The devastating drought, characterised by the lowest rainfall since 1904 and a sharp fall in dam levels during the 2015/16 production season has caused a 21% drop in the production of South Africa’s most precious fruit export – oranges. There is however a lot more that is impacting this fruit than just the recent drought. Oranges are by far the most precious of the important fruit industry in South Africa. In the 2016/17 season in a year in which the drought was at its peak saw the total … [Read more...] about Are Oranges Becoming Lemons?
fnb
Rental property buying mistakes to avoid
Once you have done research and made up your mind about going for high rental yields instead of high capital growth properties, the next step is to master the process of picking the right investment property. Praven Subbramoney, CEO of Private Bank Lending at FNB, says many inexperienced investors often get it wrong when choosing the first few rental properties, which is both costly and not ideal when starting to build a portfolio. He points out five mistakes to avoid when choosing the … [Read more...] about Rental property buying mistakes to avoid
What makes a franchise recession proof?
Over the past four years the franchising sector has displayed resilience, consistently growing its contribution to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from 9.7% in 2014 to its present contribution of 13.3% - an upward trend that is most likely to continue despite the lackluster economy. The current growth of 13.3% is broken down by the Franchise Association of South Africa (FASA) as follows: The largest franchise system is the Fast Foods and Restaurant category (25%). The Retail … [Read more...] about What makes a franchise recession proof?
The binary art of selling
Opinion piece by Dr Yudhvir Seetharam, Head of Analytics at FNB: We often mention that we live in the digital age, where information flows at faster speeds, is more complex and is more accessible. As much as this information can be analysed by businesses to make better informed decisions, the real question is, is there room to alter the sales landscape? South Africa has roughly 52% of the population that use the internet, with 70% mobile penetration. With more than half the population … [Read more...] about The binary art of selling
What happens to life cover after divorce?
Many individuals who get married place emphasis on taking out life cover to protect their families in the unfortunate event of death. However, when going through the emotional stages of a divorce, reviewing and updating your life policy can often be the last thing on your mind. Lee Bromfield, CEO of FNB Life says, similar to the process of entering into a marriage contract, partners should factor in unfortunate circumstances like a divorce when taking out life insurance for their families, … [Read more...] about What happens to life cover after divorce?
Timely Advice Ahead of Taking a Loan
In South Africa, access to credit plays an important role in advancing financial inclusion. That is why it’s important for anyone applying for a Personal Loan to have a basic understanding of how to best set themselves up to qualify. Emma Mer, CEO of FNB Personal Loans, says “A Personal Loan is a great product to use to finance home renovations, vehicle related purchases, education and life events such as a wedding or the birth of a baby. With FNB, the product is easy to access and its fixed … [Read more...] about Timely Advice Ahead of Taking a Loan
The startling effect of paying just R100 extra on your bond
The substantial amount of debt owed on a home loan can often startle consumers making it seem pointless to pay anything extra, as it may take decades to settle the amount outstanding. Dr Simphiwe Madikizela, Head of Special Projects at FNB Housing Finance, says what many consumers don’t realise is that even paying as little as R50 extra on your bond, you can immediately start saving on interest. By paying R50 extra on a R500 000 Home Loan on a 10.25% interest rate for 20 years, you will be … [Read more...] about The startling effect of paying just R100 extra on your bond
Invest in yourself first
‘Investing’ is a concept that is often misunderstood as requiring extensive financial and industry knowledge coupled with years of experience. This for many is seen as a major stumbling block as opposed to an opportunity to learn the ‘art of investing’. “There is no right time to learn about investing, than now” says Ester Ochse, Product Specialist at FNB Financial Advisory. “Anyone can invest as long as they are willing to stay in it for the long-term and match their risk appetite with the … [Read more...] about Invest in yourself first
Building wealth through entrepreneurship
23 August 2017: A common discipline that high-net-worth individuals share when building and sustaining wealth for future generations is the appreciation for entrepreneurship. Eric Enslin, CEO of FNB Private Wealth and RMB Private Bank, says almost every wealth management strategy encompasses some form of entrepreneurship. “For families who have already made their fortunes, emphasis is often placed on passing on legacies to a younger generation of leaders who will be responsible for … [Read more...] about Building wealth through entrepreneurship
Can Business make sense of 98 000 tweets, 695 000 Facebook updates, 11 million instant messages and 168 million emails?
Every 60 seconds, the world creates an average of 98 000 tweets, 695 000 Facebook updates, 11 million instant messages, 168 million emails and over 1,820 terabytes of data. The modern day business has to search through all of this to find trends to build products and services to respond to, so more and more, business analysis is moving away from the “disruptive innovation” fad and more into a balanced approach where business uses data and information to decide on whether to optimise the systems … [Read more...] about Can Business make sense of 98 000 tweets, 695 000 Facebook updates, 11 million instant messages and 168 million emails?
4 Tips to consider BEFORE switching your home loan
If you ever find yourself pondering the prospect of switching your home loan to another bank, it is essential that you do your homework. Stanley Mabulu, Head of Sales at FNB Home Loans says lenders have made it easier for consumers to switch home loans, provided that they meet all the criteria and requirements. “There are many reasons why consumers consider switching, such as getting better service and value, favourable interest rates, consolidating finances when getting married and long … [Read more...] about 4 Tips to consider BEFORE switching your home loan
Pros and Cons of a joint home loan
At some stage in life everyone aspires to have a home of their own, but circumstances such as not earning enough income to qualify for a bond can often come in the way. Fortunately, banks do allow individuals to apply for home loans jointly to be able to realise their dreams. Dr Simphiwe Madikizela, Head of Special Projects at FNB Housing Finance says a joint application can help increase your chances of qualifying as both parties’ incomes and expenses are taken into account to assess the … [Read more...] about Pros and Cons of a joint home loan
Let the Honey Flow from the Hive even amidst these concerns
This product is the beekeepers dream, turn a tap right on your beehive and watch pure fresh honey flow right out of your FLOW hive and into your Jar! No mess no fuss and the bees are hardly disturbed in the Flow Hive* Honey production is a relatively small market internationally, even more so here in South Africa. Over the last couple of years, a combination of factors, highlighted by recent droughts, has led to a decreased availability of honey, which translates to increased prices and a local … [Read more...] about Let the Honey Flow from the Hive even amidst these concerns
So you want to be credit smart?
Good money management does not only mean building up savings to meet your goals, it’s also about being able to use credit responsibly to help you achieve your goals. Emma Mer, CEO of FNB Personal Loans says the average South African adult can relate to a situation where they require access to money to solve for a specific need, and a Personal Loan is often the ideal product because of its structured repayment term and ease of accessibility. “Whether it’s to cover a shortfall in your … [Read more...] about So you want to be credit smart?
Pledge Signed to Improve Access to Finance for Black Industrialists
The Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr. Rob Davies together with First National Bank (FNB) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Public Sector Banking, Mr Kgosi Ledimo have today signed a pledge that will improve access to finance for Black Industrialists (BI) to fast-track accelerated economic transformation at a ceremony that was held in Johannesburg. Speaking at the event, Davies outlined that the partnership will see the two entities share information regarding various products offered by the … [Read more...] about Pledge Signed to Improve Access to Finance for Black Industrialists
