Daily Report 27 July 2026

SA Company News:

The Johannesburg Stock Exchange All-Share Index closed 0.98% higher at the 109 398 level.

 

SA Economy:

Data to watch this week.

28 July: Leading Business Cycle Indicator (May)

The South African Reserve Bank’s Leading Business Cycle Indicator will provide an early signal of the direction of economic activity in the coming months. The indicator declined 1.8% month-on-month in April, mainly due to slower growth in the real M1 money supply and a reduction in the number of residential building plans approved.

With recent data showing weakness in manufacturing, mining activity, and building approvals, investors will be watching closely to see whether the leading indicator points to a further slowdown in economic momentum or signs of stabilization. The previous reading stood at 118.9.

 

29 July: Private Sector Credit Extension (June)

Private sector credit growth is expected to remain in focus after growing 8.6% year-on-year in May. The previous month’s moderation was largely driven by slower growth in corporate borrowing, which eased from 13.0% in April.

In contrast, household credit continued to recover gradually, rising to 4.7%, supported by modest increases in vehicle finance and mortgage lending. The June figures will provide insight into consumer and business confidence, as well as the impact of elevated interest rates on borrowing demand.

 

30 July: Producer Price Inflation (PPI) (June)

Markets will closely monitor June producer inflation data following a sharp rise in May. Producer Price Inflation (PPI) increased 2.6% month-on-month and 7.8% year-on-year, driven primarily by higher petroleum-related product prices.

Additional upward pressure came from food products, beverages and tobacco, paper and printed products, and machinery and equipment prices. Given recent increases in oil prices linked to Middle East tensions, June’s PPI figures will be important for assessing pipeline inflation pressures and the potential impact on consumer prices in the months ahead.

 

31 July: Trade Balance (June)

South Africa recorded a trade deficit of R1.8 billion in May, the first monthly deficit since January 2025. The weaker outcome reflected a challenging external environment that weighed on export performance.

Looking ahead, subdued global growth is expected to continue limiting export demand, while weaker domestic economic activity may help restrain imports. The June trade balance will provide further insight into the health of South Africa’s external sector and its contribution to economic growth during the second quarter.

 

Global Economy:

The S&P Global Eurozone Manufacturing PMI rose to 52.0 in July 2026 from 51.4 in June, above expectations of 51.5, reaching a three-month high.

The S&P Global Eurozone Composite PMI rose to 51.9 in July 2026 from 50.0 in June, well above market expectations of 50.3.

China’s industrial profits rose 18.7% y-o-y to CNY 3.95 trillion in the first half of 2026, easing marginally from an 18.8% growth in the January-May period.

 

Global Company:

The FTSE 100 closed 0.9% higher at 10 736, supported by broad-based gains across most sectors, despite weakness in energy stocks. Among the top performers, RELX advanced around 5%, while Rolls-Royce gained more than 3%. London Stock Exchange Group and British American Tobacco also rose by over 2%, contributing to the index’s strength. Reckitt Benckiser moved higher after announcing the sale of its Russian hygiene business to Arnest Management. Although the transaction is expected to result in a post-tax loss of approximately £175 million, investors welcomed the company’s continued efforts to streamline its operations. Shell and BP both fell more than 1% after reports suggested that Pakistan, with support from China, was attempting to revive peace talks between the United States and Iran.

The Hang Seng Index is trading 0.73% higher at 25 148, recovering some of the losses from the previous session as technology and financial stocks led the market higher. Market sentiment improved after the United States paused its military strikes on Iran over the weekend, easing concerns about further escalation in the Middle East. Among the top performers, Trip.com surged 4.38%, Xiaomi gained 7.6%, Meituan advanced 3.8%, Tencent rose 1.43%, and Z.AI Co. added 0.7%, helping to lift the broader market.

In China, the Shanghai Composite is up 0.31% at 3 826.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 0.45% higher at 51 947, the S&P 500 closed 0.05% higher at 7 412, while the Nasdaq 100 fell 1.1%.Technology stocks were mixed, with semiconductor shares remaining volatile. Intel fell 7.9% despite reporting its strongest revenue growth in 17 years, reflecting investor caution toward chipmakers following their strong gains earlier in the year. Concerns that major technology companies may slow spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure also weighed on sentiment. Tesla declined 2.1%, while Meta Platforms slipped 1.8%.

Outside the technology sector, corporate earnings drove mixed performances. American Express fell 4.3% after releasing its results, while Verizon surged 5.8% after reporting stronger-than-expected subscriber growth, highlighting continued resilience in its core business.

 

Commodities:

Gold is trading higher by 1.47% at $4 088/oz, while Platinum is higher by 2.1% to $1 620.90/oz.

Brent crude was 8.48% lower at $92.10.

 

Currency:

The rand traded at R16.70 against the US Dollar, R22.30 against British Pound and R19.04 against the Euro.

The Euro is slightly firmer against the US Dollar to trade at $1.1405.