News 14:00

BULLETIN 12 October 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Economists rule out further interest rate hikes in 2026
# The DA leads the ANC in knife-edge metro races
# And tennis: Djokovic returns to the top-ten after winning the China Open

# Economists participating in the Bureau of Market Research and Unisa’s Economist of the Year Competition do not expect further interest rate hikes this year. The 43 economists’ September forecasts follow a hike that pushed the prime lending rate to 10.75-percent. The bureau’s CEO, Carel van Aardt, says weaker economic growth and consumer demand could help contain inflation. However, employment growth forecasts have halved from one- to zero-point-five percent, raising concerns about inclusive growth and household spending.

# The DA is leading the ANC in knife-edge metro races ahead of next month’s local government elections. A new eNCA Mark Data poll shows the parties virtually neck-and-neck in Nelson Mandela Bay, with the DA on 37.7-percent and the ANC on 37.4-percent. In Ekurhuleni, the DA leads with 31.2-percent against the ANC’s 29.4-percent. DA leader Geordin Hill-Lewis says the findings track closely with its own internal polling:

# The Gauteng Health Department is encouraging eligible young people who are passionate about caring for others to apply for the 2027 student nurse intake at the Gauteng College of Nursing. Successful students will study towards a diploma in Nursing at four Gauteng College of Nursing campuses. Spokesperson Steve Mabona says applicants must be South African citizens residing in Gauteng and have completed their matric in the province. He adds applications will close on 30 October:

Moving abroad:

# More than 100 foreign back-packers are stranded in flood-hit central Nepal after a landslide blocked a river, causing flooding that washed away hiking trails and bridges. The flooding struck the Gorkha district, about 100 kilometres west of Kathmandu, yesterday. Reuters reports rescuers have evacuated 96 people, including nine foreigners, while rescue operations are continuing. There are no confirmed reports of deaths, but five villagers remain unaccounted for. Three hydroelectric power projects have also been damaged.

# Tennis: Twenty-four time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic is back in the world top ten after winning the China Open recently. He exited the list last month, but returns after beating world number two, Alexander Zverev of Germany, on his way to victory in Beijing. Australian Alex de Minaur, who lost to Djokovic in the final, improved to ninth. Italian Jannik Sinner is still number one, with Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz third, followed by American Ben Shelton, Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime, Russian Daniil Medvedev, and Italian Flavio Cobbili.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-53-cents and the euro at 18-rand-49-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-89-cents and Bitcoin trades at 83-thousand-426-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-178-dollars-34-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 108-dollars-12-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….