Analysis: Indices

China tightens grip over rare earth supply quotas

BEIJING -China, the world's dominant rare earth supplier, issued on Friday measures to regulate the mining, smelting and separation of the critical minerals key to energy transition, further...

European shares close at five-month highs after Powell hints at September rate cut

European shares closed at their highest level in more than five months on Friday after U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell pointed to a possible September interest rate cut in his Jackson Hole...

South African rand hits nine-month high, as Fed remarks knock dollar

JOHANNESBURG -The South African rand strengthened on Friday, boosted by a weaker dollar and a rebound in gold prices, after U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell pointed to a possible rate cut at...

Gold Fields boosts dividend as profit triples on record bullion prices

South African mining group Gold Fields raised its interim dividend on Friday as first-half profit more than tripled from a year earlier, driven mainly by record bullion prices and increased...

Australia's Zip soars on strong earnings, outlook, US listing plan

Shares of Australia's Zip surged over 25% on Friday to hit their highest level in more than three years after the buy-now-pay-later company reported higher annual earnings and announced plans for a...

Oil prices rise, make weekly gains as Ukraine peace process stalls

HOUSTON - -Oil prices steadied on Friday amid uncertainty surrounding a potential peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, with prices gaining on the week for the first time in three weeks. ...

Botswana signs $12 billion investment deal with Qatar's Al Mansour Holdings

Botswana's President Duma Boko announced on Thursday an agreement with Qatar's Al Mansour Holdings, aimed at addressing immediate national challenges, with the Gulf firm committing to $12 billion in...

ADB to provide $410 million package for Barrick-run Pakistan mine, sources say

ISLAMABAD -The Asian Development Bank will provide a $410 million financing package to help develop Pakistan's Reko Diq copper mine, one of the world's largest untapped deposits, which will be...

China eyes agricultural, mining cooperation with Pakistan, foreign minister says

BEIJING -China is willing to cooperate with Pakistan in industry, agriculture and mining, Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar in Islamabad on Thursday, according to a...

Sinopec interim profit lowest in five years on weaker fuel demand

China's Sinopec reported a 39.8% drop in interim net profit due to lower oil prices, weaker fuel demand and as industry overcapacity weighs on margins at its chemicals business. Sinopec, the...

China's Bio-Thera Solutions licenses its arthritis drug to Germany's STADA

HONG KONG -China's Bio-Thera Solutions said on Thursday it has granted Germany's STADA Arzneimittel commercialisation rights for its arthritis drug BAT1806 in the EU, UK, Switzerland, certain Middle...

Lula, Macron discuss US tariffs, Mercosur-EU deal in phone call

SAO PAULO/PARIS -Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva spoke by phone on Wednesday with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron and discussed U.S. tariffs and the Mercosur-European Union trade...

S.African trade body recommends duties to curb steel imports

JOHANNESBURG -A South African government trade body looking into the country's struggling steel sector proposed import duties starting at 10% to defend the industry from an influx of imports mainly...

China launches WTO dispute with Canada on steel and aluminum surtaxes

BERLIN -China has requested dispute consultations at the World Trade Organization regarding Canadian surtaxes and quotas on steel and aluminum goods, the WTO said on Wednesday. The...

India stocks set for modest gains as US tariffs, foreign outflows cloud outlook

BENGALURU -Pressured by U.S. tariffs and foreign investor outflows, India's stock markets will manage to eke out only modest gains by year-end, according to a Reuters poll of equity analysts who have...

South Africa's inflation pushed to 10-month high by food and fuel prices

JOHANNESBURG -South Africa's consumer price inflation rose to 3.5% year-on-year in July, driven to its highest level since September 2024 by higher food and fuel prices though still within the...

Trafigura-led consortium aims to finalise US loan deal by end-2025

Lobito Atlantic Railway aims to finalise by the end of this year a $533 million loan deal with the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation that is vital for the upgrade of its Angolan...

India's Tata Motors returns to South African car market after six years

JOHANNESBURG -India's Tata Motors returned to South Africa's passenger vehicles market after a six-year absence, launching three ranges of SUVs and an entry-level compact hatchback to take on Chinese...

South African rand little moved by domestic inflation data, investors await Fed cues

JOHANNESBURG -South Africa's rand was little moved on Wednesday, despite the country's highest inflation reading for 10 months, as investors awaited minutes from the Fed's July meeting and a...