Sadly for South Africans who like honest governance and basic service delivery, it appears almost certain that the ANC will win next week’s national election.

According to  Ipsos, the ANC should just about crack 60% of the vote, which seems to be the most reliable poll.

That being said, the Institute of Race Relations (IRR) survey says that the ANC could struggle to get 50% of the vote, although those numbers have been widely queried.

If you’re thinking that the ANC is going to crack somewhere around the 55% to 60% mark, there could be a boost in shares in banks and insurers, retailers, locally focused industrial companies, property firms and telcos.

That’s according to UBS Group AG, as reported on BusinessTech:

A strong showing for the ANC may trigger a rally in South African assets on expectations of greater policy certainty, better management of state-owned companies and an improved outlook for growth, [Aveshen Pillay, director of equity derivatives sales and structuring] said…

UBS has listed a basket of 20 stocks correlated to rand strength, including financials, retailers, industrials, property and telcos.

Let’s take a look at some of those preferred South African stocks in the lead up to the election:

Whilst the retailers down the bottom haven’t fared that well this year, they “will benefit from improved consumer sentiment and growth prospects, the analysts said”.

Ultimately, you should always chat with a professional before making any financial decisions. Spend your money wisely, and do the same with your vote.

[source:businesstech]