio the Piet Viljoen way – and sleep well despite the half dozen fresh threats to your financial well-being.

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Summarized topics of the Briefing

The BizNews Briefing, hosted by Alec Hogg and sponsored by Investec Business Banking, covered key market news and global developments:

1. Major Transaction:
   • Sanlam is exiting its active asset management business, transferring R400 billion in assets to Ninety-One in exchange for a 12.3% equity stake.
   • Market reactions: Sanlam's share price fell by 0.5%, while Ninety-One rose by 3%.
2. Other Business News:
   • Lesaka acquired Recharger for R507 million, boosting its stock by 4.3%.
   • PrimeServe shares rose 8.25% on strong half-year results.
   • Rhodes Food Group announced an 18% increase in headline earnings and a 79% higher dividend, driving shares up 7.9%.
   • Companies like PPC, Pick n Pay, and WeBuyCars reached new highs, while Bytes and Metair hit new lows.
3. Global Affairs:
   • Ukraine escalated its conflict with Russia by using British Storm Shadow missiles, raising fears of World War III. Analyst Clem Sunter estimates a 10–20% likelihood of such an event.
   • Key risks for global investments include geopolitical instability, Elon Musk's influence, Bitcoin's surge to $94,000, and Warren Buffett's shift to cash.
4. Market Highlights:
   • JSE Top 40 gained nearly 1%.
   • The Rand weakened slightly against the Dollar (R18.13) and Pound (R22.90).
   • Gold and Bitcoin saw modest increases.
5. Nvidia's Prospects:
   • Wall Street awaits Nvidia's results, with the focus on its new Blackwell chip. Melissa Otto, TMT Research Head at S&P, shared insights on the company.
6. Vaccine Hesitancy:
   • The appointment of vaccine skeptic RFK Jr. as the U.S. Health Department head has fueled vaccine hesitancy. Bloomberg's Sam Fazzelli discussed related concerns and the spread of misinformation.
7. Upcoming Features:
   • Two premieres on BizNewsTv:
     • Sean Peche (7 PM): A deep dive into Palantir, which has surged from $8 to over $60 in business model portfolios.
     • Piet Viljoen (8 PM): A masterclass on managing portfolios amid global uncertainty.

Read also:

• Trump 2.0: The implications for the US and South Africa
• Ninety One selected by Sanlam as single-managed assets' primary active manager
• BizNews Briefing – Safair's ownership problem coming to a head; Buffett selling big-time