News 09:00

BULLETIN 6 November 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Trump is currently leading the electoral votes in the US presidential elections
# An economist says the tensions in the Middle East are keeping the oil prices in flux
# And tennis: Aryna Sabalenka secures the year-end world number one ranking

# US vice president Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump are continuing to pick up wins in states they were predicted to win, as the counting continues. The new results show Harris has won Colorado, Delaware, Washington DC, New Jersey, and New York, while Trump has won Ohio, Alabama, Iowa, Louisiana and Arkansas. A short while ago the former president was leading the electoral votes with 230 compared to Harris’ 182. They each need at least 270 electoral votes to win the presidency.

# FNB senior economist Koketso Mano says the threat of supply disruptions and geopolitical conflicts in the Middle East continues to keep oil prices in flux. November is predicted to see an increase in fuel prices following five months of consecutive reductions. The in-land 95 unleaded price of fuel will rise by 25-cents per litre, while the wholesale price of diesel remains slightly unchanged at under 19-rand per litre. Mano says despite this monthly increase, pump prices are ten-percent lower than they were a year ago:

# Johannesburg Transport mayoral committee member, Kenny Kunene, says the 45 new Rea Vaya feeder buses in Soweto will not be operational until further notice. The latest conflict between Rea Vaya and the taxi industry culminated in another suspension of bus operations on Monday, leaving thousands of Rea Vaya commuters stranded. Taxi associations were angered by the deployment of the feeder buses to replace broken-down vehicles. Kunene says commuters can still access Rea Vaya buses outside the Soweto area:

# International Energy Agency deputy executive director Mary Burce Warlick has stressed the urgent need for increased funding in Africa’s energy sector. Addressing a delegation at the African Energy Week 2024 in Cape Town, Warlick said that despite holding 20-percent of the world’s population, Africa receives just four-percent of global energy investment. She emphasised that boosting funding, especially for clean energy and industrialisation, is critical to achieving universal energy access on the continent.

# Tennis: Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka has clinched the year-end world number-one ranking for the first time in her career. The reigning Australian Open and US Open champion is the 16th woman in WTA history to finish a year at number one. This achievement was confirmed after American Coco Gauff beat defending WTA Finals champion Iga Swiatek of Poland, 6-3, 6-4, to make the semifinals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Sabalenka says achieving this feat is a dream:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-71-cents and the euro at 19-rand-7-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-85-cents and Bitcoin trades at 74-thousand-865-dollars-7-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-736-dollars-83-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 74-dollars-72-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….