WorldWide Markets with Simon Brown

Predictions 2026 with; Marc Ashton, Keith McLachlan & Simon Brown

·34 min·3 clips
Mark Ashton predicts Donald Trump will not be U.S. president by December 31, 2026.
The episode begins with Simon Brown introducing the 13th annual predictions show, noting a delayed release due to technical issues. He reviews the 2025 prediction scores: Mark Ashton had four points, Keith McLachlan had three, and Simon had four and a half, with half-points awarded for shared predictions. Last year's predictions included Trump and Musk's relationship, AI subscription pricing, and gold prices, with mixed results. For 2026, Mark Ashton predicts Donald Trump will not be U.S. president by year-end, citing political friction and declining support. Keith McLachlan forecasts the VIX volatility index will breach 35 points, arguing markets are complacent despite global chaos like U.S. debt maturities and geopolitical tensions. Simon Brown predicts the South African Resi index will outperform other local indices, noting it has become a precious metals ETF dominated by gold and platinum. Mark Ashton's second prediction is that RHB, a small-cap healthcare stock, will double in share price due to its discount to net asset value. Keith McLachlan's second prediction focuses on AI, stating that at least two of the MAG-6 tech giants will see lower net profit margins as they shift to capital-intensive models. Simon Brown's second prediction is that emerging markets will beat developed markets in 2026, reversing a long trend of U.S. dominance. Mark Ashton's third prediction is that Altversed will no longer be a Bitcoin treasury company by year-end, questioning its strategy. Keith McLachlan's third prediction is that Helen Zille will become mayor of Johannesburg after the 2026 local elections, driven by coalition politics. Simon Brown's third prediction is that a trillion-dollar IPO will occur in 2026, possibly from SpaceX, OpenAI, or Anthropic. The episode wraps with quick forecasts: Mark and Simon predict the Top 40 will be up and the rand stronger, while Keith predicts the rand will weaken.

As heard by us

A prediction show that pairs scorekeeping with concrete market calls and a detail-heavy stock pick.

Worldwide Markets spends its 13th year of predictions looking back at last year's calls before moving into 2026 bets from Simon Brown, Mark Ashton, and Keith McLaughlin.

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Why you'd press play

Press play if you like 2026 predictions with receipts and a scorecard that keeps score.

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