Best Mpact Podcasts (2025)

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Magic Markets #243: Hallucinations and Hype: AI Bubble Risks 22:42

Play Pause

2h ago22:42

22:42

With the news of NVIDIA investing in OpenAI and with our focus this week in Magic Markets Premium on the truly wild forecasts being put out there by Oracle, we use our recent real-world experience with AI to comment on where it works and where it horribly fails to add any value at all. Or worse, where it confidently "hallucinates" and gives complet…

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Magic Markets #242: Defending quarterly reporting 21:12

8d ago21:12

21:12

In the US market, companies are required to report quarterly - for now, at least. The latest utterances by President Trump suggest that quarterly reporting is being viewed in a negative light, with the SEC noting that they will be looking at whether reporting should move to align with most of the rest of the world i.e. results every six months. We …

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Magic Markets #241: Catalysts and Meme Stocks 20:50

14d ago20:50

20:50

What causes share prices to move? Are there always sensible reasons, or does the market sometimes dish up crazy things? There are academic arguments and practical considerations for most things, ranging from dividend signalling through to technical indicators and even the pandemic-era phenomenon that is meme stocks. In this podcast, we covered a nu…

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Magic Markets #240: Omnichannel Observations - The Biggest Trend In Retail 22:58

21d ago22:58

22:58

As a follow-on show from the previous week where we talked about how to analyse retailers, we decided to cover the biggest trend right now in the sector: the rise of omnichannel retail. Digital isn't the future, it's the present! Retailers without proper digital strategies are being left behind at an alarming rate. We touched on global statistics a…

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Magic Markets #239: Analysing Retailers 24:16

30d ago24:16

24:16

The retail sector isn't just a critical source of employment and consumer goods in every economy in the world. No, it's also a major contributor to stock indices and portfolio strategies that look for strong underpins that can give protection against inflation. Analysing retailers requires a nuanced approach that includes an understanding of margin…

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Magic Markets #238: Stablecoins with Mesh.Trade 31:42

1M ago31:42

31:42

Stablecoins are highly topical at the moment, with important new legislation in the US and many discussions taking place around the world with regulators. But why do they matter so much in the world of blockchain and crypto? To explain the importance of stablecoins and to talk through critical concepts like yield-bearing stablecoins and the various…

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Magic Markets #237: Buying Market Leaders 21:31

1M ago21:31

21:31

Stocks like Microsoft, Meta and Netflix have been strong winners in our portfolios (although we've had different exposures to them at different times). These stocks are great case studies to deal with two important questions. The first relates to letting winners run. How do we think about having long-term vs. tactical positions and potentially trim…

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Magic Markets #236: Mpact's Bullish Outlook on SA Agri - Fact or Fiction? 23:12

2M ago23:12

23:12

Earlier this week, Mpact gave the South African market a positive surprise. The packaging group is a major supplier to the agri sector, particularly for the export of agricultural products from South Africa like citrus. At a time when the market was expecting doom and gloom thanks to US tariffs, Mpact gave a positive outlook around agricultural act…

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Magic Markets #235: Can Fast Food Stocks Keep Growing? 31:05

2M ago31:05

31:05

Are consumers still having fries with that, or have changes in consumer preferences (like more awareness of health and nutrition) given fast food stocks a knock? Quick-service restaurants are businesses that can scale quickly, usually through a franchise model, which is why they've historically done well. They don't all take this route though, as e…

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Magic Markets #234: How Do Banks Manage Their Balance Sheets? 22:08

2M ago22:08

22:08

After covering the financials sector on the JSE last week and with our latest Premium research being on Goldman Sachs, we decided to talk about bank balance sheets and some of the key concepts. This includes elements like capital adequacy, non-performing loans and portfolio tilts across various products. If you've ever wondered why mortgage origina…

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Magic Markets #233: Financials on the JSE - Paradise for Stock Pickers 21:35

2M ago21:35

21:35

The financials sector on the JSE is a substantial contributor to the overall index. Although banks make up the bulk of the sector, there are also major businesses in areas like insurance and wealth management. With South Africa's difficult macro backdrop, there isn't a rising tide that lifts all boats in this sector. Instead, it tends to reward sto…

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Magic Markets #232: Hybrid Capital - Best of Both Worlds (with Westbrooke) 29:13

3M ago29:13

29:13

The "capital stack" refers to the mix of debt and equity that provides the funding for a business. With so many options on the spectrum from senior debt to pure equity, companies and investors come together in search of optimal solutions for all involved. Westbrooke's approach makes use of various funding mechanisms, with hybrid capital as a partic…

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Magic Markets #231: Platinum and the cheese spread 20:59

3M ago20:59

20:59

Drawing charts like orange juice and cheese futures might be fun, but there's an important underlying influence that soft commodities have on inflation. Even if you don't trade commodities, there are useful things to learn. And of course, when we get to the hard commodities that are actively traded every day, we move from jokes about the cheese spr…

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Magic Markets #230: Insights from five global companies 28:22

3M ago28:22

28:22

In this episode of Magic Markets, Mohammed Nalla and The Finance Ghost decided to each choose three companies from the recent research in Magic Market Premium, with the goal being to discuss some of the most interesting insights that came out of each one. Both chose Berkshire Hathaway (predictably), so there were actually only five companies to dis…

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Magic Markets #229: Macro World Tour 28:49

3M ago28:49

28:49

There's a lot going on in the world right now, giving us a great opportunity to let Moe wax lyrical about the key macroeconomic indicators and trends in the US, Europe, China and Japan. We also touched on markets like the UK and India as part of this world tour. Of course, there's nothing Ghost enjoys more than a share price chart when it comes to …

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Magic Markets #228: Mesh.Trade and the Titans 32:47

4M ago32:47

32:47

Magic Markets listeners have become familiar with AnBro's approach to building global equity portfolios with different mandates. Titans is just one such example, focusing on an equal-weighted portfolio of best-of-breed stocks across various sectors. With Titans now available on Mesh.Trade's platform alongside the other AnBro offerings, it was the p…

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Magic Markets #227: Saudi Aramco and Ferrari 27:32

4M ago27:32

27:32

After a few weeks of Formula One races every weekend, many sports fans have been bombarded with two brands: Saudi Aramco and Ferrari. This gave us a great opportunity to talk about both listed companies - from fossil fuels to fast cars! Our view is that Ferrari is without a doubt the better business in terms of brand strength and long-term prospect…

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Magic Markets #226: From Analyst to Entrepreneur 22:14

4M ago22:14

22:14

Muofhe Kwinda is a Magic Markets listener who reached out to us because he has an interesting story. He's made the leap from being a financial analyst in the investment space to being an entrepreneur, with business interests in mining and agriculture. We couldn't resist the temptation to tap into what he's learnt by moving from desktop analysis of …

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Magic Markets #225: US Downgrade and JPMorgan Views 25:39

4M ago25:39

25:39

The US credit downgrade by Moody's wasn't a huge surprise, as they are just playing catch-up to what other ratings agencies already did. The complacency in the market in response to the downgrade is interesting though, as it became the catalyst for us to talk about the dollar as the world's reserve currency. In the same week, a JPMorgan investor da…

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Magic Markets #224: REITs Taking a Breather 23:17

5M ago23:17

23:17

After a wonderful year in 2024 for property funds (especially in South Africa), the sector has taken a breather in 2025. That's not surprising given how much things have changed, particularly when you consider that 2024 really did create the perfect opportunity for local REITs. In this review of the sector, we talked about concepts like whether tar…

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Magic Markets #223: Nuggets from Omaha 34:18

5M ago34:18

34:18

In an incredible contrast of wisdom, this episode focuses primarily on insightful comments from Warren Buffett at the latest Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting, before ending off with the latest chaos on tariffs - this time, Trump's comments on potential tariffs on the film industry, a sector in which the US enjoys a trade surplus! You can't make th…

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Magic Markets #222: The Long and the Short of Day Trading 29:33

5M ago29:33

29:33

Our very own Mohammed Nalla thought that the recent tariff volatility would be an excellent opportunity to dust off the day trading strategy that worked pretty well during COVID. Unlike the average Instagram influencer, we are all about authenticity here at Magic Markets - and that's why Moe bravely volunteered to dedicate a show to his learnings f…

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Magic Markets #221: Mesh.Trade - Unlocking Private Markets 35:24

5M ago35:24

35:24

As the recent trend in IPOs and delistings on public markets tells us, an increasing number of companies are looking to private markets for their capital raising needs. This means that retail investors are being shut out of these opportunities, which is particularly problematic as these early-stage opportunities usually offer the highest potential …

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Magic Markets #220: The Global Asset Ownership Web 24:24

5M ago24:24

24:24

With markets bouncing around like crazy practically every day at the moment, most of the focus among investors is usually on the equity indices. But what about the bond markets? Aren't they just as important, if not even more important? Does the carry trade play a role? What about foreign ownership of assets, both fixed income and equities? And wha…

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Magic Markets #219: Trade Wars and Trading 27:23

6M ago27:23

27:23

With the markets all over the place and practically impossible to predict, Moe is busy with a day-trading strategy and Ghost has bought a few dips, ranging from technology through to golf. Is there method in this madness? What is really going on out there? And should we be thinking more and more about China? Volatility can be wild, but it's also a …

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Magic Markets #218: Consumer Conundrum 19:50

6M ago19:50

19:50

The first quarter of the year was an unhappy one for most consumer stocks. Tariffs are top of mind, as is the pressure that many brands have been facing in China. Inflation is a risk and consumer sentiment is weak. Against this backdrop, is there opportunity in this sector, or is it better to sit this one out and let the volatility do its thing? An…

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Magic Markets #217: Time for Africa? 25:14

6M ago25:14

25:14

As we continue to look beyond the US to demonstrate the opportunities available elsewhere in the world, our gaze turns to Africa. Firmly a currencies story, it's all about whether the macroeconomics will improve in 2025. This is what some of the banking groups have predicted, so South African corporates with African exposure will be hoping that thi…

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Magic Markets #216: Europhoria - hype or the new hustle? 26:00

6M ago26:00

26:00

These days, the narrative has shifted from US Exceptionalism to one of punters working through the list of European companies to try and find something exciting to buy. Defence stocks seemed to be where momentum traders found their desired home, with incredible returns in those stocks. But what about the rest of Europe? Is there something there to …

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Magic Markets #215: The art of investing in art 28:05

7M ago28:05

28:05

Tristanne Farrell isn't shy to admit it: she's mildly obsessed with art. As a Senior Wealth Manager at Investec Wealth & Investment International, her day job is to help clients build diversified, successful portfolios. Thankfully, with art as one of the more interesting (and certainly most visually stimulating) alternative assets out there, she ge…

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Magic Markets #214: Tradition meets tech - buying gold on the blockchain 33:44

7M ago33:44

33:44

If there's one thing the markets taught us recently, it's that gold remains as relevant as ever. Mesh Trade brings you a new way to invest in this store of value, giving you a perfect example of tradition combined with tech. For a limited time, Mesh investors can buy Krugerrands at the best retail price in the market and on a fractional basis using…

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Magic Markets #213: Can Argentina-style reforms work in South Africa? 23:19

7M ago23:19

23:19

Having covered MercadoLibre in Magic Markets Premium this week, we had Latin America on the brain. Combined with the mess around the South African budget speech (or complete lack thereof), this triggered the idea to consider whether the reforms seen in Argentina under Javier Milei could work in South Africa. Moe certainly took this assignment serio…

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Magic Markets #212: Expropriation, exaggeration and exports - the bull case for SA agriculture 35:48

7M ago35:48

35:48

Wandile Sihlobo is an agricultural economist, an advisor to President Ramaphosa and one of the leading voices in the agriculture space in South Africa. We value his balanced views and his approach to what he does, so we invited Wandile to join us at a time when South Africans are divided rather than united. Dealing with topics like expropriation, t…

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Magic Markets #211: Private markets are a hive of activity 30:20

8M ago30:20

30:20

For companies seeking capital, founders wanting to exit their stake and investors who desire diversification and solid returns, private debt and equity markets offer a vibrant ecosystem. Dino Zuccollo of Westbrooke Alternative Asset Management joined us to discuss activity across the capital stack and some of the key trends coming into 2025, as wel…

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Magic Markets #210: Tariff Tantrum 26:59

8M ago26:59

26:59

Given the widespread impact on the companies that we follow, it's hard to ignore the geopolitical fires that are raging around Trump and the countries that he has been targeting. Canada, Mexico and now South Africa - is anyone safe? Of course, these issues are nuanced and the relative negotiating power of each country becomes relevant. In this show…

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Magic Markets #209: AI, Trump and turnarounds 21:19

8M ago21:19

21:19

As we sign off on January, it's been a month of major moves in markets. Globally, the valuation risks in AI were thrust into the spotlight in recent days based on the emergence of DeepSeek. Geopolitical risks are also a major feature of 2025, with some of Trump's recent actions showing that we are in for a bumpy ride. And yet, there are some turnar…

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Magic Markets #208: Banking on banking 26:12

8M ago26:12

26:12

The banking industry is part of the fabric of any economy. This is both good and bad, as success in that sector therefore depends on broader economic activity. This has been the problem for most of the South African banking sector options over the past decade, but could that change in 2025? And what are the key metrics to look out for? With referen…

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Episode 87: The Cognitive Experience of a Transit User 50:50

8M ago50:50

50:50

This month on the Mpact podcast we’re joined by Ren Yee of UN Studio at the Mpact Transit + Community conference in Philadelphia. We chat about the cognitive workload of pedestrians and creating safe opportunities for mind wandering and absorbing information. This episode of the Mpact Podcast features a conversation with architect and urban designe…

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Magic Markets #207: Retail turnarounds: high-risk, high reward? 23:01

8M ago23:01

23:01

Stories like Nike and Walgreens in the international market (both recently covered in Magic Markets Premium), as well as Pick n Pay in South Africa, tend to grab the imagination of investors as they go through a turnaround. In this episode, we start off with some of the key macroeconomic indicators that investors and traders use to assess the healt…

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Magic Markets #206: The year ahead - buckle up! 25:21

9M ago25:21

25:21

To kick off the year, we couldn't resist talking about the major themes that have carried over from 2024 into a new calendar year. US - China relations, interest rates, frothiness in equity valuations - it's all in here, along with a sobering discussion that gives context to the JSE performance last year vs. global alternatives. Get excited about t…

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Magic Markets #205: A year of gold, bitcoin and the US 22:42

10M ago22:42

22:42

In our final free show for the year, we look back on a year that has been dominated by gold and bitcoin, along with US equities that have shot the lights out. We consider a strong finish for China, along with the ongoing disappointment of Europe. And of course, we talked about the positive surprise of South Africa this year and how political change…

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Magic Markets #204: Blockchain Technology in Financial Markets (with AnBro and Mesh.trade) 30:01

10M ago30:01

30:01

Although the terms blockchain and crypto are often used interchangeably, this hides the diverse use cases for blockchain technology - even in traditional applications like financial markets. On this podcast, Connie Bloem (co-founder and managing director of Mesh.trade) joins regular Magic Markets guest Justine Brophy of AnBro Capital to explain how…

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Magic Markets #203: Year in Review - Alternatives at Westbrooke 28:14

10M ago28:14

28:14

As the year of global elections draws to a close, Dino Zuccollo of Westbrooke Alternative Asset Management joined us to look back on how global trends impacted the alternative lending space in markets where Westbrooke has a presence: South Africa, the UK and the USA. Covering important topics related to economic activities, portfolio diversificatio…

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Magic Markets #202: The automotive sector race 28:12

10M ago28:12

28:12

Start your engines has quickly become start your batteries - or has it? Are electric vehicle adoption rates problematic everywhere, or are some companies seeing better adoption than others? Where does this leave hybrids? Where does this leave manufacturers that seem to lack clear strategic direction? Along with a discussion on European vs. American…

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Episode 86: Preserving Missing Middle Neighborhoods 55:26

11M ago55:26

55:26

This month on the Mpact podcast we’re going back to the Mpact Transit + Community conference in Philadelphia to hear about proven approaches to saving naturally occurring affordable housing. From tangled title to home repair, ULI Philadelphia’s Kevin Moran leads a local panel. Moderator: Kevin Moran, Executive Director, Urban Land Institute (ULI), …

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Magic Markets #201: Trump Trades 26:27

11M ago26:27

26:27

With the dust barely settled on the US election, Dimitri Zabelin of Pantheon Insights joined us to bring his international geopolitical lens to the show. We talked about the possible impacts of Trump's economy and social policies on inflation, interest rates and the strength of the US economy. We also talked about a few trade ideas related to the T…

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Magic Markets #200: Big Tech, Big Opportunies? 25:27

11M ago25:27

25:27

With most of the big names in tech having just released earnings around the same time as US elections, there's so much to consider in the market. We steered clear of the politics for now, focusing on the key drivers of the Magnificent 7 (and Netflix!) and how we are positioned in these stocks. As our subscribers in Magic Markets Premium know, we do…

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Magic Markets #199: Making Forex Better 24:00

11M ago24:00

24:00

Harry Scherzer at Future Forex is a familiar voice to Magic Markets listeners, especially those who took advantage of the excellent crypto arbitrage offering that was the foundation of the Future Forex business. Building on that success, Future Forex is disrupting an industry that desperately deserves to be disrupted: providing forex execution for …

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Magic Markets #198: What can we learn from market sector rotations? 21:49

11M ago21:49

21:49

Although there's a risk of churning your portfolio too often if you become obsessed with short-term market movements, there's a lot of value to be gained from the way Mohammed Nalla does his quarterly rotation work for institutional clients. He shares some of those insights in this episode of Magic Markets, covering recent sector performance in the…