Breaking News Today – Thursday 4 December 2025

Business News Today

Business Sentiment in South Africa Improves

The RMB/BER Business Confidence Index (BCI) for South Africa’s Q4 2025 climbed 5 points to 44, from a one-year low of 39 in Q3, marking the first improvement after two consecutive quarterly declines from 40 in Q2 and 39 in Q3. At 44. It signals that 44% of surveyed business leaders are satisfied with current conditions. The index level for Q4 is 3 points above the long-term average, indicating a fragile rebound in economic sentiment. Announced on December 3, 2025, the uptick stemmed from broad-based gains across five of six sectors (manufacturing, retail, wholesale, new vehicle sales, and construction materials), offset only by weaker building contractor optimism. Key drivers included easing inflation pressures, stabilising retail spending momentum into 2026, and policy progress amid reduced global trade uncertainties. RMB chief economist Isaah Mhlanga noted the “meaningful turn” reflects regained mid-year momentum, though sustaining it requires consistent demand and manufacturing output alignment.

GDP in Angola Accelerates

The annual economic growth in Angola accelerated to 1.8% in Q3 2025, up from 1.1% in the previous three-month period, which had been the softest expansion since Q4 2024, when GDP recorded a contraction. The acceleration was mainly driven by the non-oil sector (4.1% vs 3.4% in Q2). The information and communication sector was the strongest performer, surging 55.67% (vs 38.1% in Q2) and contributing 0.97 percentage points to GDP growth. Other sectors that posted significant growth included accommodation and food services (13.6% vs 8%), commerce (3.3% vs 6.5%), manufacturing (13.0% vs 5.2%), and diamond and metallic mineral extraction (1.0% vs 6.8%). Meanwhile, the oil sector contracted by 7.8%, due to a 10.7% decline in oil extraction, which represented 93.08% of the sector’s weight. On a quarterly basis, GDP edged up 0.05% in Q3, following a revised 0.08% contraction in the previous period.

EU Trade Boost Plugging SA/China Trade Gap

South Africa’s trade deficit with China has widened significantly in 2025, exacerbating long-standing imbalances. In the first 10 months of 2025, China’s surplus with SA reached R162 billion ($9.1 billion), up from R146 billion in the same period of 2024, an increase of 11%. The trade gap has been widened by SA exports to China declining to R184 billion, down 3% YoY, while imports from China rose to R346 billion, up ~5% YoY.

SA’s exports to the European Union (EU) have however seen a surge, providing partial offset to the China trade deficit. Agricultural exports to the EU totalled $2.7 billion in the first nine months of 2025 (23% of SA’s total agricultural exports), up 10% YoY overall, with fresh produce (citrus, grapes, nuts) leading gains amid firm prices and volumes. Total SA exports to the EU reached R370.7 billion (~$20.8 billion) in 2024, an 82% rise from R203.2 billion in 2016.

Breaking News Shorts: 

• OpenAI has agreed to acquire Neptune, an AI model training company, the ChatGPT holding company said on Wednesday. While the terms of the deal have not been disclosed, The Information reported that OpenAI is paying less than $400 million in stock, citing people with knowledge of the deal.
• The US Federal Reserve appears to have turned the corner on a three-year-long loss making run. data released by the central bank shows that since the start of November the Fed has started to make enough money again to very slowly start covering an accounting mechanism it uses to capture its losses.
• Amazon CEO Andy Jassy has indicated that their new Nvidia-competitor AI chip, Trainium3, which is four times faster and uses less power than the current Trainium2 processor chip, is set to peel back some of Nvidia’s dominance in the AI processor market due to price performance advantages.
• Brevo, a customer relationship management company is the new tech unicorn – a startup valued at more than $1 billion. The startup raised €500 million in fresh equity funding ($583 million), which will fund its efforts to compete with larger players such as Hubspot and Salesforce
• International payment app Venmo experienced user issues in sending and receiving money yesterday amid widespread social media posts about service issues. Venmo said in a post on the social platform X that it was working to address the breakdown.

Markets by Numbers 

Currency markets indicate the US dollar is softer today, with the Euro trading against the US dollar at 1.16576 while the Pound is trading at 1.3346 to the US dollar. The Yen is currently trading at 155.50 to the dollar. The rand (ZAR) is currently at R17.06 to the US dollar.

Commodities:  

• Gold futures are trending lower this morning, and are currently trading around $4193.34.00 per ounce.  
• Copper prices are trending 0,4% higher today, with prices currently around $5.3270
• Silver futures prices have dropped by around -0.37% this morning, and currently trading around $5.8023
• Platinum futures are trending lower this morning after a jump yesterday, and currently trading at $1658.00, While Palladium prices are -1% lower this morning, and currently trading around $1458.50 per ounce.
• Brent crude oil prices are marginally higher today, and currently at $62.97 with WTI trading at $59.30
• Cocoa futures are trending upwards today, and currently trading around $5453.00 per ton. 
• Coffee futures are -0.4% down this morning, and are currently trading at around $4.0370 per pound

Crypto Currencies: 

• Bitcoin prices are drifting lower today after almost hitting the $94k mark earlier, and trading at around $93076 per coin currently 
• Ether prices are -0.4% lower this morning, and are currently trading around $3182.27
• $Trumpcoin are trending higher today, and currently trading around $6.102

(All prices quoted at approximately 07H20 Central African Time) 

Africa News Briefs:

• The UN Refugee Agency is expressing grave concern as escalating jihadist attacks in northern Mozambique have forced tens of thousands from their homes. Reports indicate that in the past week alone, more than 100,000 people have fled the area, with the violence now spreading into districts that were previously considered safe. Xavier Creach of UNHCR described the humanitarian situation as dire. “It’s the fourth massive influx that northern Mozambique has faced in recent months, and resources are now really missing” he stated. The conflict, in Cabo Delgado started in 2017, and has already displaced more than 1.3 million people. Attacks this year have spread into Nampula and Niassa provinces.
• The DRC / Rwanda peace accord, set to be signed today is being tested as conflict stirs again. Rwanda’s foreign minister who is currently in the US said on yesterday he hoped the peace accord set to be signed by U.S. President Donald Trump and the presidents of Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo on Thursday would be a step toward peace, even after accusing Congo’s army of violating earlier peace deals in recent days. The Congolese army and Rwanda-backed M23 rebels on Tuesday accused each other of violating a ceasefire and trying to sabotage the peace agreement in the latest skirmishes in eastern DRC.