STANLIB Podcasts

In this podcast, STANLIB’s Chief Economist, Kevin Lings, discusses the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) decision to keep interest rates on hold, despite a surprising slowing of inflation in August to 3.3% y/y from 3.5%. He considers underlying trends in inflation and the dilemma facing the SARB. He also discusses the rationale for the 25 bps cut in the US and the future trajectory for US rates. S...

In this episode of The More You Know, Chetan Ramlall explores how exponential data growth is transforming investment strategy. With global data volumes nearing 200 zettabytes, the challenge is no longer access, but interpretation. Learn how systematic investing blends fundamentals, sentiment, and macro context to build smarter portfolios. The future isn’t man versus machine. It’s man and machine....

In this podcast, STANLIB’s Chief Economist, Kevin Lings, explores the factors that drove the 0.8% q/q growth in SA’s GDP in Q2 2025, which was above expectations and better than the Q1 performance. He also looks at the underlying drivers of the rising trend in US inflation – which are not at present high import tariffs – and the US Federal Reserve’s changing approach towards interest rate cuts. Cl...

In this podcast, STANLIB’s Chief Economist, Kevin Lings, explores a wide range of data on the US labour market. The statistics show that, as a result of President Trump’s tariff policies, jobs are being lost and the economy is under pressure. In response, the US Federal Reserve is expected to cut interest rates twice this year and again in 2026. Kevin also discusses whether these higher tariffs ar...

In episode 2 of The More You Know, Rademeyer Vermaak explains how STANLIB Asset Management’s systematic investing approach blends data, discipline and human insight to build resilient portfolios. Watch now to rethink how equity portfolios are built. STANLIB is an authorised Financial Services Provider in terms of the FAIS Act and a registered Manager in terms of CISCA. Please refer to MDD/Factshee...

In this podcast, STANLIB’s Chief Economist, Kevin Lings, talks about revenue and expenditure data for July, with revenue holding up well and expenditure slightly behind budget. He also discusses concerns that the US’s 30% tariff could hurt SA’s export performance. Click here to listen to the podcast. STANLIB Asset Management (Pty) Ltd is an authorised Financial Services Provider in terms of the FA...

South Africa’s money market industry is well-developed and globally competitive, with active trading in instruments like floating rate notes linked to local benchmarks such as JIBAR. Although floating rate notes are common in markets such as the US and UK, South Africa’s market exhibits distinct structural features and investor preferences. In this episode of STANLIB Corporate Conversations, Charl...

In this podcast, STANLIB Chief Economist, Kevin Lings, talks about Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s recent address at the Jackson Hole Symposium, where he indicates a notable shift in the Fed’s policy emphasis from managing inflation risks to addressing emerging weaknesses in the US labour market. This could signal the beginning of a new interest rate cutting cycle, with markets now pricing i...

Head of STANLIB Multi Asset, Marius Oberholzer, chats to Jeremy Maggs about the prevailing highly charged sentiment in markets. A once-in-a-generation structural shift is occurring, says Marius, and it is not the time to stay out of the market. He discusses how STANLIB responds to risk, and touches on key themes such as US tariffs, China’s economic outlook and commodities price surges.

In this podcast, STANLIB’s Chief Economist, Kevin Lings, looks closely at underlying US inflation and labour trends. Inflation shows a clear drift upwards as a result of tariffs, while labour market signals are uncertain, presenting a dilemma for the US Federal Reserve in determining interest rates. Kevin also examines SA’s surprising uplift in economic performance in Q2 2025. Click here to listen...

In this podcast, STANLIB’s Chief Economist, Kevin Lings, explores some of the outstanding issues in US tariff implementation. He also discusses the early signs of how the effective tariff into the US of 18.6%, against below 3% a year ago, will affect consumer spending, inflation, economic growth and interest rates. Click here to listen to the podcast. STANLIB Asset Management (Pty) Ltd is an autho...

Marius Oberholzer, Head of STANLIB Multi-Asset, says chaotic announcements on US tariffs caused wild swings in markets at the start of Q2, but by July asset prices were heading for new highs. The Multi-Asset team has become more cautious in its equity exposure since December, given policy uncertainty, and its bottom-up strategy in this environment. He also discusses the continued attractiveness of...

In this podcast, Sylvester Kobo, Deputy Head of STANLIB Fixed Income, describes how the team’s views evolved through Q2 2025. After the US Liberation Day announcements, duration in the STANLIB Flexible Income Fund was reduced from three to about 1.5 years. With continuing uncertainty over tariffs, the fund maintains a defensive position, but its allocation to cash and inflation-linked bonds helped...

In Q2 2025, the SA equity market was largely driven by an irrational surge in positive sentiment towards gold and platinum group metals stocks, which was not justified by company fundamentals. In this podcast, Rademeyer Vermaak, Head of STANLIB Systematic Solutions, analyses the impact on the short-term performance of the STANLIB Enhanced Multi Style Equity Fund in Q2 2025. Rademeyer says the team...

In Q2, there was a wider dispersion between the winners and the losers, says Amit Parmar investment specialist in J.P. Morgan Asset Management’s International Equity Group, which co-manages the STANLIB Global Select Fund’s strategy. In this podcast, he discusses the performance and adjustments made to the stocks within the global select portfolio, the team’s views on how these stocks will perform...

Corporate SA’s debt levels have plunged to a 19-year low, leaving balance sheets flush with nearly R1.5 trillion in largely undeployed cash reserves. What’s driving this cautious capital positioning, and where is all that money going? In this episode, Charlene Klöhn, Head of Corporate Cash Solutions at STANLIB is joined by Kevin Lings, STANLIB Chief Economist, to unpack the shifting dynamics in th...

The SA Reserve Bank has cut the repo rate by 25 bps to 7% and said it would focus on achieving 3% inflation. In this podcast, STANLIB’s Chief Economist, Kevin Lings, analyses the benefits and timing of the new goal. He also unravels the emerging slowdown in US job creation, which has raised concerns and changed the outlook for US interest rates. Click here to listen to the podcast. STANLIB Asset M...

With SA’s inflation rate lifting to 3% in June, STANLIB’s Chief Economist Kevin Lings looks at the main categories driving inflation upwards and the likelihood of the economy achieving the Reserve Bank’s 3% target. He also examines some of the recent tariff agreements announced between the US and various trading partners and what this means for US inflation, economic growth and future global tradi...

In this podcast, STANLIB’s Chief Economist, Kevin Lings, touches on China’s sustained economic growth, largely on the back of strong exports as it is selling to other markets and using them as a conduit to the US. He also discusses the 2.7% y/y inflation rate in the US in June, which is likely to escalate above 3% as import tariffs bite. As a result of continuing uncertainty, the US Federal Reserv...

In this podcast, STANLIB’s Chief Economist, Kevin Lings, discusses President Trump’s extension of the deadline to 1 August to 20 countries to negotiate trade deals with the US or face tariffs of 30-40%. The threat raises various uncertainties: around the limited time to negotiate, what the final tariffs will be, implications of the tariff on copper, and contradictions in the threats he has made to...

In this podcast, STANLIB’s Chief Economist, Kevin Lings, analyses latest US jobs data, which showed 147 000 jobs were created in May, above market expectations, while the unemployment rate fell to 4.1%. However, the private sector contributed about half the normal number of jobs and other surveys showed a similar softening trend in job creation. Kevin explores some of the factors behind this trend...

In this podcast, STANLIB’s Chief Economist, Kevin Lings, examines various indicators of a slowdown in the US economy, whether it is experiencing inflationary pressures and the possibility of the US Federal Reserve cutting rates. He also analyses positive and negative data releases in SA last week, including a fall in the Producer Price Index (PPI) but an increase in unemployment. Click here to lis...

In this podcast, STANLIB’s Chief Economist, Kevin Lings, points out that SA’s May CPI rate, at 2.8%, shows inflation remains well under control, although there is likely to be pressure in coming months from higher food and oil prices. He discusses what this means for the SARB’s plans to launch a new inflation target of 3% later this year. The US Federal Reserve’s latest decision to keep interest r...

Welcome to the STANLIB Corporate Conversations Podcast Series – our newest resource designed to offer timely, expert insights into the forces shaping financial and fixed income markets. Our first episode focuses on a significant development in South Africa’s financial landscape — the transition from the long-standing Johannesburg Interbank Average Rate (JIBAR) to the South African Rand Overnight I...

In Q1 2025, the South African economy grew by 0.1% q/q and by 0.8% y/y. Over 10 years, it has grown by 0.7% a year on average while the population is growing at 1.4% a year. STANLIB Chief Economist Kevin Lings discusses sector-specific performances and policies that could stimulate growth, including infrastructure investment and deregulation. Latest US labour market data shows the economy continue...