Covid-19 treatment hopes may boost JSE on Monday

Loading player...
The JSE may take its lead from firmer Asian markets on Monday morning, with sentiment lifted by positive news on the Covid-19 front.

The US has authorised a treatment for Covid-19 patients using blood plasma, while there are further hopes a vaccine will be approved in coming months.

Covid-19 cases are rising in South Korea, while US-China trade tension persists.

All eyes are on the annual Jackson Hole symposium this week as markets continue to seek guidance on US monetary policy while the US economy remains strained, said Peregrine Treasury Solutions executive director Bianca Botes in a note.

In morning trade the Hang Seng was up 1.47% while the Shanghai Composite had risen 0.18%.

Tencent, which gives direction to the JSE via Naspers, had risen 3.76%.

Gold was down 0.72% to $1,932.53 an ounce while platinum was flat at $917.18. Brent crude was little changed at $44.28 a barrel.

The rand was 0.17% firmer at R17.11 a dollar.

There is little on the local economic calendar on Monday, while Absa is due to report its results for the six months to end-June later, saying in a recent trading update Covid-19 had prompted a sharp drop in profits.

gernetzkyky@businesslive.co.za (mailto://gernetzkyk@businesslive.co.za)
24 Aug 2020 1AM English South Africa Business News · News

Other recent episodes

Toyota Motors SA CEO Andrew Kirby

Business Day Senior Motoring correspondent Phuti Mpyane chats to Toyota Motors SA CEO Andrew Kirby about the threats to exports, tax and Chinese vehicles in SA.
24 Oct 2024 9AM 39 min

Ford injects R5bn into production of hybrid-electric bakkies

Business Day editor-in-chief Alexander Parker speaks to Ford Africa president Neale Hill about the company's decision to spend R5.2bn to turn its SA subsidiary into the only global manufacturer of plug-in, hybrid-electric Ranger bakkies.
8 Nov 2023 9AM 13 min

Digital innovation no longer up in the clouds

The Covid-19 pandemic is the ultimate catalyst for digital transformation and will greatly accelerate several trends already well under way before the pandemic. According to research by Vodafone, 71% of firms have made at least one new technology investment in direct response to the pandemic. This shows that businesses are…
13 Sep 2020 4PM 6 min