Personal Finance Newsletter - Volume 2012, Issue 378, July 2012

SA stands out among emerging nations for low savings - why?

Is a recovery overdue?

The outlook for residential property price growth is increasingly positive.

Pay attention to the performance attribution generated by the various funds.

A look at the most popular stocks amongst local unit trusts.

Once you are absolutely clear on what you want to achieve, you may find that rental property ticks all the boxes.

Which is better?

Does working past the age of 55 kill you more quickly? If this is true, and you (presumably) want to prevent this, your retirement planning needs to be adjusted accordingly.

Steady returns of 20% a year are very hard to verify.

Tired of fund managers' fees, wanting to invest, but have insufficient knowledge, confidence, and funding to 'go it alone'? An investment club may be the perfect vehicle, as long as you get the basics right - and remember to have fun.

The key to successfully investing in property is to understand what to invest in.

Only 2% of active traders actually beat the market over the long term.

Objection deadline extended to 25 July 2012; decision comes in the wake of widespread discontent following the publication of its latest supplementary valuation roll.