Financial Mail articles from October 2006, page 6

Financial Mail archives from October 2006

Hit the switch, governor.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Hit the switch, governor A bank is something that lends you money when you can prove you don't need it. As many SA home owners have enjoyed finding out, banks have been falling over themselves to lend against...

ESTATE AGENTS Up sticks.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Ian Fife ESTATE AGENTS Up sticks Estate agency giant Remax has been hit by SA's growing talent crisis, with its top three executives leaving within three months. CEO Bruce Swain has found another...

Bond Exchange of South Africa.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Bond Exchange of South Africa Daily Bond Market Turnover Month Year Daily to date to date Rbn Rbn Rbn Standard 11,292 11,292 2625,949 Repo 23,381 23,381 5622,635

BOND EXCHANGE OF SOUTH AFRICA.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) BOND EXCHANGE OF SOUTH AFRICA Mark-to-market Bonds M-T-M M-T-M Bond latest previous Primary Dealer R153 8,65 8,6 R157 8,645 8,725 R186 8,37 8,53 R194 8,91 8,7 R201 8,64 8,725 R203 8,58 8,695 R204 8,56 8,68 R206 8,67...

RSA Government Retail Bonds.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) RSA Government Retail Bonds Interest Rates for October 2006 ?2 year retail bond 8,50% ?3 year retail bond 8,75% ?5 year retail bond 9,00%

BEASSA Total Return.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) BEASSA Total Return Indices TRI Latest TRI Previous Index Yield Index Yield ALBI 234,652 8,621 232,058 8,685 1 to 3 years 189,360 8,933 188,304 8,733 3 to 7 years 221,815 8,731 220,340 8,682 7 to 12 years 251,088...

Yebo to Jajah.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Duncan McLeod DUNCAN McLEOD Yebo to Jajah Walking down the street in New York, you could make a free call using your mobile phone to someone in Beijing Here's a radical prediction. Soon, international...

COMMODITY PRICES.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) COMMODITY PRICES Sep 29 Week Year 12-month 12-month 2006 ago ago low high Precious metals ($/oz) Gold 597,80 587,80 472,00 455,00 730,00 Platinum 1 138 1 142 924 905 1 336 Palladium 313 313 196 184 406 Silver 11,40...

HISTORY OF INSTANT MESSAGING Back to the future.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Duncan McLeod HISTORY OF INSTANT MESSAGING Back to the future Instant messaging (IM) which has taken SA school grounds by storm in recent months, thanks to MXit has been around for almost three decades...

QQ Attracting eyeballs.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Duncan McLeod QQ Attracting eyeballs Time to catch up In China, nearly one person in five uses QQ It's bigger than YouTube. It's bigger than eBay. Heck, it's even bigger than MySpace. It's called QQ and...

MOBIBLITZ Straight to the shopper.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Duncan McLeod MOBIBLITZ Straight to the shopper WHAT IT MEANS New ways to spread marketing messages Some media companies are struggling to adapt Convergence is happening around the cellphone STAN KATZ...

SOCIAL IMPACT Hooked on the message WHAT IT MEANS.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Duncan McLeod SOCIAL IMPACT Hooked on the message WHAT IT MEANS Some parents have complained They just don't understand! Christelle van Tonder In touch Children love MXit but it has many parents worried...

PEOPLE Mailny from Maties.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Duncan McLeod PEOPLE Mainly from Maties MXit LifeStyle MD Herman Heunis relies on a small team of people with two things in common. Most have known each other for many years and are in some way connected...

DID YOU HEAR?
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) The Westcliff Hotel in Johannesburg has been advertising a honeymoon package for R1475 per person sharing suggesting alternative arrangements might be on offer. Would there be, for instance, a single supplement...

You could win a prize or cash by sending news snippets, wit and gossip to Did You Hear?
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) You could win a prize or cash by sending news snippets, wit and gossip to Did You Hear? The best reader's contribution each week wins a fashionable Rotary watch, valued at R2450. Berco Express will deliver it to...

ECONOMIC INDICATORS.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) ECONOMIC INDICATORS Month Latest Month ago (Nominal % change year-on-year) Inflation Consumer price index (Overall) Aug 5,4 5,0 CPIX (CPI excl mortgage costs) Aug 5,0 4,9 Production price index Aug 9,2 8,1 Money...

AIDS Untimely loss.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Peter Honey AIDS Untimely loss The horrific impact of Aids in SA is illustrated by this comparative graph of female mortality by age group. The blue line, curving upwards along the bottom of the graph,...

BUSINESS & CRIME A long, intense battle.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Peter Honey BUSINESS & CRIME A long, intense battle Top business executives were set to meet with government ministers and directors-general of the security and justice cluster at the police training...

GIMME BlackBerry blues.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Duncan McLeod GIMME BlackBerry blues Research in Motion (RIM), the Canadian company that makes the iconic BlackBerry device, should be worried. Nokia's new business smartphone, the E61, beats the...

INTEREST RATES.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) INTEREST RATESShort-term interest rates (%) Sep 29 Month Year 2006 ago ago Prime 11,50 11,50 10,50 NCD (3 mths) 8,73 8,45 7,20 Repo 8,00 8,00 7,00 SA yields (%) Sep 29 Month Year 2006 ago ago R153 8,615 8,545 7,867...

BOOK OF THE WEEK Economics, empire and ethnicity make enemies THE WAR OF THE WORLD.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Richard Steyn BOOK OF THE WEEK Economics, empire and ethnicity make enemies THE WAR OF THE WORLD By Niall Ferguson 746 pages Penguin (Allen Lane) R280 Niall Ferguson may rightfully be described as the...

CINEMA The dawn of horrorism World Trade Center.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Peter Wilhelm CINEMA The dawn of horrorism World Trade Center Directed by Oliver Stone Rating: Flawless Slightly flawed Mediocre Don't see it Demand your money back Nicolas Cage His ordeal is the...

7 QUESTIONS FOR ... Mike Deacon.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Ian Fife Mike Deacon, former national development director of Colliers, now Cape director of Equity Estates, on Cape property development FM: Why have you succeeded with Cape Town's heritage vigilantes?...

FOOD FOR THOUGHT Don't lean back Plaka.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Justice Malala JUSTICE MALALA FOOD FOR THOUGHT Don't lean back Plaka Shop G425 Thrupps Centre 204 Oxford Road Illovo Tel: (011) 402-7709 Absolutely gorgeous Fabulous Good For the Brutuses of the world...

HEALTH Look svelte when naked.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Garth Ronne HEALTH Look svelte when naked HANG IN THERE Dedicate a month to cutting out bad habits replace some cups of coffee with glasses of water, for instance and the results will spur you on....

HOTTYPE.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Linda Stafford and Sue Grant-Marshall Can't get enough of the Great Man? Then this definitive portrait is a must-have. With fresh, compelling images, a foreword by Kofi Annan and introduction by Desmond...

Why did Oprah have to do it?
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Audrey Rakomane Why did Oprah have to do it? The FM editorial of September 22 made for interesting reading in its questioning of the failure of African leaders to meaningfully address crises facing the...

Something we should know?
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Sy Makaringe Something we should know? I read your column (Editor's Note September 29) with interest. It was the hardhitting, no-holds-barred, government-bashing stuff that we have come to expect...

SOCIAL INVESTMENT Many happy returns.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Claire Bisseker SOCIAL INVESTMENT Many happy returns Douglas Davids A proxy for good governance Socially responsible investment (SRI) makes good business sense. Many SRI funds have built up a solid...

JAZZ CD REVIEW Silky smooth, never bland.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Don Albert JAZZ CD REVIEW Silky smooth, never bland ECM (Editions of Contemporary Music) is a record label that has established itself with a particular sound, despite the variety of artists it...

URBAN REGENERATION Heritage meets its match.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Ian Fife URBAN REGENERATION Heritage meets its match FOR DETAILS The Lion Match factory is being developed jointly with Property Partners, which won the property in a tender and offered Equity Estates a...

RESTAURANT Menu needs panelbeating.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Jane Broughton RESTAURANT Menu needs panelbeating SINN'S RESTAURANT Wembley Square, McKenzie Street, Gardens, Cape Town Open Monday-Sunday, all day Tel (021) 465-0967 Sinn's Restaurant That there's...

AT LUNCH WITH THE FM Grace under pressure HOW HE CHILLS.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Hilary Prendini Toffoli AT LUNCH WITH THE FM Grace under pressure HOW HE CHILLS An enthusiastic horseman, he loves getting out into the bush outside Harare with his labradors with Meikles Africa Hotels...

Back on track BUY CONTAINERS & PACKAGING BOWLER METCALF.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Stafford Thomas Back on track BUY CONTAINERS & PACKAGING BOWLER METCALF Ord price 705c Market cap R623m Div yield 2,4% 12-month high 720c PE ratio 13,2 Sector PE 14,6 Low 580c Year to Turnover Rm...

Further expansion plans BUY BANKS CAPITEC.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Heather Formby Further expansion plans BUY BANKS CAPITEC Ord price R30 Market cap R2,2bn Div yield 2,14% 12-month high R35 PE ratio 15,2 Sector PE 10,6 Low R19 Six mnths to Net int inc Rm Other inc Rm...

RETAIL Clicks joins card clique David Kneale Loyalty comes before credit and the card before new law Why have retailers been scrambling to get into credit cards? There are several reasons, including the implementation of the new National Credit Act.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Chris Gilmour RETAIL Clicks joins card clique David Kneale Loyalty comes before credit and the card before new law Why have retailers been scrambling to get into credit cards? There are several reasons,...

WINE Urban legends Nondumiso Pikashe, Phelela Mgudlwa, Jacky Mayo & Nomvuyo Xaliphi The women behind Ses'Fikile's wines Problems with the transformation of SA wine were as obvious as the sediment in a bottle of unfiltered pinotage at last month's.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Neil Pendock WINE Urban legends Nondumiso Pikashe, Phelela Mgudlwa, Jacky Mayo & Nomvuyo Xaliphi The women behind Ses'Fikile's wines Problems with the transformation of SA wine were as obvious as the...

Diamond: Capitec; Dog: Don.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Jamie Carr Diamonds & Dogs Diamond Capitec Here's an example to warm the undercarriage of anybody who's ever raised their right hand and solemnly declared their belief in the mysterious machinations of...

EMPOWERMENT Black-chip blues WHAT IT MEANS.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Sibonelo Radebe EMPOWERMENT Black-chip blues WHAT IT MEANS Share prices have moved after BEE deals But it's hard to isolate the effects precisely Thabo Ramushu No such thing as a BEE premium As more...

GIJIMA ASTGijimaAST Shedding the past.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Larry Claasen GijimaAST Shedding the past The business has come a long way, says GijimaAST CEO John Miller. For the year to end-June, revenue from continuing operations rose to R1,95bn from R1,56bn and...

NASPERS Just watch it grow WHAT IT MEANS.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Themba Hlengani NASPERS Just watch it grow WHAT IT MEANS The grip on SA will not be loosened easily Global risk and reward are nicely balanced We are still too reliant on SA. We want to keep this as our...

INVESTMENT OF THE WEEK: PHUMELELA Winning going away WHAT IT MEANS.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Stafford Thomas INVESTMENT OF THE WEEK: PHUMELELA Winning going away WHAT IT MEANS The future is in satellite broadcasts Expansion is boosted by strong cash flow Racing in SA holds its own but big growth...

WESIZWE Pedal to the metal.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Nicky Smith WESIZWE Pedal to the metal Platinum hopeful Wesizwe will be going hell for leather over the next nine months to get its Pilanesberg project closer to production. Wesizwe CE Mike Solomon says...

Galloping along.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Galloping along BUY TRAVEL & LEISURE: GAMBLING PHUMELELA GAMING Ord price R10,50 Market cap R778m Div yield 4,4% 12-month high R10,51 PE ratio 12,7 Sector PE 18 Low 735c Year to Jul 31 Turnover Rbn Operat-ing...

THE RAND AGAINST MAJOR EXCHANGE RATES.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) THE RAND AGAINST MAJOR EXCHANGE RATES Sep 29 Month Year 12-mth 12-mth 2006 ago ago low high Developed Markets Rand per foreign currency unit US dollar 7,77 7,11 6,36 5,96 7,77 Euro 9,85 9,11 7,65 7,17 9,85 UK...

REAL PEOPLE DOING UNREAL THINGS Artful wanderer.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Heather Formby REAL PEOPLE DOING UNREAL THINGS Artful wanderer Mark Valentine African art dealer THE UNREALITY CHECK He has a buzzing tribal art emporium, having started with winnings from roulette at a...

Andy Tondi.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Debbie van Heerden (FMGN3Paginators) Andy Tondi

Gold.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Gold rose above US$600/oz as higher oil prices helped to restore the metal's role as a hedge against inflation. Physical buying slowed as higher prices limited purchases by jewellers, but seasonal demand from key...

Riding the ad boom HOLD RADIO & EXHIBITIONS KAGISO MEDIA.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Themba Hlengani Riding the ad boom HOLD RADIO & EXHIBITIONS KAGISO MEDIA Ord price R12 Market cap R1,65m Div yield 5,84% 12-month high R14 PE ratio 15,08 Sector PE 15,16 Low 999c Year to June Turnover Rm...

Oil.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Oil steadied above $60 last week amid talk of production cuts by Opec aimed at keeping prices steady. Nigeria, the world's eighth-largest oil exporter, was set to cut supplies by 5% from October 1, the cartel's...

ECONOMY Car sales point the way.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Claire Bisseker ECONOMY Car sales point the way Listed companies are likely to experience a slowdown in earnings growth over the next six months to a year, if the falling pace of car sales is anything to...

MXIT Chat class WHAT IT MEANS.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Duncan McLeod MXIT Chat class WHAT IT MEANS SA tech company sparks messaging revolution New advertising medium to reach young people Herman Heunis It all started in the Navy If someone comes along with...

PROPERTY The Arab connection WHAT IT MEANS.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Ian Fife PROPERTY The Arab connection WHAT IT MEANS Investments linked to Middle East tourism SA offers higher property returns V& A Waterfront Biggest Arab investment in SA to date Zimbali IFA's SA...

ASSET CLASSES (2): EQUITIES Pick your moment WHAT IT MEANS.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Stafford Thomas ASSET CLASSES (2): EQUITIES Pick your moment WHAT IT MEANS Don't just hope for the best: do the maths Beware earnings that have been abnormal Value from equities depends on the...

AUTO AFRICA Mother of all toyshops for Nasrec.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: David Furlonger AUTO AFRICA Mother of all toyshops for Nasrec It's the toyshop to end all toyshops and not just for boys. Auto Africa, the biggest motor show in the southern hemisphere, will take place...

BUSINESS IN AFRICA Talking politics is thirsty work.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Sherry Shannon BUSINESS IN AFRICA Talking politics is thirsty work WHAT IT MEANS Raw material costs are lower in Africa Business in Africa is risky but profitable Alexander B Cummings Despite anti-US...

MEDIA Siren call of the Little Mermaid WHAT IT MEANS.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Jeremy Maggs MEDIA Siren call of the Little Mermaid WHAT IT MEANS MultiChoice hopes the Disney brand will help sell more decoders More Disney products on SA shelves Jon Hardie A Scotsman and a very...

MINING A better deal for both WHAT IT MEANS.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Brendan Ryan MINING A better deal for both WHAT IT MEANS Royalties have been converted to equity Bafokeng are Implats' largest shareholders Our interests are aligned with those of other Implats...

ECONOMY Inflation unshackled again WHAT IT MEANS.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Claire Bisseker ECONOMY Inflation unshackled again WHAT IT MEANS To date retailers have absorbed price rises Consumer prices are set to rise sharply Producer prices are soaring and consumer price hikes...

SA EXPRESS Doing the right thing.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Shareen Singh SA EXPRESS Doing the right thing WHAT IT MEANS Smaller airlines need to find niche routes SAX needs to fund growth while also paying off debt Whoever buys SAX will know that they are...

The major players.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Ian Fife The major players Kharafi Holdings Among the biggest family businesses in the world, with annual turnover of US$4bn. The firm, whose full name is Mohammad Abdul-Mohsin Al-Kharafi & Sons, is...

MINING China skips the wall.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Brendan Ryan MINING China skips the wall Zijin deputy chairman Lin Xiaochu and Ridge's Terence Wilkinson Signing China's entry into the SA mining industry In today's mining terms, R120m is barely worth a...

ECONOMY Cut the mark-up WHAT IT MEANS.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Claire Bisseker ECONOMY Cut the mark-up WHAT IT MEANS Lower profit margins > =higher productivity AsgiSA too reliant on capital investments Alan Hirsch Boost productivity AsgiSA and SA manufacturers come...

TAXATION Abuse in deed and word WHAT IT MEANS.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: David Williams TAXATION Abuse in deed and word WHAT IT MEANS Sars is getting more investigative powers ITA is de facto a third tax category Conor McFadden Ominous aspects of taxation Sars has made...

EDUCATION Ticket to a dead end WHAT IT MEANS Universities are dropping standards Private sector can't accommodate graduates Nkosinathi Mdakane and Siyabonga Mtshali Two of the lucky few who made it I'm stronger now because I didn't depend on.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Charlene Smith EDUCATION Ticket to a dead end WHAT IT MEANS Universities are dropping standards Private sector can't accommodate graduates Nkosinathi Mdakane and Siyabonga Mtshali Two of the lucky few...

ECONOMY Formal jobs well up.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Claire Bisseker ECONOMY Formal jobs well up SA's formal-sector economy is finally starting to make a significant impact on job creation. The latest job numbers released by Stats SA's March 2006 Labour...

CHARGED UP TO CHANGE THE WORLD.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Sasha Planting CHARGED UP TO CHANGE THE WORLD by Last week a father arrived at Soweto's miracle school with a gun and demanded his daughter return home to be his wife. Last month a petrol bomb lobbed...

CELLPHONE USERS HIT THE BANKING BUTTON.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Artwell Dlamini CELLPHONE USERS HIT THE BANKING BUTTON by Ayear after its launch, Wizzit Bank, SA's first cellphone banking service, is slowly finding its way into the pockets of South Africans. SA...

MAN ON A QUEST.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Margie Harris MAN ON A QUEST by Margaret Harris The new president and CEO of the National Research Foundation (NRF) has come a long way from sweeping the floor in a Benoni textile factory. Prof...

THE BATTLE FOR BABY'S BOTTOM.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Sasha Planting THE BATTLE FOR BABY'S BOTTOM Bumbo, the SA manufacturer of a seat for small babies, is up against a US company it accuses of copying its product. The US company, Prince Lionheart, has...

HEADS TOGETHER.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Sasha Planting HEADS TOGETHER SA, Brazil and India have made little progress with scientific co-operation, despite government commitments. Government funding has not come through, making it difficult...

PRACTICAL PACKAGING.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Sasha Planting PRACTICAL PACKAGING Cardboard boxes and paper bags that shift and slide during storage and transportation are not everyone's idea of a significant problem. But for companies moving goods...

TOUCH ME AND I'LL SCREAM.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Sasha Planting TOUCH ME AND I'LL SCREAM The cost of rampant theft of IT equipment is often simply built into corporate expenses. But a local company has developed a solution. Its product, ITSS-Screamer...

AN INVENTOR BY ANY OTHER NAME.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Patty Van Tonder AN INVENTOR BY ANY OTHER NAME John Stegmann has a day job he's an architect and industrial designer. But this is to keep the roof over his head and fund his many other interests. At...

Die Hard.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Sasha Planting by The diamond presses dominate the factory floor. They stand in long rows, hulking metal giants, two storeys high, with names like Jagersfontein, Premier, Finsch, Bultfontein and...

BLOGS: A VAST POWER FOR CHANGE.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Laurence Caromba BLOGS: A VAST POWER FOR CHANGE by When George Ouzounian booked a flight through Orbitz, an Internet travel agency, he was trying to save money. But he realised that it had devised for...

Editor's Note.
October 6, 2006... (From Financial Mail) Byline: Sasha Planting n SA there are dozens of companies producing a variety of products from baby accessories to medical devices to electronics whose success rests on one innovative product or technology....