Expanding your portfolio is always a good idea to consider and investing in Africa can be one option worth exploring. A South Africa ETF, for example, can be an interesting investment option for anyone seeking to expand into emerging markets or frontier markets.
Why Invest In South Africa?
While South Africa certainly faces obstacles, such as a high unemployment rate and high crime rate, there are many factors that can make investing in this country attractive to investors.
Despite high employment, South Africa’s economy is well-developed and the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) continues to grow every year. South Africa also has a growing middle class and with it, a thriving consumer market.
Compared with other African nations, South Africa has a highly skilled and well-educated workforce, and this can be attractive to multinational corporations looking to set up operations in the region. Additionally, the South African government has designed policies and initiatives to encourage investment both from domestic investors and foreign investors.
South Africa is rich in natural resources and is a top producer of gold and diamonds, as well as iron, uranium, silver, titanium, chromium and other much-in-demand resources. South Africa also boasts a well-developed infrastructure which can help to support continued economic growth.
South Africa’s government also is one of the most stable on the African continent. For all of these reasons, South Africa has been given emerging market status and is one of only two African nations listed as an emerging market, the other being Egypt, which also has a growing economy and relatively stable government.
In general, investors can put their money into developed markets, emerging markets or frontier markets. While no investment is without risk, developed markets tend to have the most stable economies and governments, which can help to limit risk. Still, while investing in emerging or frontier markets can be riskier, one also has the possibility of enjoying steady growth or even high yields from these investments.
Making an investment in Africa, in general, can be an excellent option for anyone looking for socially responsible investment (SRI) options. If you are interested in SRIs, you will want to look for options that adhere to specific environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards. An ESG investment would be one that is designed specifically for the socially conscious investor or an investor that wants to expand their portfolio to include some SRI options.
How To Invest In South Africa
With emerging markets and frontier markets, accessing stocks in individual companies is possible, but can be very difficult. So, while this is one option to consider, it’s usually easier for most investors to consider buying shares in a mutual fund or exchange-traded fund (ETF) that invests in South African businesses.
Both of these fund types are diversified with multiple holdings, which can reduce your overall risk and both can be purchased easily often through online brokerage firms without the need for an investment advisor. Mutual funds and ETFs often are index tracked, which means they seek to track specific market indices such as the MSCI South Africa 15/50 Index.
In some cases, the ETFs or mutual funds also might focus on a particular sector. For instance, you might find a mining ETF that focuses on natural resource mining and exploration. Other ETFs might focus on infrastructure or perhaps on agriculture or financial services while others might focus on a wide range of sectors in a specific country or region.
While both mutual funds and ETFs have their advantages and disadvantages, ETFs can be a great option for several reasons. ETFs are passively managed which means they typically have lower fees than mutual funds, which are actively managed by fund managers. ETFs are traded just like stocks, so you can buy and sell shares throughout the trading day unlike mutual funds, which have prices fixed at the end of each trading day.
As with any investment decision, future performance and future results are never guaranteed to be positive, so it is crucial that investors research each ETF carefully before purchasing shares.
Look at the historical performance data and the types of holdings and weighting of each holding within the fund. After purchasing shares, it is important to track the investment results and stay up-to-date on any news about the holdings in the fund.
There are several South Africa ETF options, and investors also could consider purchasing shares in a general Africa ETF or an emerging market or frontier markets ETF that includes some investments in South Africa.
Of course, a South Africa ETF is not your only option. Investors also can consider options such as a real estate investment trust (REIT) that invests in South African real estate. Private equity funds are another option, and with this option, you would be providing capital to growing businesses in exchange for a stake in ownership.
Venture capital firms and microfinance organizations also can be an option, although these tend to take a significant amount of capital and are more difficult to access for most investors.
Whether you opt for a South Africa ETF or another type of investment, spend time researching each investment opportunity carefully to ensure that you are making the best decisions for your portfolio and financial goals. Be sure to head back to Money Watch Africa regularly for updates about investments throughout the African continent.
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