From AI's extraordinary investment boom to volatile oil and gold markets, August showed how fast the global landscape can shift. Locally, South Africa navigates stubborn unemployment, inflation risks and municipal challenges, alongside opportunities in infrastructure, tourism reform, agriculture and new export markets. Our August 2026 Monthly Report unpacks the key developments shaping markets and the investment environment — and what investors should watch next.

Renewed US–Iran conflict rattled oil markets and stoked inflation fears in July, while a hawkish new Federal Reserve chair reshaped rate expectations. In South Africa, Ramaphosa temporarily halted his impeachment inquiry, xenophobic tensions flared, and Eskom hit a near-decade generation milestone. This month's report unpacks the events shaping markets — and what they could mean for investors going forward.

Geopolitical tensions, shifting oil prices, inflation concerns, and key developments in South Africa all made June a month to watch. From renewed uncertainty in the Middle East to changes impacting local markets and the economy, this month's report unpacks the events shaping the investment landscape and what they could mean going forward.