Rational Radio

SLR's political lens: Looking ahead to a turbulent 2019 for CR, Trump and May

Kicking off the new year with a fresh approach to political punditry with our London-based columnist Simon Lincoln Reader, an obsessive follower of politics in South Africa, the UK and the USA. In this episode, Simon explains how Trump's Wall was a Democratic idea; unpacks who really runs Corbyn's Labour…

3 Jan 2019 24 min

Flash Briefing: Apple, Tesla punished after missing forecasts; Renewables tops in UK; Mark Bristow's plans

In today’s global business headlines…. Computer and smartphone giant Apple Inc’s share price dropped 7% in post market trade after it disclosed iPhone sales for the December quarter will be significantly below its official forecast of just two months ago. The share price of another US market darling, electric car…

3 Jan 2019 4 min

Flash Briefing: Gold booming; SA business icon dies; "Tropical Trump" takes office; SA stocks worst year in a decade

In global business headlines: The gold price had a great finish to 2018 with bullion extending its winning streak to five days, edging towards $1 300, highest in six months. Brazil’s first right wing president in a generation, Jair Bolsonaro, promised to attack corruption and urged for unity in his…

2 Jan 2019 3 min

Flash Briefing: More good news for Tencent; Ellison joins Musk; Motor sector hit; Dell back on NYSE

In today’s global business headlines…. Analysis by automotive sector intelligence group Jato Dynamics shows the internal combustion engine is running out of steam much faster than expected. In related news, the world’s leading electric car maker Tesla landed a massive coup with Friday’s appointment of Oracle Group co-founder and executive…

31 Dec 2018 4 min

Flash Briefing: Wild swings in stocks; Gatwick sold to French; Spain moves right; Musk defends "pedo" tweet

In today’s global headlines…. Extreme recent volatility on Wall Street continued last night with share prices falling sharply before a powerful rally lifted them to the best close in a turbulent week.  While Brexit has frightened off some investors, French infrastructure operator Vinci regards it differently, describing today’s acquisition of…

28 Dec 2018 4 min

Flash Briefing; US stocks surge; Foreigners help UK retail; $8bn crypto crash; Naspers boosts A2X

In today’s global headlines…. After a bruising month, US stocks posted their best day in a decade yesterday as the three major indices rose over 5% with the Dow up more than 1 000 points for the first time in history.  Total UK retail footfall was down 3% year-on-year yesterday,…

27 Dec 2018 4 min

Flash Briefing: Trump's lawyer jailed; May wins; Tencent Music lists; SA State Capture in FT

In today’s global headlines…. British Prime Minister Theresa May saw off the long threatened challenge to her leadership by hard line Brexiteers within her own party, prevailing with 63% of the vote. American news media is giving blanket coverage to the jailing, for three years, of president Donald Trump’s confidante…

13 Dec 2018 4 min

Flash Briefing: Mrs May faces No Confidence vote tonight; Hyundai doubles down on fuel cells; $180m for Liquid Telecoms; Trade war latest

British Prime Minister Theresa May faces a vote of no confidence this evening after rebels in her Conservative Party secured the required 15% in written confirmations. China has made the first concrete move in the heralded flawing of its trade war with the US by cutting tariffs on US car…

12 Dec 2018 3 min

Flash Briefing: Another Brexit Referendum mooted; Problems for Apple, Google and Mabula Lodge's owner.

In today’s global headlines…. Brexit is back in the spotlight with another Referndum mooted after UK prime minister Theresa May postponed a vote on a deal that took 18 months to craft. Apple’s share price took a hit after a Chinese court ruled in favour of chip maker Qualcomm which…

11 Dec 2018 4 min

Flash Briefing: Macron's Yellow Jacket gloom; KPMG asks for another SA chance; Carlos Ghosn; Theresa May; Nicolas Maduro

In today’s global headlines…. For the fourth consecutive weekend, France’s “yellow jacket” protestors engaged in pitched battles with police in Paris and other major cities. This morning in Tokyo, Japanese prosecutors formally charged former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn with under-reporting his earnings for the last five years. In London, pressure…

10 Dec 2018 4 min

Flash Briefing: Market swings wildly; US interest rates; Huawei caves; Discovery chairman draws flack

It was an extraordinary session in US markets last night as shares first plumetted on the Huawei arrest and then bounced back after the Wall Street Journal reported that interest rates are likely to stay lower for longer.  A WSJ report disclosed an “evolving” US Federal Reserve view on interest…

7 Dec 2018 3 min

Flash Briefing: Huawei CFO arrested in Canada; KPMG booms; Glencore woes deepen; Discovery disruption goes global

In today’s global headlines…. The fragile trade war truce between the US and China came under severe pressure this morning whenCanada arrested the chief financial officer of Shenzhen telecoms group Huawei. More dark clouds are gathering on the horizon of JSE-listed Glencore which was yesterday named by Brazil’s Operation Car…

6 Dec 2018 3 min

Flash Briefing: Japan buys British; Uber targets minibuses; EU abandons digital tax; Value stocks tipped.

In today’s global headlines…. This morning Japanese pharmaceuticals giant Takeda got approval from its shareholders to launch a $62bn takeover bid for London listed rival Shire Plc.  European lawmakers have abandoned a planned digital tax which would have hurt Amazon and Apple. In South African-related news, ride hailing software company…

5 Dec 2018 3 min

Flash Briefing: Trade truce cracks; Glencore ructions; Tencent listing; Eskom loadshedding.

In today’s global headlines…. Asset prices rebounded overnight with the major US indices rising over 1% on news of a three month trade war truce. Amazon jumped almost 5%.  JSE-listed mining group Glencore is in the headlines after it announced copper chief Telis Mistakidis (56) will be leaving the group…

4 Dec 2018 4 min

Flash Briefing: Qatar dumps OPEC; Mboweni targets investment grade; US/China Trade War truce

In today’s global headlines…. As was telegraphed in the run-up to the G20 meeting in Buenos Aires, a truce has been called in the trade war between the US and China. Some tempering of oil’s post-G20 surge is on the cards after Qatar announced at a press conference this morning…

3 Dec 2018 4 min

Flash Briefing: Deutsche Bank raided; US Blue Wave; Trade war truce?; Intu price collapse

In today’s global headlines…. The reputation of once mighty Deutsche Bank hit a fresh low today after news that dozens of police officers, prosecutors and inspectors raided its Frankfurt offices as part of a money laundering investigation.  The final results from the US’s mid-term election cane through last night confirming…

30 Nov 2018 3 min

Flash Briefing: US Tech stocks; Unilever's Pohlman; Brexit's new fan; KPMG and SA

In today’s global headlines…. US stock markets bounced back strongly last night, the tech-heavy Nasdaq leading the way with a 3% gain, led by a 6% surge for Amazon. Unilever chief executive Paul Pohlman, one of the champions of business’s move towards a more socially conscious model, is to step…

29 Nov 2018 3 min

Flash Briefing: Trump tantrum; ending SLPs; MSFT v AAPL; Vitality's global breakthrough

In today’s global headlines…. US President Donald Trump is back into his feisty mode, raising concern that Friday’s Buenos Aires meeting with his Chinese counterpart could further escalate global tensions. Fallout continues from the Russian money laundering scandal at Danske Bank’s Estonia office, with attention now focusing on the UK’s…

28 Nov 2018 4 min

Flash Briefing: Battery plant for SA; GM; Mrs May's rebound; Goldman Sachs; Rossing

In today’s global headlines…. The reality of the US-instigated trade war has started coming home to those who have been cheering it loudest. Britain’s public is changing its collective mind about Theresa May’s Brexit plan, with the latest opinion polls showing 60% now support it. Malaysia has adopted its own…

27 Nov 2018 4 min

Flash Briefing 26 Nov: Crypto Crash, G20, TenCent, BDO, Brexit divorce

In today’s headlines…. It took just 38 minutes for the dissolution of Britain’s 45 year marriage to Europe No rest for Mrs May right now, but she has a new story to share with her global peers when they meet at the G20 gathering in Buenos Aires on Friday and…

26 Nov 2018 3 min