Alphabet is way Cheap | Nasty US economic data
WorldWide Markets with Simon Brown
Release Date: 04/30/2025
WorldWide Markets with Simon Brown
Worldwide Markets β Episode 657 (19 November 2025) ποΈπ π₯ This Week on Worldwide Markets Good things are happening in South Africa πΏπ¦, bubble-watching on global markets π, fresh ETF listings from Ninety One π, strong local results (Astral π, WeBuyCars π, Ninety One πΌ), and the Year-End Power Hour opens for bookings π€β¨. π Bubble Talk: When Does It Pop? Guest Insight: Citigroupβs Dirk Willer (via Odd Lots podcast) Definition: A bubble = asset prices 2 standard deviations above the 1-year average. His exit rule: β‘οΈ Identify the drivers β the...
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Worldwide Markets β Episode 656 (12 November) Powered by Standard Bank Global Markets and Shyft β the global money app that puts travel, shopping, payments and investments in the palm of your hand ππΈ 1) JSE Under Pressure ποΈβοΈ Two issues in the spotlight: a) Competition Commission Complaint A2X alleges JSE is being anti-competitive around BDA & settlement. This could have a long regulatory process. No quick outcomes expected. b) Matengu Allegations Matengu alleges share price manipulation and claims to have emails implicating JSE directors. JSE has fired back and...
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π Worldwide Markets β Episode 655 Date: 5 November Host: Simon Brown Powered by: Standard Bank Global Markets & β the global money app for travel, payments & investing. ποΈ This Weekβs Big Questions When will markets crash? π€―π Will we finally get a sovereign ratings upgrade? πΏπ¦πΌ Optasia* listsβ¦ but no IPO fireworks πΌπ SA vehicle sales accelerate again ππ π Shyft Migration Update If you are an OST/Webtrader/ASI client β but have not yet been notified about migrating to Shyft β that simply means your group is scheduled for...
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π World Wide Markets Ep. 654 β 29 October 2025 ποΈ βGold took us up β¦ and gold will take us down.β πͺ Gold Takes the JSE for a Ride Gold led the JSE to record highs β and now itβs leading it back down. Year-to-date returns: Gold +49 %, Harmony +87 %, Pan African +126 %, DRD +150 %, Gold Fields +162 %, AngloGold Ashanti* +167 %! Excluding dividends! Simon notes clear support around $3,600-3,800, with further downside likely. The Top 40 is up ~38 % YTD, but the Resources Index (Resi) is +93 % β remove that, and the marketβs ~20 %. Translation: half this yearβs...
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π Worldwide Markets Ep. 653 β Gold Crashes, Markets Burn, and Optasiaβs JSE Listing ποΈ Hosted by Simon Brown π Recorded: Tuesday, 21 October 2025 π Powered by Standard Bank Global Markets, Retail & Shyft β The global money app that puts travel, shopping, payments and investments in the palm of your hand. π₯ Local Markets Crushed A brutal day on the JSE as the market closed down 2.5%, with resources tumbling 7.8% despite a steady rand (R17.43). Gold miners collapsed: Implats & Sibanye -10%, Gold Fields & Harmony -9%, AngloGold* -8%. PGMs also fell...
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ποΈ Worldwide Markets Ep. 652 β βDividends, Gold, and Gearing Gone Wildβ π 15 October 2025 | Hosted by Simon Brown | Powered by Standard Bank SHYFT πͺ Gold Rush Continues Gold is unstoppable! π Now trading above R4,100/oz, the yellow metal has clocked eight consecutive green weeks β the longest winning streak since early 2024. Simon digs into: π Historical patterns since the pandemic: jump β consolidate β jump again π¦ Central banks as persistent buyers β but what happens if they ever stop? π€ With gold having doubled in three years, central banksβ reserves...
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ποΈ Worldwide Markets Ep. 651 β βValue on the JSE? We Find the Cheapest Sharesβ (8 October 2025) π Recorded Tuesday afternoon | Powered by Standard Bank & π‘ Episode Overview This week Simon Brown digs into value on the JSE β where the cheapest shares might be hiding π. He also unpacks: The Purple Group* pullback π£ π (spoiler: itβs been a wild year!) Upcoming π§ π£ Purple Group: Pullback or Panic? After a huge rally to R2.74, Purple Group has pulled back β but no need to panic. Likely to find support around R2.10, with upside targets around R3.50...
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π Worldwide Markets Episode 650 β 1 October 2025 Hosted by Simon Brown Powered by Standard Bank Global Markets & the π³π π Key Topics This Week π Purple Group* & EasyEquities Purple Group share price up ~150% this year π Results driven by non-revenue income (inactivity fees & loyalty program) Strong client acquisition via Capitec & Discovery Bank partnerships π¦ Trading volumes soaring in a bullish market πΉ Purple Group | YTD to close 29 Sep 25 π° Top 40 hits 100,000 Thanks to gold miners & PGMs βοΈ AngloGold Ashanti* up nearly...
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π Worldwide Markets Ep. 649 β Building a Second Brain π§ β¨ Recorded on 24 September 2025 (from the beach!) β Hosted by Simon Brown This week, Simon takes a break from market talk ππ to explore something equally powerful: how to manage the flood of data and information we face every day. Instead of focusing on stocks, currencies, or central banks, he dives into the idea of creating a "second brain" β a system to capture, organize, and use knowledge effectively. π Episode Highlights π§ Brains are great at decisions β quick choices like what to eat or which route to...
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π World Wide Markets Ep. 648 β Cash-Rich Companies, Fed Cuts & Chinaβs Housing Woes Host: Simon Brown Date: 17 September 2025 π Chinaβs Housing Market New house prices fell 2.5% YoY β still negative since May 2022. Bottomed in October 2023 (-5.9%) and now trending upward. Reflects weak Chinese consumer confidence, similar to South Africa π¨π³πΏπ¦. Evergrandeβs collapse still casts a shadow. Chinese New Home index YonY π¦ Central Banks in Focus FOMC (US): Decision due Wednesday evening. Market expects 25bps cut, with more cuts likely in Oct & Dec. US...
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π Episode Summary:
This week, Simon unpacks Alphabetβs surprisingly cheap valuation, troubling US economic data, South African CPI figures, Trumpβs trade mess, and the implications of Aspenβs customer fallout. Plus, he previews the Berkshire AGM and upcoming JustOneLap events.
π US Economic Data Shock
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Q1 GDP: Expected +0.2%, came in at β0.3% π¬
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Imports surged 40%, skewing GDP down
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Retail inventories and trade balance signal deeper issues
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PCI inflation at 1.8% vs. 1.2% expected
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Recession fears intensify
US GDP Q1 2025
πΊπΈ Trumpβs 100-Day Trade Tangle
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Trump promised 90 trade deals in 90 days β none signed yet
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India might come to the table soon
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Tariff chaos continues, shelves may empty by July
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Xi Jinping not engaging β trade uncertainty remains high
π Alphabet (GOOGL) is Looking CHEAP
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PE under 20, forward PE ~17 π₯
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YouTube: $9B in rev, larger TV share than Netflix
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Cloud turning profitable; Waymo surging
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Risks: Antitrust cases, weakened core search, AI competition
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Analyst sentiment: 13 Strong Buys, 39 Buys, 12 Holds
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Price targets: Avg $202, High $240
π§ Search Wars: Google vs. AI
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Google Search = cluttered & ad-heavy
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Simon prefers Perplexity & ChatGPT for clean, accurate info
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Questions around ad revenue in AI-driven search era
π₯ Aspen: Trust Broken
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Lost a major take-or-pay client π§ͺ
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Share down ~33%; questions around facility utilization
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Replacing lost volume could take 12β18 months
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Confidence in management fading
Aspen | Weekly 29 April 2025
π SA CPI Drops to 2.7%
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Well below target band midpoint of 4.5%
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Inflation lowest since mid-2020
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Will SARB cut rates? Depends on FOMC outcome on 7 May
π Budget 3.0 Incoming
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New budget after VAT hike rejection
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21 May β Stay tuned for more policy drama
π Berkshire Hathaway AGM
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First meeting without Charlie Munger
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Warren Buffett expected to address investment outlooks and succession
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