Japan ruling party's election loss is in the price, investors say
The nation's ruling coalition lost control of the upper house, further weakening Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's grip on power as he vowed to remain party leader, citing a looming tariff deadline with the US.
Japanese markets were closed on Monday for a holiday, but the rise in the yen and Nikkei futures showed investors had priced in the election outcome. The Japanese currency has weakened considerably this year on expectations of changes to taxes and a bigger fiscal deficit.
The election result, while not entirely a shock to markets, also comes at a tricky time for a country trying to get a tariff deal with US President Donald Trump before an August 1 deadline.
Japanese government bonds plunged last week, sending yields on 30-year debt to an all-time high, while the yen slid to multi-month lows against the US dollar and the euro.
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IOL News
an hour ago
- IOL News
Call for South Africa to act on 'debanking' as Trump moves to ban closures in the US
#RacistBanksMustFall, applauded the recent move by US President Donald Trump to combat debanking practices, urging South Africa to follow suit and introduce similar protections for its citizens. Image: SoraAI/IOL The #RacistBanksMustFall movement in South Africa has urged urgent legislative reforms following the announcement of a new US executive order that seeks to ban banks from closing accounts based on political or religious views. As reported by Business Report, the group praised the decision by former US President Donald Trump to address what is known as "debanking" - a practice where banks withdraw services from individuals or organisations for ideological reasons. The executive order, expected to be signed soon, directs US regulators to discard the "reputational risk" clause often used to justify such closures. Trump alleges that institutions like JPMorgan and Bank of America discriminated against him and his supporters. Debanking, broadly defined, refers to banks refusing services to customers for a variety of reasons. In the US, there is no legal right to a bank account, and banks often cite regulatory or compliance concerns. In an interview with CNBC, Trump accused major lenders of rejecting his deposits post-presidency, asserting: "They told me, 'I'm sorry sir, we can't have you. You have 20 days to get out.'" In South Africa, the debate around debanking has intensified, with local institutions, particularly Nedbank, under scrutiny. Nedbank's 2023 annual report revealed the closure of nearly 200 accounts, a move critics claim disproportionately affects politically vocal individuals and businesses. One of the most high-profile cases involves the Sekunjalo Group, which argues that its account closures are politically driven attempts to silence dissent. #RacistBanksMustFall campaign leader Crown Prince Adil Nchabeleng said South African banks are guilty of similar discriminatory practices. He cited the example of businessman and media mogul Dr Iqbal Survé, whose companies have had accounts closed over perceived "reputational risk" linked to his political influence and media ownership. Nchabeleng called Trump's executive order a 'positive development' and urged South Africa to implement similar safeguards. 'For long now, the banks have been doing as they wish,' he said. He further alleged that banks are targeting politically inconvenient individuals and that this practice also impacts society's most vulnerable. 'Local banks have unilaterally bankrupted families and auctioned off homes without sufficient cause,' said Nchabeleng, who believes the process violates constitutional protections for access to financial services. He added: 'It is high time the banking institution stops its discriminatory practices.' Current South African regulations require banks to give notice and allow customers to respond before closing accounts. Legal precedent set in Bredenkamp v Standard Bank allows terminations on reputational grounds but has faced multiple legal challenges.
IOL News
3 hours ago
- IOL News
#RacistBanksMustFall calls for legislative reform after US tackles political debanking
President Donald Trump on the White House South Lawn on May 1, 2025. Image: Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post The #RacistBanksMustFall movement in South Africa has called for immediate legislative intervention in the wake of a US executive order designed to prevent banks from closing accounts based on political or religious beliefs. #RacistBanksMustFall, applauded the recent move by former US President Donald Trump to combat debanking practices, urging South Africa to follow suit and introduce similar protections for its citizens. The Trump administration's executive order, expected to be signed this week, aims to tackle the controversial practice of debanking, where financial institutions deny services to individuals or businesses based on political affiliation. The order directs federal banking regulators to remove vague "reputational risk" guidelines that have often been used to justify account closures, particularly targeting conservative and crypto industry figures in the US. Debanking is an umbrella term for when a bank rejects a customer, which can happen for any number of reasons. Americans don't have a legal right to a bank account, and lenders often turn away people or businesses to comply with a mountain of rules and regulations designed to protect the financial system. Reuters reported Trump as saying he believes that banks, including JPMorgan and Bank of America discriminate against him and his supporters. Trump also said the country's top two lenders had previously rejected his deposits, ramping up his attack on the industry. "They totally discriminate against, I think, me maybe even more, but they discriminate against many conservatives," he told CNBC in an interview. "They did discriminate," Trump said of actions taken by JPMorgan after his first term in office. "I had hundreds of millions, I had many, many accounts loaded up with cash ... and they told me, 'I'm sorry sir, we can't have you. You have 20 days to get out.'" In South Africa, the issue has become a contentious political and social topic. Local banks, including major institutions like Nedbank, have come under fire for selectively closing accounts under the guise of "reputational risk." Nedbank's 2023 annual report revealed that it had closed accounts for nearly 200 individuals and businesses, a practice that critics argue is politically motivated and disproportionately targets dissenting voices. Among the most high-profile cases is that of Sekunjalo Group, which has fought against the closure of its bank accounts, claiming that the action is part of an ongoing effort to silence politically inconvenient businesses and individuals. Campaign leader of #RacistBanksMustFall, Crown Prince Adil Nchabeleng, has been a vocal critic of what he perceives as a systemic issue within South Africa's banking sector. "South African banks have been selectively racist and are using the banking institution to target and silence political dissents," Nchabeleng said. He pointed to the case of Dr Iqbal Survé, a prominent businessman and media mogul, whose companies have faced repeated account closures by South African banks, claiming they were seen as a "reputational risk" due to Survé's political views and media influence. Nchabeleng said America's move to tackle debanking was a positive development to come out of the Trump administration amidst all that impasse around Trump's tariffs war. A similar process ought to be instituted here in South Africa regarding the draconian banking practice of closing accounts of targeted individuals for political reasons. "Indeed the chickens are now coming home to roost. What the US President Donald Trump is doing by introducing an executive order that will be taking on the banking institution for having targeted and discriminated against him and other conservatives for political reasons is encouraging. For long now the banks have been doing as they wish." South Africans banks are no different, he said. According to Nchabeleng, banks selectively target and close down banking accounts and facilities of certain high profile individuals in society purely for political reasons, which he said was "racist and discriminatory". He said the process violated the South African constitution and trampled on legal rights of citizens' access to financial services. Critics of the banking sector also highlight how this practice disproportionately affects South Africa's most vulnerable. Nchabeleng said the same practice also gets extended towards the most poor and vulnerable in South Africa's society. "Local banks have unilaterally bankrupted lots of families and auctioned off person assets and homes of many South Africans purely in exist and political motives. In some instances auctioning off and closing accounts of South Africans without any due cause except that that particular individual is politically deemed a reputable risk client," he said. Nchabeleng said banks must be called into line and brought to account. "It is high time the banking institution stops its discriminatory practices," he said. According to the current regulatory frameworks, banks are obliged to notify customers and provide them with the opportunity to make representations before terminating their accounts. In South Africa, the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bredenkamp v Standard Bank set the standard for the unilateral termination of the bank-customer relationship on the grounds of reputational risks. The judgement sets out several principles South African banks have relied on when terminating relationships with their customers. Over the years these principles have been challenged in courts, where customers have instituted legal proceedings to prohibit banks from closing their accounts, requiring banks to keep accounts open against the banks' wishes. Cosatu Parliamentary Coordinator, Matthew Parks said, 'In a globalized financial world, workers and employers' ability to bank and access their wages and funds and pay bills is critical to their livelihoods and ability to live. The rights of banking consumers in South Africa is guided by the Financial Intelligence Centre Act. It is critical that such legislation is clear with regards to consumers' rights and banks' obligations. South African consumers have the right to take any bank to court when they feel their rights have been undermined by them and many have done so and won. More must be done to ensure the Banking and Consumer Ombudsman are available to ordinary workers who cannot afford to hire lawyers when taking matters to court. The Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) is moving forward with the Conduct of Financial Institutions (COFI) Bill, which aims to provide a fair process for bank account closures, following a series of delays. In February, Parliament hauled the FSCA over the coals about the lax manner in which they were treating the unilateral and arbitrary closure of bank accounts. Parliamentary standing committee on finance chairperson, Joe Maswanganyi, said transformation within the financial sector is not merely an option but a constitutional and economic imperative. In his final State Capture report, retired Chief Justice Raymond Zondo recommended that relevant existing legislation governing banks be amended to introduce a requirement of fairness or, if warranted, a new piece of legislation to be enacted to compel the banks to afford the client a proper opportunity to be heard before their accounts were closed. BUSINESS REPORT
IOL News
3 hours ago
- IOL News
Trump tariffs upon us and the Sarb tightens our belts
President Donald Trump holds a chart on reciprocal tariffs during an event titled 'Make America Wealthy Again', at the White House in Washington, DC. Image: Brendan Smialowski/AFP The South African Government has 'pulled out all the stops' during a flurry of trade delegations and counter offers but is now making arrangements to deal with the expected fallout, including the establishment of an export-support desk that will provide updates and advisory services to exporters, and a rumoured package of Treasury-backed incentives for some affected sectors. Trump tariffs prompt Africa's recalibration These matters are, as always, subject to change. In April the Trump administration announced a 31% tariff on South Africa, which was then suddenly dropped to 10%. Lesotho, somehow, evaded its scheduled 50% tariffs this week, which would have halved its economic growth this year and again the next. Lesotho now faces 15% tariffs, but the damage done by the US here and elsewhere won't immediately be forgotten. In Maseru layoffs have already occurred, and textile manufacturers are energetically looking for new markets. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Meanwhile, China announced plans to eliminate all tariffs on imports from 53 African states, expressly positioning itself as Africa's preferred trading partner. The global order is being firmly shaken. Who will be best placed to pick up the pieces? Will the Sarb's new inflation anchor drag against growth? After the 31 July SARB Monetary Policy Committee meeting, the Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago announced a 25-basis point lowering of the interest rate and that the SARB would be revising its inflation target to 3% from its previous 3–6% range. The revised target makes it unlikely that we'll see any more interest-rate cuts this year, meaning borrowing will remain more expensive than many households and businesses might have hoped. Kganyago emphasised that the SARB expected the new target to enhance credibility with global investors – making borrowing for the state less expensive – and protect the rand (which has fallen to a several-month low nonetheless). StatsSA will release its CPI inflation data around 20 August, which will give SMEs some guidance in terms of input-cost planning in this tightening market. Upcoming indicators will show the effect of uncertainty on business conditions Economic indicators scheduled for release in August will provide useful guidance for SME planning. The S&P Global South Africa PMI announced on 5 August 2025 serves as a single-figure snapshot of operating conditions in the private-sector economy. Recent PMI performance showed improvement to 50.8 in May 2025, marking the first growth since November 2024, and indicating the fastest business activity expansion in four years. The Bureau for Economic Research conducts its quarterly business confidence survey mid-August, with questionnaires distributed to manufacturing, retail, wholesale, and construction sectors. Results, typically published in early September, will influence Q4 2025 business planning. Current confidence levels fell to 40 points in Q2 2025 from 45 points in Q1, remaining below the long-term average of 43 points, suggesting cautious SME sentiment, and who's to blame them. Global government representatives arrive in SA to discuss the plight of the SME Deputy President Paul Mashatile delivered the closing remarks at the Global SME Ministerial Meeting on 24 July 2025 in Boksburg. The event, themed 'Navigating New Business Frontiers', brought together representatives and Ministers from more than 100 countries to 'address the most pressing issues hindering SMEs from reaching their full potential.' Deputy President Mashatile emphasised the importance of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement to the continent's entrepreneurial landscape, and of the SME sector in general, but could reference nothing concrete the government was doing to support them, apart from the R100 Billion Transformation Fund touted by Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau, with public comment currently being reviewed by the dtic. GNU passes a national budget In some good news, the GNU continues to make its way unsteadily forward, with the National Council of Provinces effectively passing the 2025 National Budget. All GNU partners approved the Appropriation Bill that allowed the budget process to be concluded. When tough conditions prompt pragmatic alignment amongst our political leaders, at least there's some room for optimism. Miguel da Silva, Group Executive: Business Banking at TymeBank. Miguel Da Silva. Image: supplied.
