Welcome to the all-new Seed Analytics newsletter!
You’re receiving this because you signed up for the Seed Analytics newsletter a while back. Sorry we haven’t been as active, but we are back with a brand-new weekly format we know you will love — just look at the juicy content we put together for you…
Did you hear? Minister Enoch Godongwana presented the medium-term budget policy statement yesterday, confirming a move to 3% inflation target (lower yields, stronger bonds, cheaper credit) and tighter tax enforcement, including a possible reform in how funds are taxed in SA.
This week in Seed Analytics Advisor Connect:
Upcoming events: chances to network & connect.
10 most popular funds with Seed Analytics advisors.
Corporate team getaways in the Klein Karoo.
New opportunities & jobs for you to explore.
Broker fees, ratings lift & tech as path to profit.
Prompt of the week: Exciting fund summaries.
Take Note
Coffee & Tea Socials – JHB 16 Nov, 7 AM — Monthly gathering at Bean Café Rivonia, celebrating Joburg’s best local brews. Enjoy artisan coffee, tea, and snacks while meeting fellow enthusiasts. Info here.
Kyalami Business Network – JHB 19 Nov, 8 AM — Free morning meetup at Doppio Zero, Kyalami Corner. Network over coffee, swap ideas, and pick up a quick business growth tip. Register here.
Pinelands Toastmasters – CPT 20 Nov, 6:30 PM — Hybrid public speaking club at SASNEV Building or via Zoom. Free to attend, visitors welcome to grow their confidence in a supportive space. Details here.
The 10 Most Popular Funds Among Advisors Right Now
Where South Africa’s advisors are putting their clients’ money…
At Seed Analytics, we use data to help advisors optimise their portfolios every month. And this week, we pulled a snapshot of the ten funds that appear most often across advisor books — showing where the industry is putting its trust right now.
Here’s what we found:
1. Allan Gray Balanced Fund
A long-time favourite. Advisors choose it for its disciplined long-term approach and ability to balance growth and capital protection.
2. Coronation Balanced Plus Fund
This flagship growth fund continues to anchor many portfolios thanks to its active stock-picking and proven track record across cycles.
3. Coronation Balanced Defensive Fund
Built for conservative clients, it’s prized for smoothing out volatility and providing steady, inflation-beating returns.
4. Coronation Strategic Income Fund
A staple for income-focused investors. Advisors like its flexible fixed-income strategy and reliable monthly yield.
5. Allan Gray Stable Fund
For clients who want stability without giving up returns, this fund remains a top pick for cautious capital growth.
6. Satrix Balanced Index Fund
The leading passive choice in our dataset — low fees, broad diversification, and consistent performance make it ideal for cost-sensitive portfolios.
7. Coronation Top 20 Fund
Still the go-to for high-conviction local equity exposure. Advisors use it to add strong growth potential to blended strategies.
8. PSG Flexible Fund
Favoured for its agility. The flexible mandate lets managers pivot between equity and income assets as market conditions change.
9. SMM Institutional All Bond Fund 1
A key player in the fixed-income space. Its steady returns and institutional-quality bond exposure make it a reliable anchor for balanced portfolios.
10. Ninety One Opportunity Fund
A consistent performer that blends growth and income with an active, diversified approach — ideal for medium-risk investors.
All in all
These trends offer a window into general sentiment: A blend of tried-and-tested managers, cautious diversification and increasing use of passives.
Join the conversation…
How often do you actually re-balance client portfolios (honestly)?
Bring your team to the Klein Karoo
After a year of managing clients and data, it’s time to switch gears.
To end the year off right, your team can join Seed Analytics at Comotion in the Klein Karoo, a relaxed two-day MTB event at Leeuwenboschfontein Guest Farm near Montagu, 12–14 December 2025, with stunning routes, good company and no pressure: just fun on the bike.
The Corporate Team Package is amazing! At R21,800 for 4 people, it includes:
Separate “race village area”
2 stages
Fully catered water points
Medical support
Access to all event pics
Luxury tented accommodation
All meals included
30min post-ride massage
Bike wash
Coffee package
And, of course, the full Klein Karoo experience!
We can’t wait to explore the Karoo with you.
Featured Section
New wealth and fin advisory career opportunities in SA
Financial Advisor (CPT) @ PPS
Financial Planner (CPT) @ Hereford Group
Financial Advisor (Centurion) @ Momentum Financial Planning
International Business Consultant (PE) @ Sanlam
Financial Advisor (CPT) @ SureX Insurance
Broker Consultant Liabilities (JHB) @ Telesure Investment Holdings
Broker Consultant (DBN) @ Assupol Life
In Case You Missed It…
Industry Roundup
SA Poised for a Ratings Lift. Goldman Sachs expects S&P to upgrade South Africa’s credit rating as fiscal metrics improve, while the JSE says a 46% USD-denominated rally and a revived IPO pipeline prove sentiment has turned.
Fidelity’s R69,000-Strong IPO Bid. South Africa’s biggest private-security firm plans a JSE listing, advised by Absa, Deutsche Bank, Nedbank, Standard Bank and RMB Morgan Stanley.
Can Local Bonds Keep Delivering? PSG AM says SA’s ALBI is up 14%YTD to September after 17% in 2024, driven by high real yields, SARB’s 3% target signal, a weaker dollar and record foreign inflows.
Compliance & Competitiveness: Broker Fees. Masthead’s Cedric Baker Effendi says short-term brokers must separate fees from commission, secure written consent and prove value under PPR 12.4.1— or risk non-compliance.
Tech Adoption as Path to Profit? Consider SA’s short-term sector with the UK’s £60 bn market, where digital claims tools and tighter underwriting have driven combined ratios below 90%. Analysts say similar tech adoption could lift local solvency and profitability.
Prompt of the week
Give Clients a Warren Buffett x Hugh Bladen Fund Summary
Help your clients truly feel the numbers. This prompt lets you upload a fund factsheet and generate an analytical yet human summary that blends the insight of Warren Buffett with the storytelling energy of rugby commentator Hugh Bladen — perfect for financial advisors who want to make fund performance relatable.
PROMPT
Assume the role of an independent, highly analytical Portfolio Manager providing a due diligence report for a Financial Advisor to share with a conservative, long-term retail client. The client's primary goal is capital preservation with moderate, inflation-beating growth over a 7–10 year horizon.
Input:
Analyse the attached Fund Fact Sheet for a specific demographic of my clients who have invested in this fund.
Here is the demographic:
Age: 35–44
Gender: Male and Female
Income level: Working class (South Africa)
Educational level: University degree
Marital status: Married
Family size: 2 children
Home ownership: Home owner
Output Requirements:
Performance vs Benchmark
Has the fund consistently outperformed, underperformed, or matched its stated Benchmark during these periods?Key Investment Red Flags & Recommendation
Identify the single most important pro and the single most important con for this specific fund based on the entire analysis.
Finally, provide a summary of this fund for my clients in this segment. Use the voice of Warren Buffett with a hint of the Springbok rugby commentator, Hugh Bladen — a 50/50 blend. The summary must not exceed 600 characters and should contextualise the fund’s performance in terms of how it could affect the budgeting or future investment behaviour of this demographic.
Did You Know? In November 1990, CERN employee Tim Berners-Lee submitted a plan for a new way of sharing information across a network of computers he called the World Wide Web. By Christmas, the first iteration of the internet was born.
Till next time,
Seed Analytics Advisor Connect
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