Portfolio construction is clearly a passion point for Nico Katzke of Satrix. He's also a fan of analogies, so you can expect to learn about whether it's the elephant or the mouse that swings the bridge that they are crossing. But beneath the fun, there's a serious learning opportunity here about how asset allocation drives the returns in a multi-asset balanced fund. Identifying the elephant is a very important part of the process.

In this episode of Ghost Stories, we get stuck into the world of fixed income - a space that retail investors often overlook in favour of equities. Yusuf Wadee of Satrix concurs with The Finance Ghost's cricket analogy: fixed income returns act as the singles that keep the scoreboard ticking over. But that doesn't mean that investors should default to low-yield cash accounts. Veteran fixed-income portfolio manager James Turp from Ninety One explains how his funds aim to optimise returns in the sweet spot between cash and bonds. And now, with the launch of the Satrix Income Actively Managed ETF (AMETF), investors have an easy way to access this expertise.

The ocean is a mystical place that has captured our imagination as a species for as long as anyone can remember. And although there are many fish in the sea, taking advantage of that resource in a sustainable and profitable way really isn’t that simple. Sea Harvest has signed off on an incredible year that demonstrates the depth of the strategy - quite literally. CEO Felix Ratheb and CFO Muhammad Brey joined me to explain the fishing industry and how they make money.

In the year 2000, a lot happened. There was some questionable pop music. There was also the Dot-Com Crisis, followed by a period that saw incredible equity returns in South Africa until the Global Financial Crisis hit in 2007/2008. And during that important period in our local market, we also saw the emergence and initial growth of ETFs in South Africa, spearheaded by Satrix. To reflect on 25 years of ETFs in South Africa, René Basson joined me to share the important milestones and fascinating stories that defined this journey. Join us as we look back on how Satrix made it possible for everyone to own the market.

With a growth strategy that is grounded firmly in the belief that Southern Africa offers one of the most exciting opportunities in the world today, Lesaka Technologies is executing from a tried-and-tested playbook of disruption in the fintech space. To explain the opportunity and how Lesaka's business model is built to win, Executive Chairman Ali Mazanderani joined me on this podcast.

Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) offer diversified exposure through a single investment, just like buying a box of biscuits and getting to enjoy a variety of flavours inside. But if you don't know how to read a fact sheet or assess which ETFs you like, then there's no way of knowing what's in the box. Siyabulela Nomoyi of Satrix joined me to share not just his love of biscuits, but also of researching ETFs.

Tinus Rautenbach from Clarity by Investec is passionate about the markets and the full spectrum of its participants, from traders through to long-term investors. Clarity caters to them all, with Tinus joining me to share useful tips and insights into how volatility should be managed by different types of equity enthusiasts.

Martin Slabbert of Prime Kapital has strong views on the Hyprop offer to MAS shareholders. As a follow-up to the press release dealing with his concerns around the deal, he joined me on this podcast to dig deeper into key concepts including around the deal mechanics, the relationship between Prime Kapital and MAS and the various permutations going forwards.