In case you missed the news yesterday, I'm thrilled to announce that IG will be collaborating with Ghost Mail to help make it easier to enter the world of trading. This is a different skill to investing and one that is well worth adding to your toolkit. Look out for some great educational content coming soon.

If you want to set up a demo account in the meantime, you can do that here.

Whether you are investing or trading, knowledge is power if you want to be a stock picker. Unlock the Stock offers you a terrific opportunity to ask questions directly to management teams of JSE-listed companies. Where else will you get the chance to do that? The next event is PBT Group, scheduled for Thursday at 12pm. Register for free to attend>>>

 

Fresh out the oven:

 

• Ghost Bites: Orion Minerals is raising capital from shareholders, as a junior mining house must do. At the other end of the mining spectrum, Anglo American has suffered a setback in coal. Clicks must sell Unicorn Pharmaceuticals. And finally, Cilo Cybin has begun its life as a listed company. You can get all the details in Ghost Bites>>>
  
  
  

• Investec No Ordinary Wednesday podcast: The market may be unpredictable, but your investment strategy doesn’t have to be. Investec Investment Management experts share their insights on what approaches are winning, common mistakes investors make, and why staying the course is important. Enjoy it here>>>

• Dominique Olivier: Blue is actually the colour of money, not green. Ever wondered where royal blue comes from? Can you believe that there was a time when even Michelangelo couldn't afford blue pigments? Dominique Olivier digs into the history of the most expensive colour of all - and how rarity doesn't last forever. Read it here>>>

• Satrix: Balancing risk and romance isn't easy. The stats tell us that financial misalignment is a major source of strain in relationships. In this lovely piece from Satrix, Duma Mxenge shares insights into how couples can reduce that stress in their relationships. Read it here>>>

Local company news:


Orion Minerals is raising money not just from sophisticated (i.e. pre-qualified) investors, but from all existing shareholders who are interested in participating. I like this share purchase plan structure as it allows retail investors to add to their positions but doesn't come with the same pressures and challenges as a rights offer.

At Anglo American, production at the Grosvenor mine in Queensland has been suspended due to a gas ignition incident. Yikes. Thankfully, there don't seem to have been any casualties. There will of course be a financial impact from this.

Clicks needs to sell Unicorn Pharmaceuticals to appease the regulator, with a deal set to be concluded by the end of July.

Cilo Cybin has begun its journey as a listed company, with the SPAC needing to make its first acquisition. 

All these stories, plus the Little Bites, are available in Ghost Bites at this link>>>
 

International business news:


After a potential deal around Paramount fell over, the company is now in discussions with other streaming platforms to potentially merge their offerings in search of sufficient scale to be profitable. This plays into the broader consolidation trend that we are seeing across the streaming market. One example could be a deal with Warner Bros. Discovery to merge Max and Paramount+ as a joint venture.

I expect to see more and more of this coming through, as the market simply cannot support a multitude of sub-scale streaming offerings.

If you want to become a better stock picker, Magic Markets Premium is perfect for you. We covered Darden Restaurants last week. To get access to this research and the rest of the vast library, subscribe to the platform here.

Macroeconomic Update with IG's morning call

The suggestion that rates in the US are unlikely to ease at pace, while inflation remains sticky and the labour market tight, is furthered by an increased probability of a Trump election win, propping up yields and the US dollar right now.

The stronger dollar sees the rand weaker and trading at the R18.39/$ level in early trade.

European and US index futures are trading lower, while Asian benchmarks are trading mostly higher. On balance we are expecting a slightly softer start for our local bourse the JSE All-Share Index.

Traders will look to this morning's European CPI inflation data and this afternoon's address from US Fed Chair Jerome Powell as key data points.

Oil prices continue to trade higher supported by forecasts of a supply deficits and OPEC+ cuts in the third quarter.

Gold is trading flat relative to yesterdays market close.

Key Indicators: USD/ZAR R18.39/$ | US 10yr 4.48% | Gold $2,327/oz | Platinum $980/oz | Brent Crude $86.65

The macroeconomic update is based on IG's morning call update