04 December 2009
	Another Week

AT HOME The rand firms to R7,40/US$1 on Monday, while gold drops slightly to $1 166,50/oz. Eskom is expected to ask the National Energy Regulator of SA for a lower tariff increase than the earlier 45%/year for three years. The Banking Association of SA offers to reopen talks with government and labour on retaining some empowerment elements of the financial sector charter. ANC leaders, including KwaZulu Natal chairman Zweli Mkhize, test for HIV during the launch of the party's Aids awareness campaign. Big business would henceforth make its voice heard on policy issues such as energy, health and economic direction, says Bobby Godsell, chairman of Business Leadership SA, which represents the top 80 companies. Annual headline CPI slowed to 5,9% in October from 6,1% in September, and producer inflation rose to -3,3% from -3,7% in September, says Stats SA. Opposition parties are shocked at the appointment of ex-justice DG Menzi Simelane as head of the National Prosecuting Authority. Justice minister Jeff Radebe rejects calls that Simelane face a disciplinary hearing. The RMB/BER business confidence index rose to 28 points during the fourth quarter, its first increase since its sharp fall from 85 in Q3 of 2006 to 23 in Q3 this year. ABROAD NO DEAL. China's premier Wen Jiabao flanked by European Commission president Jose Manuel Barros (R) and Swedish prime minister Fredrik Reinfeldt at the EU-China Summit in Nanjing, China, on Monday. China resisted pressure to strengthen its currency, the yuan, and increase export competitiveness US president Barack Obama is expected to dispatch 30 000 more troops to Afghanistan. Iran announces it is to build 10 nuclear enrichment plants. Dubai asks for a debt standstill at Dubai World, the state's flagship holding company, raising default fears. US business activity accelerated in November as orders rose, suggesting the economic recovery will continue into 2010. The Institute for Supply Management-Chicago Inc said its barometer rose to 56,1, the highest level since August 2008, from 54,2 in October. A KPMG survey shows a sharp rise in optimism at US and Bric manufacturing and services firms in October. US president Barack Obama says he will attend the Copenhagen climate change summit on December 17 and pledge a 17% cut in US carbon emissions by 2020. Big banks in Britain are to be forced to disclose how many of their UK employees are paid more than £1m under review proposals by City banker Sir David Walker. An oil tanker, the M/V Maran Centaurus, bound for the US is hijacked off Somalia with a crew of 28 aboard. SPORT England win the fourth ODI against SA by seven wickets to take an unbeatable 2-1 lead in the series. Kaizer Chiefs beat Wits 3-0; Maritzburg United beat Amazulu 1-0 at the inaugural match at Durban's Moses Mabhida stadium. Francesco and Edoardo Molinari win Italy's first World Cup of Golf by one stroke, with Ireland second. The Springboks are named team of the year by the International Rugby Board, but lose 15-10 to Ireland.