A five-year wage deal

Good morning Voornaam,

Quick links:

  • Harmony announced a five-year wage deal with all of its unions, the first time in company history that this has been achieved. Other mining news includes a CEO appointment at Kore Potash, earnings at Mantengu Mining and an offer extension by Goldway at MC Mining. There's also acquisition news from Aspen. All this and more in Ghost Bites, brought to you by Fedgroup.

  • Jeremy Maggs is a highly familiar name in local broadcasting and he hosts Investec's No Ordinary Wednesday podcast. The latest episode features award-winning fund managers Barry Shamley and Peter Vogel, bringing you their view on the markets. This podcast is brought to you by Investec and you can (and should) listen to it here>>>

  • Digital assets and fintech: two important growth areas in the world. These terms can be confusing though, especially when you start talking about blockchain and even cryptocurrency. For a perspective on how corporates are thinking about this stuff (rather than the kid down the road on Reddit trading coins with outrageous names), I spoke to Wiehann Olivier and Mia Pieterse of Mazars in South Africa. In the background of all the chaos, there's a lot going on at corporate level with this technology. Listen to the show here>>>

  • ​​Taylor Swift's incredible success isn't news to you, but why do we treat individual success differently to corporate success? After all, isn't there a point at which a person becomes a business? Dominique Olivier takes a look at the Microsoft of Musicians in this excellent article>>>

  • Artificial, or Artificial Intelligence? AI is dominating headlines everywhere, which means opportunities and risks. To discuss this phenomenon, Nico Katzke of Satrix joined me on the latest Ghost Stories podcast. Find it here>>>

  • ​Thanks to Mazars, there's an insightful episode of Ghost Wrap for you this morning. Get the latest on Transaction Capital, Sun International, Thungela and OUTsurance in this fast-paced podcast.

  • A brand new episode of the Magic Markets podcast gives you the latest on Accenture and FactSet as offshore companies that have had recent pressure on their share prices.​

LISTEN: Artificial, or Artificial Intelligence?
(with Nico Katzke of Satrix)

Artificial Intelligence (or AI) is all over the headlines. Like with any hype trade, that's both an opportunity and a risk.

To bring some clarity to what this is and what this isn't, Nico Katzke of Satrix joined me on Ghost Stories. You'll really enjoy this podcast>>>

LISTEN: Diving into Digital Assets and Fintech
(with Wiehann Olivier and Mia Pieterse of Mazars in South Africa)

Digital assets, blockchain and crypto are shrouded in mystery, yet corporates are not blind to the opportunities in this technology.

And as for fintech, that's always a hive of activity.

Learn more about this space in this podcast>>>

LISTEN AND READ: The Investec Nikkei 225 Autocall
with Brian McMillan of Investec

Brian McMillan of Structured Products at Investec talked to me about the Investec Nikkei 225 Autocall.

It offers exposure to the Nikkei 225 index over a period of up to five years with an enhanced return of up to 17% per annum in ZAR or 11.5% per annum in USD. Importantly, there is 100% capital protection provided the index does not drop by more than 30%.

Listen to this podcast to find out more. Alternatively, you can read this article about the product.

READ: The Microsoft of Musicians: Taylor Swift
(by Dominique Olivier)

When a person becomes wildly successful, we talk about luck and upbringing. When a company is worth billions, we talk about strategy.

But is a megastar like Taylor Swift really so different to a business? Dominique Olivier brings you this excellent article>>>


Local company news:


Ghost Bites is brought to you by Fedgroup.

Harmony announced that a five-year wage deal has been reached with all five unions in the group, which is the first time that this has happened in the company's 73-year history. In the mining industry, it's absolutely critical that labour relations are managed constructively. Strikes can be so destructive - just ask Sibanye.

In other mining news, Kore Potash has taken the confident step of appointing a CEO. Mantengu Mining released a trading statement that shows a turnaround to a breakeven position. At MC Mining, Goldway has extended its offer to shareholders by two weeks. Although the price hasn't changed at this point, one has to wonder if an uptick is coming. Goldway still hasn't achieved the required acceptances for the deal to go ahead.

Finally, Aspen has given an update on the timing and regulatory approval for the deals with Sandoz.

Everything you need is in Ghost Bites at this link>>>

Check out the most recent episode of the Ghost Wrap podcast, made possible by Mazars. It takes just a few minutes to get the latest on Transaction Capital, Sun International, Thungela and OUTsuranceGet it here>>>

 

READ: DealMakers

The DealMakers summaries are here, covering local M&A, local corporate finance and African M&A.

You can also read about the 2023 Companies Amendment Bill or the energy and materials sectors in Africa.

LISTEN: Magic Markets podcast

In Episode 169 of Magic Markets, we covered Accenture and FactSet. Both groups have had a wobbly in the share prices recently, with the market concerned about growth.

Is this just a bump in the road, or a deeper problem?

Magic Markets is a great way to expand your reach to global opportunities. Listen to the show here.

Macroeconomic Update

The rand dipped below R18.60 in early trade yesterday, thanks to a softer dollar. Initial jobless claims were slightly higher than anticipated, but this didn't give much support to the dollar ahead of non-farm payrolls due today.

Metals found some traction on the back of positive PMI data in China and general optimism around demand, with palladium up over 1% for the day.

Key indicators: USD/ZAR R18.64; US 10-year 4.34%; Gold $2,294; Platinum ZAR R17,557; Brent Crude $89.26

This macroeconomic update is based on TreasuryONE's morning update.

READ: Dive into your DIY investing adventure
(by Duma Mxenge of Satrix)

Yes, you can take investing into your own hands - you just need a sensible approach to it. 

In this excellent article, Duma Mxenge gives sensible, easy-to-follow tips on how to get more involved in your wealth creation journey.


International company news:


Levi Strauss saw its shares rally by a juicy 18% after reporting better profits and strong momentum in the direct-to-consumer business, which of course brings in higher margins vs. selling through wholesalers. The business performed well in the holiday season and used cost cutting to further boost the bottom line.

It's been a volatile 12 months of note, with a 52-week low of $12.42 and a 52-week high of $22.39.

And I'm sorry to keep rubbing it in, but Ford has announced that the full-electric SUV is being pushed back as part of a bigger rethink on EVs. Instead, the company will focus on hybrids. I'll say it for the hundredth time: hybrids are the future.

We cover global giants and interesting smaller opportunities in detail in Magic Markets Premium. Our latest report is on energy utility Emera. You can get our entire research library for just R99/month. It pays to know what's going on out there - literally.

 

You should expect us in your inbox Monday – Friday. If you don’t receive an email, please check your spam, or junk folder and “move us” into your primary inbox to ensure you get it each morning.



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