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Rand weakens slightly ahead of trade data
February 28, 2014--The rand was slightly weaker against the dollar on Friday and could suffer further losses if trade data due later in the session disappoints.
The rand was at R10.7250 to the dollar at 06:29 GMT, down 0.3% from Thursday's New York close.
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Source: FIN24
Rand slips after budget
February 27, 2014--The rand was weaker against the dollar on Wednesday after Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan presented the 2014 budget to parliament and as emerging market currencies came under pressure.
The rand was at R10.8150 to the dollar at 15:35 GMT, down 0.8% from Tuesday's New York close.
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Source: FIN24
JSE firmer ahead of budget speech
February 26, 2014--All the indices were higher amid a stronger rand environment, except for gold miners. Even resources recovered from two days of profit-taking.
At midday the All-share index was up 63 points or 0.13% at 47,020 points, with the blue chip Top 40 index adding 99,57 points or 0.23% to 42 542. The resources index traded 0.21% higher, but the gold index was 1.95% lower.
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Source: FIN24
Rand holds on to gains ahead of budget
February 26, 2014--The rand has been marginally firmer against the dollar, building on four days of gains and expectations of a solid budget from Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan.
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Source: FIN24
Statistics South Africa- Fourth quarter GDP up by 3, 8 per cent
February 25, 2014--The seasonally adjusted real gross domestic product (GDP) at market prices for the fourth quarter of 2013 increased at an annualised rate of 3,8 per cent. The main contributors to this increase in economic activity were the manufacturing industry (1,8 percentage points) and the mining and quarrying industry (0,8 of a percentage point).
The manufacturing industry's contribution of 1,8 percentage points was based on growth of 12,3 per cent, due to higher production in food and beverages; petroleum, chemical products, rubber and plastic products; and motor vehicles, parts and accessories and other transport equipment.
view the Gross domestic product-Fourth quarter 2013 report
Source: Statistics South Africa
JSE extends losses
February 25, 2014--South African shares extended losses on Tuesday, falling just over 1% as a firmer rand currency put pressure on resource companies such as Anglo American.
Shoprite dropped nearly 2% after posting the slowest first-half profit growth in eight years as customers of Africa's biggest retailer grapple with high debt, job losses and inflation.
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Source: FIN24
Rand weakens ahead of GDP data
February 25, 2014--The rand weakened against the dollar early on Tuesday, pulling back from a 5-week high hit overnight as political tensions in emerging markets such as Ukraine and Turkey remained and depressed risk appetite.
The rand managed gains to 10.75/dollar in the previous session, boosted by expectations of upbeat GDP data, a market-positive budget and as dealers unwound long-dollar positions.
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Source: FIN24
Mining shares drag JSE down
February 24, 2014--South African stocks ended slightly lower on Monday, weighed down by mining shares as worries about an economic slowdown in China pointed to reduced demand for industrial metals.
China is the biggest consumer of industrial metals such as copper, whose price fell to its lowest in more than two weeks.
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Source: FIN24
Rand recovers as market unwinds
February 24, 2014--The rand rallied to its strongest level in nearly a week against the dollar on Monday as market players unwound long dollar positions accumulated during the recent bout of global risk aversion.
Government bonds were also firmer, and yields retreated as the market expects Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan on Februaury 26 to keep a firm grip on public spending when he unveils the 2014 budget on Wednesday.
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Source: FIN24
JSE books record close, Aspen up
February 21, 2014--South African stocks capped the week with another record close on Friday, with drugs company Aspen Pharmacare rising after it flagged an increase in first-half earnings, while a weaker rand helped underpin mining shares.
Mining companies and other exporters have benefited from the rand's fall to a five-year low in recent weeks, a trend that some analysts see continuing.
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Source: FIN24
