Taste hit by “brutal” decline in consumer spending

Taste says any operational gains made in the first half of its financial year were overshadowed by a “brutal and sustained decline in consumer spending”.

Harmony glistens on production update

Harmony Gold Mining says production from its South African underground operations will be 12% to 14% higher for the first quarter of its 2018 financial year.

Corporate finance activity of the week

Your corporate finance activity of the week includes Exxaro, Argent Industrial, Mass Real Estate and many more companies in the M&A space.

Equites rolls forward on logistics strategy

Equites Property Fund says it has benefited from continued demand for modern, well-located logistics facilities.

Verimark’s profit falls as it lures customers with new products

Verimark has managed to grow first-half sales, despite tough conditions for consumer-related businesses due to reduced consumer spending.

Thorts - Bitcoin

In the late 2000s, Bitcoin was counter-culture; revolution; anarchy; cypher-punk. It was anti-government, anti-control and commonly understood as the currency of the dark web and shady...

Vunani battles through tough economy

Vunani has weathered a tough first half, which saw performance fees decline and longer lead times to finalise advisory mandates.

Who’s doing what in the South African & African M&A space?

Wondering whats happening in the M&A Space this week? Find out whats happening with JSE-listed companies, unlisted companies and companies in Africa.

Movers & Shakers - Govan Manuel

Manuel’s area of expertise is mergers and acquisitions, private equity, corporate re-organisations and restructurings, general corporate finance and empowerment transactions.

PSG’s earnings take a knock from Zeder, but the parts stack up

PSG's half-year earnings have taken a hit from its food investments, but high-flying Capitec has cushioned the fall.

Mondi warns it will “modestly” miss expectations

Mondi’s trading update for the third quarter of the year looked pretty good - up until the outlook statement.

Analysis: Hoping for a new lease of life, KPMG SA gets a new leadership

It takes time for the wheels of government to grind, so much more so when parts of that government are compromised at best and well and...

Sun International places its chips on Peru

Sun International is buying four casino resorts and a tract of land in Peru through its Latin American subsidiary Sun Dreams for $26 million.

Echo Polska doubles its Polish retail portfolio

Echo Polska Properties is buying a portfolio of 12 retail properties in a deal worth €692.1 million as it shifts its focus from the office sector.

Life Esidimeni: Deaths recounted, but will government hold its own accountable?

After two years of fighting, relatives of Life Esidimeni patients entered an arbitration process aimed at achieving truth, redress and closure on Monday. They have to...

Op-Ed: It’s time to acknowledge the impact of capital flight on developing countries

We know the story: Africa is poor, and it needs help from rich countries. And if Western powers have exploited the black continent through slavery, colonialism...

Dis-Chem rallies as it prescribes a sharp rise in first-half profit

Dis-Chem expects first-half earnings to be up as much as 39.5% as it continues to roll out new stores.

Santova shakes off Brexit and strong rand

Santova expects stronger earnings despite currency headwinds as it grows its offshore operations.

Product rollout costs Verimark

Verimark expects to report a slide in first-half earnings due to an increase in new products and the associated spend on advertising.

ANC Leadership Race: With Mpumalanga’s massive growth, it’s now David Mabuza, the decider. Be very afraid.

When trying to put together the complicated puzzle that is the ANC's leadership election equation, it is important to assign values to your pieces. You need...

Stor-Age beefs up Durban presence in fragmented market

Stor-Age is taking advantage of a fragmented self-storage industry in South Africa to make value-added acquisitions.

Datatec offloads Logicalis unit in non-core clean-up

Datatec says its Logicalis subsidiary has sold its service management consultancy business, Logicalis SMC, to DXC Technology for an undisclosed amount.

Rugby: Boks have improved, but only consistency in Europe will be their redemption

It's been a while since the All Blacks have had to work as they did at the weekend. And while there have been notable improvements for...

Sasol backtracks on book build to cover BEE shortfall

Sasol is examining alternatives to an accelerated book build of up to 43-million ordinary shares to help cover its empowerment-scheme funding gap.

Gourmet Burger devours Famous Brands' earnings

Famous Brands is still getting indigestion from last year’s acquisition of Gourmet Burger Kitchen, to the point that it expects another dip in earnings.

Don't cross the Bitcoin prophets

Money functions as a measure of price, a medium of exchange and a store of value. Money evolves all the time. From sea shells to electronic...

Calgro warns of earnings dip due to affordable housing build

Calgro M3 says profit for the six months to end August is likely to be lower due to the joint venture it set up a year...

Sirius benefitting from German boom

Germany's strong growth has resulted in increased demand for the business parks Sirius Real Estate owns across the country, supporting rentals.

Analysis: Coalitions no easy route come 2019, as current co-operation pacts wobble

Project 2019 is well under way in the ANC, DA and EFF as all eye victory in the next national elections. But each of South Africa's...

The week ahead

Global economics, politics, markets and company news for this week ahead. By #ChrisGilmour

Dangote's interest in PPC crumbles

Dangote Cement has ended its brief engagement to PPC, leaving the local cement producer with two other proposals to mull over.

Group Five rallies as the buzzards circle

Group Five rallied on Friday after it said had received, and continues to receive, a number of expressions of interest.

Lonmin’s lenders give it room to manoeuvre

Lonmin rallied on Friday after its lending banks waived two bank covenants, opening the way for it to buy out the Pandora joint venture.

amaBhungane & Scorpio: The McKinsey Dossier, Part 3 – Eskom tells McKinsey and Trillian to #PayBackTheMoney

Eskom has moved to reclaim R1.6-billion paid to McKinsey and Trillian for a consulting project that left the power utility "open to excessive economic exposure", according...

Phumelela hits currency hurdle on home straight

Phumelela’s diversification strategy, both internationally and into complementary businesses, is paying off. However, currency volatility has proved to be a handicap for the year to July.

Life after Long4Life for Hedderwick

In a brief announcement on the JSE’s SENS news service on Friday, Long4Life gave no reason for Hedderwick’s resignation but said he would be pursuing personal...

A2X off to a flying start as it starts trading

South Africa’s newest stock exchange has hit the ground running, with three secondary listings and four leading brokers on board.

Parliament: Public Protector’s curious take on her powers as she stands by review of Reserve Bank mandate

Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane on Thursday stood by her call to review the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) constitutional mandate, part of the controversial Absa Bankorp...