Improving business climate is key challenge -Africa improves
November 6, 2012--Some African governments are making it easier to do business in their countries, but it remains a key challenge. Excessive and unhelpful regulation put off local and foreign investors all over Africa and growth and development is held back by governments that lack interest and capacity to foster private sector growth which brings jobs, improvements to currency flows and tax revenues.
Many African economies could score at low outlay by finding ways to streamline and improve business regulations, including systems to prune and get rid of old or contradictory laws, and by improving capacity at business licencing, tax and other government departments.
The business environment is rising higher on the agenda of African governments and more progress is being made, but there are still major issues.
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Source: African Capital Markets News
JSE closes flat after earlier highs
November 6, 2012--The JSE pared gains on Tuesday to close off the all-time high reached earlier in the day, with banks and financials gaining and mining houses dropping.
Global markets were mostly subdued‚ while investors’ attention is firmly focussed on the outcome of the US presidential election.
At 5pm‚ the All Share [JSE:J203] index closed flat at 37 597.68 points‚ with the banking sector gaining 1.51% and resources giving up 0.45%.
The JSE was fairly positive earlier‚ but closed off its highs after disappointing PMI figures out of Europe.
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Source: FIN24
Rand flat, eyes US election
November 6, 2012--The rand was relatively flat in the late morning on Tuesday as traders eye US election on policy direction.
At 11:20am‚ the rand was bid at R8.7194 to the US dollar from Monday’s close of R8.7250. It was bid at R11.1335 to the euro from its previous close of R11.1660 and at R13.9218 against sterling from R13.9418 before.
The euro was bid at $1.2775 from Monday’s close of $1.2800.
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Source: FIN24
Bonds maintain softer bias
November 5, 2012--The SA bond market exhibited a weaker bias in thin afternoon trade as market players looked to the outcome of the US presidential election on Tuesday for some direction.
At 15:48 the benchmark R186 was trading at 7.710% from its previous close of 7.670%. The R157 was trading at 5.475% from its previous close of 5.455% and the R207 was bid at 6.470% and offered at 6.445% from its previous close of 6.445%.
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Source: FIN24
JSE opens softer, platinums higher
November 05, 2012-The JSE all share index was flat early on Monday morning, just short of the record high it reached on Friday, with global market attention focusing on the outcome of the US election on Tuesday.
Platinum and industrial stocks were showing some upside on Monday‚ while resources led the downside.
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Source; FIN24
Nigeria's SEC pushes for privatization listings, stockbroker consolidation and NSE demutualization
November 5, 2012--Nigeria's Securities and Exchange Commission (www.sec.gov.ng) hopes to boost liquidity on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (www.nse.com.ng) by getting previously privatized enterprises to list their shares.
Arunma Oteh, Director General of the SEC, also said that demutualization of the NSE is on track, according to a report in the local Vanguard newspaper, and the commission is still working on the framework and guideline to before the exercise starts.
Oteh said the SEC is to meet the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE): “The Commission will be working with the BPE to ensure that already privatized entities before now are listed on the NSE based on the agreement they had with the Bureau. For instance Eleme Petrochemical, one of the companies previously privatized, is doing well and the portion of government shares could be listed on the exchange to allow the indigenes own stake and participate in the fortune of the entity.” She said recently privatized power sector companies could boost the volume and value of transactions by listing on the NSE.
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Source: African Capital Markets
Resources weigh on world markets, JSE
November 5, 2012--The JSE closed the Monday session softer, pulled down by resources due to a stronger greenback, while financials and banks made some gains.
At 17:00 the All Share [JSE:J203] closed down 0.23% to 37 579.38 points; the Top 40 - (Tradeable) [JSE:J200] was 0.35% softer‚ resources shed 1.13%‚ while financials were a tad firmer (0.27%).
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Source: FIN24
Bonds maintain softer bias
November 5, 2012--The SA bond market exhibited a weaker bias in thin afternoon trade as market players looked to the outcome of the US presidential election on Tuesday for some direction.
At 15:48 the benchmark R186 was trading at 7.710% from its previous close of 7.670%. The R157 was trading at 5.475% from its previous close of 5.455% and the R207 was bid at 6.470% and offered at 6.445% from its previous close of 6.445%.
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Source: FIN24
SA's latest gold ETN strips out rand risk
November 5, 2012--GOLD has more than doubled in price over the last five years. In part, the surge in gold has been a function of it being a store of value in times of crisis.
More recently, gold has benefited from its reputation as insurance against inflation. If anything, the inflation stars appear to be aligning to drive the yellow metal even higher. Not only has the US committed to quantitative easing on repeat, but the largest economies all appear intent on devaluing their currencies through accommodative monetary policies.
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Source: MiningmX
JSE adds derivatives: grain specific to silos and more silver and platinum futures
November 4, 2012--South Africa's JSE Ltd (www.jse.co.za) continues to expand its commodity derivatives range. It has added silver and platinum "quanto futures" to its existing gold, copper and Brent crude quanto futures launched earlier this year.
It is also helping develop the South African grain market by allowing Safex silo receipts to complete a futures contract, so that producers and buyers can trade grain with a bid or offered premium depending on location, for instance if a buyer wants grain in a particular location.
The JSE has partnered with Rand Merchant Bank, which is the initial market maker. The commodities are referenced as part of the JSE’s existing licensing agreement with the CME Group.
Commodity gain, without currency pain According to a JSE press release on 1 Nov, a quanto future is a derivative instrument which, on the JSE, is a ZAR-denominated commodity investment product which delivers the same payoff as a pure USD-denominated commodity investment. This lets investors gain exposure to the foreign underlying commodity without being exposed to the USD-ZAR exchange rate.
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Source: African Capital Markets