South Africa's current account deficit shrinks more than expected

South Africa’s current account deficit shrank by more than expected in the fourth quarter, aided by an improvement in the trade surplus. The gap on the current account – the broadest measure of... 

Boeing CEO urges workers to speak up, expects ‘brutal’ feedback

 Boeing Co CEO Kelly Ortberg is inviting employees to help expose deep-seated problems — even if the response is “brutal” to the planemaker’s leaders. “I want to hear what the employees have to... 

China’s MMG halts new Congo plant after one year on cobalt slump

A Chinese State-controlled mining company mothballed a cobalt processing plant in the Democratic Republic of Congo only 15 months after opening it due to a historic slump in the price of the... 

US copper prices surge as Trump signals 25% tariff on imports

Copper prices surged by more than 5% in New York — leaping further above other global benchmarks — as US President Donald Trump suggested imports of the metal could be subject to a 25% tariff.... 

Trump to tout tariffs, unveil energy, mineral projects in speech

President Donald Trump will defend his use of tariffs, propose a new natural gas pipeline and move to ramp up production of critical minerals and rare earths in the US in his primetime address to... 

Trade no longer driving growth as in past, IMF’s Georgieva says

Trade is no longer driving global economic growth to the same extent as in the past and policy changes from the new US administration are triggering responses from other nations, according to... 

China to mandate steel output cuts to ease glut, restore profits

China will push the country’s steel industry to cut output, in an attempt to ease a massive glut and restore profitability at mills. Authorities will promote industry restructuring to reduce... 

Congo courts Trump for strategic minerals tie-up as war looms

The Democratic Republic of Congo has offered the US exclusive access to critical minerals and infrastructure projects in exchange for security assistance as it battles a rebellion backed by... 

Nedbank, Norfund acquire stake in South Africa’s Pele Energy

South Africa’s Nedbank Group Ltd. and Norwegian investment firm Norfund are acquiring a “substantial minority” stake in a renewable energy company co-founded by a former JPMorgan Chase & Co.... 

Copper miners are next bet to fuel Canada stocks outperformance

Investors in Canadian stocks have a new sector in mind that they hope will help insulate their portfolios from the risk of a trade war: copper miners. At the start of the year traders were piling... 

Trump’s Canada, Mexico, China tariffs hit in deepening trade war

President Donald Trump delivered on his threat to hit Canada and Mexico with sweeping import levies, imposing one of the largest increases in US tariffs since the 1930s in a dramatic escalation of... 

Consumer boost likely saved South African economy from recession

South Africa probably avoided a recession last year, saved by strong consumer demand in the fourth quarter as the key mining and manufacturing sectors continued to struggle. “Industry is basically... 

Toronto exchange’s mining dominance under threat as explorers exit

Toronto’s claim as the world’s top mining hub is under threat as exploration companies leave Canada and listings dwindle on the nation’s resource-heavy stock exchange. Canada’s once-thriving... 

South Africa in talks with AMSA to retain longs steel capacity

South Africa said it is in talks with ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA) to avert plans to shut crucial steel mills in the country after rescue talks with the government failed and the operating... 

ANC appoints new economic policy chief

The African National Congress has appointed Zuko Godlimpi as head of its economic transformation committee in an overhaul of its internal structures. The youngest member of the ANC’s top... 

Zelenskiy says Ukraine ready to accept a minerals deal

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he’s willing to meet Donald Trump if the US President invites him again “to solve real problems,” adding his country is ready to accept a minerals deal... 

Coal’s four-year lows hide a coming global supply squeeze

Languishing global prices today mask a very different future for the world’s most-consumed source of power. Australian thermal coal contracts, the benchmark for Asia, are hovering close to $100 a... 

China could restart import controls on coal as oversupply mounts

China could reestablish import controls on coal, after leading industry groups warned on mounting oversupply in the world’s biggest market for the fuel, according to Morgan Stanley. The bank said... 

China keeps unprecedented hold on metals with mining push abroad

China last year committed more resources than ever to mining abroad as part of Xi Jinping’s global infrastructure program, a new study found, underscoring its growing grip on the metals supply... 

Indonesia’s move to control coal prices faces Chinese pushback

The Indonesian government’s plan to regulate the price of coal exports is facing pushback from its largest customer, as firms in China balk at paying higher costs as other suppliers lower their... 

Panama President exploring ‘novel ideas’ on First Quantum mine

Panama President Jose Raul Mulino said his government is exploring “novel ideas” on handling First Quantum Minerals’s giant copper mine in the country and reiterated that the firm must drop its... 

South Africa seeks ‘meaningful deal’ with US amid strained ties

South Africa wants to reach a broad-ranging agreement with the US on diplomacy and trade amid strained ties between the two nations, President Cyril Ramaphosa said. A dispute over Pretoria’s land... 

Germany’s KfW to lend Cape Town €150m for green energy

Cape Town is set to accelerate its switch to green energy and limit reliance on erratic supply from the state power utility after winning a €150-million ($157-million) loan from Germany’s KfW... 

Indonesia, home to giant gold mine, launches bullion banking

Indonesia has launched its first bullion banks in a bid to draw tons of privately held gold into the financial system of Southeast Asia’s largest economy. The region’s largest gold producer on... 

Trump ends US initiative to boost electricity access in Africa

A US initiative to increase electricity supply in Africa has been dismantled by the Trump administration after more than a decade of work, according to people familiar with the matter. Almost all... 

Canada’s Allied Gold seeks listing on NYSE

Canada’s Allied Gold has started a process to apply for a listing on the New York Stock Exchange, joining an industrywide migration to the world’s top bourse. The Toronto-based gold producer was... 

BHP kicks off $10.8bn plan to prevent Chile copper slump

BHP Group will kick off a massive $10.8-billion investment program in Chile with the overhaul of an ageing copper plant as the world’s most valuable mining company battles declining ore quality.... 

First Quantum steps up campaign to reopen Panama copper mine

First Quantum Minerals and its workers and suppliers in Panama are stepping up efforts to gain support for the reopening of a $10-billion copper mine more than a year after it was shut. The... 

Codelco is winning over investors on signs of copper turnaround

Top copper supplier Codelco is starting to win over investors on signs that a long-awaited production recovery will help keep the Chilean state firm’s debt levels in check. In the past month,... 

South Africa moots wealth tax in Budget discussions – Reports

South African cabinet considered a proposal to introduce a wealth tax when it discussed amendments to last week’s postponed budget, Business Day reported, citing officials it didn’t identify. The... 

China cobalt stocks surge after Congo unexpectedly bans exports

Cobalt stocks rose in China on Tuesday as a surprise export ban in the Democratic Republic of Congo lifted the near-term outlook for the material used in alloys and batteries. Shares in Nanjing... 

Congo suspends cobalt exports for four months amid oversupply

The Democratic Republic of Congo says it’s suspending cobalt exports for four months to rein in oversupply of the battery metal on the international market. Cobalt production in Congo – which... 

Battery metal rout set to force unprofitable miners to cut costs

A wave of cost cutting and potential consolidation looms for lithium and nickel miners in the year ahead, with no short-term relief in sight for the key battery metals sector after a poor earnings... 

Zelenskyy says US minerals deal must include military guarantees

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the US dropped its demand for Kyiv to commit to paying $500-billion as part of talks to give Washington a cut of the country’s mineral wealth. But... 

EU bolsters ties with South Africa amid tensions with Trump

The European Union and South Africa are forging closer ties after previous disagreements led to a frosty relationship, the bloc’s top diplomat said. The rapprochement comes as US President Donald... 

Chinese coal prices have further to fall as Glencore mulls cuts

China’s coal slump is likely to persist for several months, weighing on a global market that has seen mining giant Glencore forced to consider output cuts after prices dropped to near their lowest... 

Miner Pilbara sees lithium demand rallying on China mine restart

Australia’s largest pure-play lithium producer Pilbara Minerals said it sees demand recovering on the restart of a large mine and refinery in China, even as it reported a net loss in its half-year... 

World’s biggest miners pinched by iron-ore’s China problem

The world’s biggest miners, having cashed in on China’s once-rampant demand for iron-ore, are starting to reel from the impact of their main customer’s economic struggles. BHP Group, Rio Tinto... 

Budget unravelled after key detail was kept secret

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana presented highlights of his upcoming budget to colleagues two weeks ago, but skipped a crucial detail to stop it from leaking – triggering a major fallout in the... 

US snub to South Africa’s G20 may be a gift to Brics nations

South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa’s priority as Group of 20 president is overhauling the global institutions he sees as skewed in favour of the West. Donald Trump might just have beaten him to...