Clear market notes built around the JSE, the rand, and what matters locally.

2026-09-29 11:30 • The Motley Fool Positive Axe Cap view: Selective

The article compares Amazon and Alibaba as investment options for 2026. Amazon generated $716.9B in revenue with a 10.8% net margin and moderate debt levels, while Alibaba reported $152.7B in revenue with a 10.1% net margin but faces significant geopolitical risks. Despite Alibaba's lower valuation multiples, the author recommends Amazon as the superior long-term investment due to its stable business model, global market position, and lower political risk exposure.

Axe note: Amazon offers steadier growth with less political risk compared to Alibaba's cheap but risky profile.

2026-09-29 11:30 • The Motley Fool Positive Axe Cap view: Selective

The article recommends two ETFs for monthly investment of $500: the VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH), which has benefited from the AI boom with 89% returns over the past year and is expected to continue growing due to massive capex spending from hyperscalers; and the Avantis U.S. Small Cap Value ETF (AVUV), which trades at attractive valuations and is positioned to benefit from accelerating small-cap earnings growth expected around 20% in 2026.

Axe note: Investors with small monthly sums might find value in semiconductor and US small-cap ETFs despite local market nuances.

2026-09-29 11:23 • The Motley Fool Positive Axe Cap view: Selective

Rather than attempting to time the market and move to cash before a crash, investors should focus on buying high-quality dividend-growth stocks. The article recommends the Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (VIG) as a strategy to weather bear markets while positioning for long-term gains, noting that historically bull markets significantly outpace bear market declines.

Axe note: Focus on consistent dividend growers instead of chasing market timing or panic selling.