My 2010 visions

A MERE 15 days into the new year is hardly the time to start hazarding guesses at what might transpire in and around the markets in 2010.

Then again, the question on everyone's lips remains: "What's going to happen this year?"

Someone has to give a view for the record (so to speak). So here - at the risk of great ridicule - is an index of possibilities for 2010 to be taken, please, with a few shakes of salt.

• The All-share Index (Alsi) will finish the year at about 31 500 points - thanks to a steady post-World Cup rally. The rand/dollar exchange rate will touch R8.50/$ by the end of 2010. The gold price will dip below $1 000/ounce.
• Hosken Consolidated Investments (HCI) will look at separately listing television broadcaster e.tv. PSG's private equity arm, Paladin Capital, will declare an intention to separately list its private education investment, Curro.
• Technology heavyweight Dimension Data's share price will break through the R12 level. MTN and Vodacom will finish the year under R100 and R50 respectively.
• The 2010 Fifa World Cup comes and goes without SunAir International taking to the skies - let alone securing a listing on an international bourse. Disgruntled shareholders take legal action.
• Cape Town-based platinum junior, Platfields, lists on AltX. Platinum exploration company Wesizwe is bought out by a larger (second line) platinum player.
• The JSE sees at least a dozen delistings - the majority being buyout offers extended to shareholders in some of the more promising small cap companies. More than 10 companies get their listings suspended.
• The JSE shuts down the Venture Capital and Development Capital markets and shunts the remaining listings onto the AltX.
• Former Harmony boss Bernard Swanepoel finds a decent resource asset to reverse into Village Main Reef before the end of June. Developments prompt a certain Fin24.com journalist to whoop with joy (yeah right!).
• Direct retailer Verimark proposes a rights offer after the release of its year to end-February 2010 results.
• An international conglomerate buys out logistics giant Super Group. Allan Gray and other long-suffering shareholders depart without too much fuss.
• A consolidation of the peripheral players in the coal mining sector, possibly involving Wescoal and HCI's Khusela Coal.
• Reinet Investments won't dent its cash pile by making a significant acquisition this year - but the maiden dividend is generous enough. Remgro will make an offer to buy out minorities in private hospital subsidiary Medi-Clinic.
• Famous Brands makes a cheeky bid for Taste Holdings' fast food interests. Spur Corporation intensifies its push into fast-growing "township" markets.
• A private equity company with empowerment links will make a management buyout play for cable maker South Ocean Holdings.
• The Bulls don't make the Super 15 semis, but retain the Currie Cup. The Stormers make the Super 15 semis, but Province flounder in the Currie Cup. SAIL, which owns 50% of the Bulls and 25% of Western Province, considers relisting on the JSE.
• At least one of our dual-listed companies with a primary listing in London recognises the benefit of offering SA-based shareholders a video or audio link to annual general meetings, general meetings and special shareholder meetings. The trend catches on.
• Portugal will win the 2010 Fifa World Cup. Manchester City won't win the English Premiership.
• Sekunjalo won't pay a dividend for the year to end-August 2010, but the company will mull an offer from fishing giant Oceana to buy its controlling stake in Premier Fishing.
• Shareholders in Kimberley Consolidated Mining will not see the belated publication of financial results to end-February 2009. They may, however, see the company's listing terminated on the JSE.
• I will double bogey the 18th hole at Milnerton more than five times in 2010 (and of this I am 100% certain). I will not insist on using my Sallies debentures as currency in "skins" matches.

- Fin24.com