Category: SFP

The idea that you can get something for nothing is almost inconceivable for an economist. At least it was, until Nobel Prize-winning economist Harry Markowitz, the father of Modern Portfolio Theory, demonstrated that a diversified portfolio could achieve improved performance and lessened risk relative to individual asset classes. He called diversification “the only ‘free lunch’ in finance.” Sometimes we come across the common misconception that owning a variety of stocks means that you are well-diversified. Instead, […]

They say it is better to give than to receive. Researchers have found that the act of giving stimulates the same neural networks in the brain that activate when eating a cookie or running warm water over cold hands. It is a deep-seated gratification that makes you feel good before, during and after. How do you feel when you do something for yourself? It is quite rare for us to say that you would give something […]

Stress has a major influence over our lives, not that it is necessarily a bad thing. Stress can motivate us to think creatively and act with determination. Good stress is the kind that comes from going on a first date, competing for a promotion or riding on a rollercoaster. It is the kind of nervous pressure that favours performance. Stress is key for our survival, but too much stress is known to have truly detrimental side-effects.  […]

It has been a rollercoaster of a year (to say the least). Global events have affected the lives of just about everyone. The problem with constantly keeping a finger on the pulse of international affairs is that we can become outwardly focussed. There is a significant social impact that requires appropriate public investment, but we can lose sight of ourselves within the scope of the goings-on. This causes us to become unbalanced and puts serious strain […]