Volatility, inflation, financial (in)stability, sound investing, but what does this mean for folk like us?
On Wednesday 6 September, Maarten Ackerman, chief economist at Citadel, will demystify these concepts for members of the University of the Third Age (U3A) Helderberg and visitors during its monthly meeting at the Strand Town Hall at 10:00.
If this is foreign territory to you, a subject you prefer to leave to someone else to sort out, someone more knowledgeable, smarter when it comes to money, then this is an opportunity you have to grasp with both hands!
While many may feel daunted by financial terminology and the financial world, we all have dreams and expectations which, however modest, will need some financial resources to realise. There are many folk and institutions offering advice and investment opportunities, so it is wise to be at least somewhat informed on financial matters and the workings of the financial world.
Ackerman’s address will enlighten the audience regarding this vast and essential industry. He will focus on the factors that drive volatility in the economy and financial markets and what that means for us, South African investors, who want to protect our investments and whatever financial resources we may have.
Ackerman says it seems this year will continue to be economically volatile. The US and Europe are dealing with sticky inflation and record-high interest rates, and South Africa is struggling to keep the lights on, putting pressure on the local economy. Also, geopolitical tensions continue to dominate the headlines.
Ackerman joined Citadel in October 2003 and is part of the advisory and asset management teams.
He is responsible for global and local economic strategy and portfolio construction and manages the Citadel range of Objective Matching Portfolios. He is an advisor to several Citadel clients. He is also a member of the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investments in London and a faculty member at Stellenbosch University’s Business School’s Executive Development. He holds a master’s degree in econometrics from the University of Pretoria, and has lectured at the universities of Pretoria and Stellenbosch before joining the Bureau for Economic Research in 1998, when he focused on macro-econometric forecasting. Before joining Citadel he was a portfolio manager at Peregrine Quant from 1999 to 2003.
Entry for U3A members is free; visitors pay R20 at the door. For enquiries, contact Denise Fourie on 072 211 1173.
