Editor's Thoughts.

The world is not making financial decisions any easier. Momentum Investments’ latest economic views points to resilient global activity, but also stubborn inflation and much higher borrowing costs. Bianca Botes (Citadel Global) takes that further: higher oil, rising bond yields and a stronger dollar are tightening conditions everywhere, including for South African households and businesses. (Message to self: fill up your car before midnight on Tuesday!)

At the same time, Frank Blackmore (KPMG) highlights a bigger opportunity. AI, energy security and critical-mineral demand could elevate Africa’s role in the next investment cycle, provided we can deliver the electricity, logistics, skills and policy certainty investors need. And Sanlam says #FinTok, AI and online searches may put financial information in everyone’s pocket, but they cannot replace guidance tailored to a real person’s life.

That is exactly the thinking behind the 2026 EBnet Evolutionaries Conference: Benefits Activated, running virtually from 26 to 30 October. At EBnet, we’re hearing a lot about holistic or integrated benefits, and so we thought we’d provide a space for the industry to unpack that more. Benefits Activated means moving beyond a benefits booklet and hoping for the best. It means designing, communicating and connecting retirement, medical, risk, wellness and advice support around the moments employees actually face: first jobs, debt, family responsibilities, illness, two-pot pressure and retirement. Register here. It’s virtual, and it’s free.

And while we’re talking about information being everywhere, so then is the opportunity for bad actors. We’re well into year 2 of cybersecurity vigilance and efforts are ramping up – both by the supervisors and the super-villains. Read issue 10 of What the Hack on our publications podium to get up to speed on the FSCA’s Retirement Fund Supervisory Questionnaire and learn from recent industry incidents.

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