Archive for December 11th, 2009

One of this country’s finest young investment brains describes a tricky year, and tries to find some value in a market that has run hard and fast. Andrew in conversation with Lindsay… »

Consumers will remain under pressure until job creation and income growth accelerate early next year.
South African consumers are retrenching, even as the economy expands. Data this week showed retail sales, an important measure of consumer demand, contracted at a faster pace in October. Sales declined 6.5% from a year ago compared with a 4.9%… »

Despite a fresh wave of risk appetite globally, the South African rand was trading in a narrow range in quiet noon trade on Friday as markets begin to wind down ahead of the festive season.
At 12:05 the rand was bid at 7.5151 to the dollar from 7.5205 at its previous… »

The JSE went on the offensive to gain nearly 150 points in early trade on Friday as positive undertones emanated from offshore.
At 09:15 the JSE all share index was up by 0.52%, with industrials gaining 0.65%, resources 0.53%, banks 0.33% and platinum counters 0.48%. Financial counters added 0.27%, but gold… »

This is our last Daily Insight of the year. We take this opportunity to thank you, our readers, for your support and wish you the best of the season. Publication will resume on 11 January.
NERVOUS BUT RANGE-BOUND INTO YEAR-END
Risks of an immediate break of 7.62 have faded. Mixed US data has taken the strength out… »

— Weekly treasury bill auction.
— Nictus releases interim results (approx date).
WHAT TO WATCH FOR:
With no economic due out on Friday, local markets will be taking their cue from international markets. Dow Jones Newswires reported that Asian shares were mostly higher Friday after a slew of data releases from China confirmed the view… »

CONSUMER spending fell more slowly in the third quarter of this year, but investment shrank at its sharpest pace in more than a decade, fanning concern over SA’s tentative economic recovery.

Gross fixed capital formation, the main measure of investment, fell 4,1% after a 0,9% decline in the second quarter, Reserve Bank data showed yesterday.

That was… »

David Rosenberg, the former Merrill Lynch economist now at Gluskin Sheff, has another of his very bearish reports out, and kicks off with this observation:

The credit collapse and the accompanying deflation and overcapacity are going to drive the economy and financial markets in 2010. We have said repeatedly that this recession… »

NEW YORK (Reuters) - As the United States climbs out of recession, questions linger over whether the worst downturn in more than 70 years has left a permanent scar on the American psyche that will sharply constrain a recovery.

Top money managers at the Reuters Investment Summit in New York this week mulled how the evolution… »

What started out as a forum for fan mail on Tiger Woods’s website has turned into an embarrassing tide of vitriol as a public relations expert warned that the backlash over the golfer’s sexual liaisons could eat him alive.

The rumours have prompted questions over why Woods’s once-slick management team have allowed the scandal to get… »