The rand recovered from earlier losses on Thursday, while the JSE dipped amid mixed performances from global markets during a quiet trading session, with US markets closed for Thanksgiving. The local currency peaked at R18.09/$ during the day. The JSE all share index dipped 0.37% to 84 787 points, while the top 40 index declined 0.48%.
In Europe, stocks ended Thursday on a stronger note, partially offsetting losses from earlier in the week as investors evaluated recent economic data and speculated on possible policy moves under the incoming Trump administration in the U.S. The Eurozone’s Stoxx 50 rose 0.60% to close at 4 759, while the pan-European Stoxx 600 gained 0.50%, ending at 507.3. Preliminary inflation data for Germany came in below expectations, with the annual national rate increasing to 2.20% and the EU-harmonized rate remaining unchanged at 2.40%.
Asian markets delivered a mixed performance on Wednesday. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng declined by over 1% outperformed, gaining more than 2%, while Japan’s Nikkei bounced back from the previous day’s losses and ended the day 0.56% higher.
Brent crude oil futures traded around $73 per barrel on Thursday in thin trading amid a US holiday, while traders awaited further insights into OPEC+'s production plans after the four-day postponement of a key meeting. Gold erased its early pullback and rose past the $2 645 per ounce mark on a Thursday of thinner trading due to US holiday, extending the rebound from Monday’s plunge for a third straight session as investors continued to assess the latest economic data for hints on the Fed’s policy path.
