Market Outlook 2025 – The Perils of Prediction and the Principles of Investing

Loading player...
This week, we explore the challenges of market prediction and investment strategies in its latest episode of the new underlying series called the Long Game with Adrian Saville – economist, investor, and academic. The discussion highlights why financial markets resist simple forecasts due to their dynamic and interconnected nature. In this instance, two works are considered by Saville.

The first piece of work comes from Bloomberg’s John Authers. At the end of each year, he writes an article for his imagined investment firm, Hindsight Capital, which makes fantastically astute decisions because they know – with the benefit of hindsight – what to buy and what to avoid. The fantasy shows just how hard it is to imagine what each year delivers. The second piece of work comes from Cliff Asness, co-founder of AQR Capital Management, who, in a recent article leaps forward a decade, imagining the errors that will become evident in hindsight by 2035.

Drawing on these two works, the episode tackles the futility of prediction and the importance of building resilient investment portfolios from the get-go.
The conversation also delves into current market trends, including risks in the US equity rally, debt challenges with US Treasuries, and China’s economic slowdown and potential parallels with Japan..

Emphasising discipline and preparation, the podcast offers actionable insights to help investors align portfolios with their long-term goals.
22 Jan English South Africa Investing

Other recent episodes

The Long Game: The new trade order is forcing investors to rethink everything

In the latest episode of Money, Markets and Masterminds, academic and investment specialist Adrian Saville returns to the Citywire South Africa studio for a wide-ranging conversation on what he calls a ‘Through the Looking Glass’ moment in global economics. Drawing parallels with Lewis Carroll’s surreal classic, Saville argues that the…
8 May 15 min

Betting on Beijing – Why China may be the smartest risk SA investors can take

Is it time for South African pension funds and private investors to reassess their bias toward developed markets – especially the US – and look to the East? In this double interview, Citywire South Africa speaks with RisCura founder and director Jarred Glansbeek and Altvest chief investment officer Akshay Karan…
24 Apr 29 min

Best practice leads to better advice

Behind every piece of great advice is a solid foundation. In this episode of Money, Markets, and Masterminds, Citywire South Africa sits down with Rita Cool, the head of individual consulting strategy and part of the Best Practice division at Alexforbes, to discuss what best practice really means for financial…
16 Apr 12 min

Is it time-out for Trump’s tantrum?

In this episode of Money, Markets & Masterminds, Citywire South Africa is joined by Morningstar SA’s head of investment Sean Neethling to unpack the so-called Trump tariff tantrum. With sweeping US tariffs hitting markets globally – and South Africa not spared – we explore what this geopolitical jolt means for…
10 Apr 16 min

How to Trump-proof your portfolio

In this episode of Money, Markets, and Masterminds, Citywire South Africa sits down with Chantelle Baptiste, portfolio manager and head of equity research at Fairtree, to discuss the biggest financial trends shaping 2025. With market swings following every Trump statement, growing policy uncertainty, and South Africa’s own economic challenges, how…
18 Mar 18 min