Should Investors Join The Rush?

Before making the decision to invest offshore, you need to make sure the move is based on sound reasoning, advises Schalk Louw. This is the first column of his two-part series on the topic.

- Schalk Louw

If Covid-19 has taught us anything, it’s that many of us tend to act impulsively and without getting the facts. The ridiculous rush to collect as much toilet paper as possible when things started to get to a boiling point in March is a typical example. Before then, toilet paper was just another item on your standard monthly shopping list, but certainly not the only thing.

Pretty much the same can be said for offshore investments. Many people don’t even consider an offshore investment as part of their investment needs until the rand takes a nosedive, and then, without proper research or expert advice, they invest impulsively without giving any thought to the products and currencies they choose.

Why should I invest in offshore?

The reality is that an offshore investment should always be on your investment to-do list, and the main reason for this is diversification, both by asset class and currency.