*This content is brought to you by Shyft, the global money app, powered by Standard Bank.
Markets are known to be unpredictable, which means even the most experienced investors can battle to make the right choices. Apart from getting professional advice, it’s not a bad idea to follow some trustworthy influencers as you embark on your investment journey.
Markets have been a rollercoaster these past few weeks. Oil prices have spiked (good news if you’ve invested in petrochemicals), while pandemic darlings (hello, Zoom) have continued their slide back to reality. Even seasoned investors are feeling the strain as equities and currencies go haywire. What are regular folks and armchair investors meant to do? What advice do you take when nothing is “normal”, and the regular rules no longer seem to apply?
In any volatile period – for both domestic and global markets – it is best to spread the net and look to a variety of sources for financial insights. A growing number of young people are consulting not just a financial advisor, but looking online for tips and advice. As pointed out in a recent Nasdaq blog post, “Given the exponential growth of the influencer industry across Instagram and TikTok, the rapid influx of young retail investors into the stock and crypto markets, and the recent explosion of hype-based trading, the stage is set for Gen Z to follow the footsteps of Millennials on r/wallstreetbets by entering into the world of amateur-advised investing.”
But who to trust?
In life – and investing – it’s always wise to take into account a variety of viewpoints. That means that while you may be getting the best professional advice from your financial advisor, you can also keep abreast with what other influencers are saying.
Anonymous subreddits and online communities aren’t necessarily the best places to go to for trustworthy tips, but there is a growing band of social media influencers who offer advice that you can – within reason – take to the bank.
Don’t be too quick to discount the power of Reddit on the stock market, though. Remember 2021’s GameStop fiasco? Traditional investment managers do. As the Nasdaq blog notes: “If we learned anything from January’s GameStop stock price chaos, it’s that we should never underestimate the power of young people on the internet. That historical moment has forever changed the dynamics of investing, and it all began with an online movement that toppled a hedge fund.”
Real talk, real value
Here, then, is a shortlist of local and global influencers whose insights will add real value to your feed.
- Nicolette Mashile is not a financial advisor or planner… but South Africa’s Financial Bunny hosts excellent – and honest – conversations about personal finance on her blog and via video on her social channels. financialbunny.co.za
- Maya Fisher-French is a multi-award-winning financial journalist, who offers relatable and actional advice on her various channels. She won’t tell you where to invest, but she will show you why and how. mayaonmoney.co.za
- Robert Ross is a professional stock analyst who simplifies complex topics and provides global (mostly US) investment advice to a growing audience on TikTok and Instagram. @tik.stocks
- Taylor Price is a wildly popular TikTok influencer whose financial education videos boil down tricky topics – like retirement planning, cryptocurrencies and so on – into 15-second basics. @PricelessTay
- Alec Hogg, founder and editor of BizNews, is a treasure trove of news and insights, with a podcast (The Alec Hogg Show) featuring interesting biographies, and a monthly share portfolio webinar on BizNewsTv in which he shares updates on the performance of his Shyft portfolio. biznews.com
- Nokuhle Kumalo is a South African personal finance Instagrammer and YouTuber who mixes quirky clips of her friends and family with insights around finance and investing – from how to buy shares to (inevitably) how to make money on Instagram. @nokuhle_kumalo
- The Motley Fool was an influencer before influencers were a thing. The US-based blog has been dishing out investment insights to millions of people for over 25 years, and has since expanded into every social platform you can imagine. (Yes, even Pinterest!) fool.com
- Koshiek Karan engages with SA’s young professionals as Twitter’s “go-to finance guy”. He’s an investment banker turned entrepreneur and is one of the co-founders behind BankerX, a technology company committed to solving urgent economic challenges through financial education and empowerment. @iamkoshiek; @bankerx
- The Big Picture is US wealth manager Barry Ritholtz’s blog and podcast space – and it brings all the Wall Street swagger you’d expect. It can get technical at times, but that’s the point: if investing was simple, we’d all be billionaires. ritholtz.com
- Peter Bruce is the former editor-in-chief of Business Day and Financial Mail… so he’s been around the block, and he knows who owns all the buildings. Follow him on Twitter or tune into his podcasts. @bruceps
- The Trading Game is an under-the-radar TikTok account that’s well worth investigating. Their videos explain the math behind things like shares and dividends, while their trading simulator lets you learn the ropes without using (and possibly losing) real money. @TheTradingGame
- The Financial Coach is South African financial advisor Gregg Sneddon’s blog. He probably wouldn’t think of himself as an influencer, but his useful and honest insights around the local market are invaluable. thefinancialcoach.co.za
- Finally, MyWallStreet takes the jargon out of global (mostly US) stocks, mixing educational content with up-to-the-minute analysis of market trends. If you’re a global citizen, this one should be a regular visit. mywallst.com
Opportunity knocking
When it comes to investing, knowing where to find credible insights and unbiased advice is half the battle. There’s a world of opportunities out there, and every day brings new opportunities to make (or lose!) money.
Having access to those opportunities is the other half – and that’s where the Shyft app comes in. Shyft’s investment platform gives you access to shares in top listed companies, on global indices like the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq-100.
Looking for a little hand-holding to get you started? Check out Lockstep (https://www.lockstepinvesting.com/shyft). A group of asset managers, they use their years of experience to research, analyse, and invest their own money into stocks available via the Shyft app. Lockstep then shares their portfolio, insights and learnings with you, so you can invest too. You’ll have access to their professionally managed portfolio of NYSE and NASDAQ-listed businesses when you become a member.
Using the collective wisdom of these influencers (plus, of course, that of a financial advisor and your own common sense), you can figure out a balanced investment strategy and explore the investment options on the Shyft platform at getshyft.co.za.
This post was sponsored by Shyft, the global money app, powered by Standard Bank. With Shyft you can buy forex instantly anytime, anywhere, and at the best rates, and invest in top US stocks and ETFs. Shyft was named Best Financial Solution at the 2021 MTN Business App of the Year Awards. Visit Shyft to download it now, no matter where you bank. Shyft operates under the license of The Standard Bank of South Africa Limited, an authorised Financial Services Provider (FSP number 11287).
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