The Weekly Shyft: Episode 18

Standard Bank South Africa

It’s January 2022, and this is the eighteenth Audio Episode of “The Shyft Lift”, the regular news digest of the App for the globally-minded, based in South Africa.

South Africa’s total credit card debt has grown fairly gradually, reaching R137 billion in October 2021 from R61 billion in 2011. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFViJ175IJI&ab_channel=eNCA

Governor Lesetja Kganyago has led the SA Reserve Bank for 87 months, just a little less time than Governor Godwin Emefiele’s 91 months at the head of the Central Bank of Nigeria. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aihEnQaJfI&ab_channel=BancoCentraldeChile

Credit markets in SA issued a total of R115.5 billion in 2021, 25% more than the year before. https://stanlib.com/2021/08/30/stanlib-webinar-invest-with-more-perspective-a-local-and-global-view-on-south-africas-credit-markets/

Lithium prices soared after increased sales of electric vehicles. Lithium carbonate has risen over 600% y/y to over $50 000 per tonne. https://www.wsj.com/video/series/on-the-news/lithium-for-ev-batteries-is-in-high-demand-but-protesters-are-pushing-back/38C0535B-A673-4483-9176-606B435776B8

South Africa’s exports of agriculture, food and beverages could hit a record of $11 billion this year. Tractor sales have grown by 25% in 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpVAUBhxu1U&ab_channel=GIBSBusinessSchool

As we all get to grips with a new year, we list the top companies in which Shyft users decided to invest to grow their money in 2021. The top 10 shares and ETFs for the year, by USD value, were:

1. Apple
2. Invesco QQQ Trust series 1
3. Tesla
4. Microsoft
5. Pfizer
6. Netflix
7. Nvidia
8. Twitter
9. SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
10. Zoom Video Communications

We also take a look at tech in 2022, sharing five innovations and technologies set to make waves this year.

We discuss a new quarter dollar coin in the U.S. featuring Maya Angelou (https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2022/01/10/maya-angelou-quarters-distributed-us/9160875002/),
a survey showing what skilled professionals in South Africa can expect to earn in 2022, (https://businesstech.co.za/news/banking/549212/13-jobs-in-south-africa-that-pay-over-r1-5-million-in-2022/) and “mindful drinking” (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/23/well/dry-january-mindful-drinking.html). Plus, we look at Californian Demi Skipper, who traded a bobby pin for a house in a series of 28 trades (https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2022/01/10/tiktok-bobby-pin-traded-for-house-tennessee-trademeproject/9161266002/).

Shyft is an app for global citizens, based in South Africa. It helps you buy, send, and store local and foreign currency - anytime, anywhere, directly from your mobile. Visit getshyft.co.za to download the app. SHYFT operates under the license of The Standard Bank of South Africa Limited, an authorised Financial Services Provider (FSP number 11287).

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