Market scorecard
US markets ended mixed yesterday as investors await key jobs data today. The session saw plenty of ups and downs, with the broader S&P 500 closing lower despite strong gains from major tech players like Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) (+4.9%) and Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) (+2.6%).
In company news, Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) gained 0.9% after Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) analysts suggested its recent dip was a buying opportunity. Tesla was boosted by a new subscription-based driver-assist software roll out in China and Europe. Sadly, Broadcom (NASDAQ:AVGO) tumbled 6.7% in after-hours trading following a lukewarm profit forecast for the rest of the year.
In summary, the JSE All-share closed up 0.28%, the S&P 500 fell 0.30%, but the mighty Nasdaq was 0.25% higher.
One thing, from Paul
Here's some advice for would-be entrepreneurs reading this newsletter today: start a simple business. I have previously voiced my support for the idea of being self-employed. It's fantastic to be your own boss.
You don't have to create something revolutionary or high-tech. Any business can be a good business if you run it well.
In other words, don't try too hard. Forget about inventing a new concept, and coming up with an enterprise name with no vowels. You don't have to start "Tinder but for cats", or "Uber (NYSE:UBER) but for physiotherapists", or "Airbnb (NASDAQ:ABNB) but for electric boats". You don't need an app. You don't need millions in start-up capital.
Just start trading in an established industry, with a proven business model and a pipeline of potential customers. All you have to be is slightly better than existing companies, and that probably won't be too hard. Focus on good systems and service levels. Be patient.
Michael's musings
We aren't Spar shareholders, so I only keep tabs on the company's operations from a distance. Yesterday, they announced that they are selling their loss-making Polish unit. Well, they are paying someone a few billion to take it off their hands because its debts are higher than the value of its assets. As a result, Spar South Africa will need to send R2.5 billion to Poland to make up the difference.
Spar South Africa bought Spar Poland for 1 Euro in 2019. As you can tell, it was a business in need of a turnaround. To make things worse, Covid happened in 2020. Fast forward to today, Spar Poland is still in a hole, booking a loss of R813 million in its previous six months. All in, this foray into Poland could cost up to R5 billion, which is significant given that Spar's market cap is only R22 billion. You can read the gory details in this Moneyweb article - Spar's Poland misadventure.
It has been a tough period for Spar. In addition to the Polish debacle, they are still recovering from a disastrous SAP implementation here in South Africa, which resulted in lost sales and spiked logistics costs. While Spar has been dealing with their blunders, Checkers Sixty60 is eating market share, with Checkers online delivery growing over 50% this year.
Bright's banter
Alright, let's keep it casual and crack a smile - it's Friday, after all. Snoop Dogg and Robert Rodriguez (yep, the "Spy Kids" guy) are teaming up to go on tour, but not about music and movies, they're after something a bit more . . . ambitious. The duo is looking to raise a cool $3 billion.
Apparently, they're cooking up a private equity fund to pour into everything from tech to sports, property to gaming, and even crypto. And, as if that wasn't wild enough, there are plans to toss in some revenue-sharing agreements on blockchain networks like Avalanche for debt holders. It's basically Monopoly, but way more confusing and with Snoop narrating your financial demise.
Honestly, this sounds like something that vaguely makes sense on paper, but none in reality. But hey, at least when your portfolio tanks, you can proudly say, "I lost all my money thanks to Snoop Dogg and the guy who made Spy Kids." It will make for a good story.
Signing off
Asian markets are mostly lower this morning. Equities fell in India, Japan, mainland China, South Korea, while they rose in Taiwan. Hong Kong is shut down due to yet another typhoon.
In local company news, Sanlam (JO:SLMJ) posted a 40% jump in headline earnings, thanks to solid performances across its various divisions. New business volumes rose by 7%, with life insurance sales leading the way, surging by 15%.
US equity futures are slightly lower pre-market, thanks to Broadcom. The upcoming jobs report is anticipated to reveal an increase of around 165 000 in payrolls, according to the median forecast from a Bloomberg survey of economists.
The Rand is trading at around R17.71 to the greenback.
Enjoy the weekend. Be sure to watch our beloved Springboks taking on the All Blacks in Cape Town.