Foord Asset Management

China’s economic challenges are well documented. But do the headlines tell the whole story?
 
Following a recent trip to China, Foord’s South African CIO, Nick Balkin, joins Linda Eedes to discuss the country’s technological innovation, intense competition and investment opportunities.
 
They explore why individual businesses can thrive despite subdued economic growth, the importance of competitive advantage and valuation, and the risks investors need to weigh.
 
The key takeaway? Investing in China is not about buying into the whole economic story. It is about finding quality businesses, understanding their strengths and paying the right price.

South Africans vote in municipal elections on 4 November, but the political shifts at play reach well beyond local government. Join the conversation with Foord portfolio manager Nancy Hossack and political economist Frans Cronje to look at where power is moving in South Africa. 
 
They talk about coalition stability, the ANC’s next chapter, South Africa’s changing relationship with the US, and what these shifts could mean for the next national elections.

Owning more investments does not necessarily mean you are diversified. The ten largest companies now make up around 40% of the S&P 500, while South Africa’s market carries its own concentration risk through gold and precious-metals shares. 
 
In this episode, Linda Eedes examines why portfolios can hold many securities yet remain exposed to the same economic story. She explains why diversification may look like underperformance while a concentrated trade keeps winning, but remains essential to managing permanent capital loss and compounding wealth over time.

Has US exceptionalism gone too far?  
 
Portfolio managers Brian Arcese and Ishreth Hassen discuss US market concentration, US equity valuations and the risks of global portfolios becoming increasingly exposed to one market, one currency and one investment theme. 
 
From the valuation gap between the US and Asia to overlooked businesses in markets such as Korea, India and Indonesia, they discuss how patient, bottom-up investing can uncover compelling opportunities that many global investors may be missing.

The predictions that artificial intelligence would make entire professions redundant were confident. But jobs in areas thought to be most vulnerable have still not disappeared as expected, and businesses are increasingly training employees to use AI more effectively.
 
In this episode, Linda Eedes considers what AI’s evolving impact on employment reveals about forecasting the future. From valuation discipline and diversification to finding opportunity among perceived “AI losers”, she explains why investors should remain open to multiple outcomes and build portfolios that do not depend on one prediction being precisely right.