Business News Leaders

How the SARB's rate cut will impact consumers

The MPC has slashed interest rates by 50 basis points bringing total cuts for this year to 275 basis points. This is much needed relief for consumers at a time when Spar is warning of 'unprecedented' pressure on shoppers moving forward. Business Day TV spoke to Kevin Lings , Chief…

21 May 2020 2AM 14 min

Afrimat delivers strong full-year results

Afrimat has delivered strong annual numbers reporting an 11.4% rise in revenue and a 48.5% jump in headline earnings per share. This was fuelled by strong iron ore prices, increased production and cost saving measures. Business Day TV caught up with the group's CEO, Andries Van Heerden for further insight…

21 May 2020 2AM 4 min

Retail sales jump 2% year-on-year in February

Retail sales increased in February, rising 2% year-on-year. This was mainly boosted by sales at general dealers and 'all other retailers' which include sporting and second-hand goods. Business Day TV discussed what the data suggests for sales going forward with Reezwana Sumad from Nedbank CIB.

21 May 2020 2AM 5 min

COVID-19: Dis-chem defers dividen

Dis-Chem is hoping caution will prove to be the right medicine. The pharmacy group has decided to defer its annual dividend until it has a better sense of the full impact of Covid-19. In a related industry, the day hospital market is feeling the pinch as elective surgeries have been…

20 May 2020 2AM 14 min

Coronavirus-linked volatility weighs on Ninety One

Following its unbundling from Investec, Ninety One has released its maiden results. The group has reported a 1% decline in annual net flows to just over R132mn, while assets under management fell 7%. Ninety One has pointed to ongoing market volatility as well as a weak global economy as reasons…

20 May 2020 2AM 5 min

How Covid-19 is changing ecommerce trends in SA

Last Thursday government backtracked on its decision to ban large parts of ecommerce and the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown has prompted a surge in e-commerce transactions. According to a recent Nielsen syndicated study on the impact of the lockdown on consumer behaviour in SA, there has been a sharp uptick of…

19 May 2020 2AM 26 min

Alcoholic drinks on ice, industry knock-on effects

Lockdown has been a sobering moment for the liquor industry. Drinks maker Distell has already warned that the ban on liquor sales during the period is likely to result in an 80% plunge in the group's profit. Related industries such us bottling companies are expected to be hard hit as…

19 May 2020 2AM 10 min

Factory production contracts again

South Africa's manufacturing sector remains in the doldrums, with output slipping 2.1% on an annual basis in February. Mining production meanwhile surprised to the upside, as output registered growth of 7%. Business Day TV caught up with RMB's Mpho Molopyane for further analysis on the data, which accounts for output…

19 May 2020 2AM 6 min

How the food industry is affected by the lockdown

Since the first case of Covid 19 in the country was confirmed in early March of this year, restaurants and food businesses around the country have been among the worst affected. As the virus continues to spread, Business Day TV's Michael Avery speaks to food industry veterans to talk about…

18 May 2020 5AM 25 min

How has Covid-19 impacted SA's poultry industry?

Astral Foods has so far been largely unscathed by the Coronavirus pandemic but the company has decided to err on the side of caution. It's holding on to its half-year dividend to shore up its balance sheet. Business Day TV spoke to Chris Schutte, CEO of Astral and Izaak Breitenbach…

18 May 2020 2AM 13 min

Calgro M3 returns to profitability

Calgro M3 is back in the black. The property group has recorded headline earnings per share of 1.7 cents during the full-year. This comes as the company makes headway with its turnaround strategy, but with Covid-19 emerging as a new challenge. Business Day TV caught up with Calgro's CEO, Wikus…

18 May 2020 2AM 5 min

Covid 19 and Sport: Ball in government’s court

The biggest Covid-induced hole in many sports mad South Africans’ lives right now is undoubtedly sport. A whopping 83.7% of sports federations surveyed by the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) believe they won’t survive longer than six months under the current Covid-19 lockdown restrictions. What is the…

15 May 2020 2AM 26 min

Counting the cost of SA's lockdown

Measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 have weighed on South Africa's economy, and with a hefty contraction on the cards, there's much debate regarding whether the country's mitigation efforts are worth it. Business Day TV spoke to Allan Gray's Chief Investment Officer Andrew Lapping, about the economic cost of…

15 May 2020 2AM 7 min

Covid-19: Survival of the fittest firms

Businesses are having to navigate unchartered territory during this time and while the JSE will be offering some relief to listed companies, not all companies will survive COVID-19 and could look to file for business rescue. Business Day TV spoke to Leila Fourie, CEO of the JSE for more on…

14 May 2020 2AM 13 min

Altron slashes dividend in attempt to preserve cash

In light of the current economic disruption caused by the coronavirus and the uncertainty moving forward, Altron has decided to declare a payout that is 40% less than what would otherwise have been declared. Business Day TV discussed some of the cost saving measures and unpacked the groups annual numbers…

14 May 2020 2AM 5 min

Are South Africans at risk of a second major public health scare?

The mental burden created by Covid 19 is so heavy that it is creating a second major public health scare alongside the deadly pandemic. So, how do we deal with this, what are the signs that we are on the edge and what sort of tools can we use to…

14 May 2020 2AM 25 min

Driving the taxi industry amid COVID-19

Despite a robust interim performance, Transaction Capital wrote down its businesses by roughly R190m. That's as the company prepares for the fallout from COVID-19. Santaco has skin in the game with a 25% stake in Transaction Capital’s SA Taxi business. Business Day TV spoke to company’s CEO, David Hurwitz and…

13 May 2020 2AM 13 min

Auto sales' slump, lockdowns weigh on PGM market

The PGM market is feeling the wrath of the coronavirus. That's as falling car sales and mine closures, driven by lockdowns, weigh on metal prices. Business Day TV spoke to Nedbank CIB's Arnold Van Graan for his view on whether this trend is set to continue for the rest of…

13 May 2020 2AM 4 min

Grey shoes tap dance around Covid 19 material risks

COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc with live and economies. The auditing profession has not been immune to this influence either. The entire auditing profession, from the performance of day-to-day audits to international standard setting activities, has been impacted by this pandemic. Business Day TV’s Michael Avery speaks to Freeman Nomvalo,…

11 May 2020 2AM 25 min

Vodacom benefits from data traffic surge

Vodacom has reported a near 9% rise in annual headline earnings per share where the bulk of the heavy lifting came through from the group's international business. The mobile operator grew its customer base by close to 6 million during the period with data traffic surging by 66%. Vodacom has…

11 May 2020 2AM 11 min