logo
Harmony Gold ups renewable energy play with R1bn copper deal

Harmony Gold ups renewable energy play with R1bn copper deal

IOL News27-05-2025

JSE-listed Harmony Gold has bought an Australian copper mine at a time when the metal, a crucial material as the world moves to renewable energy, is closing in on a five-year high.
JSE-listed Harmony Gold has bought an Australian copper mine at a time when the metal, a crucial material as the world moves to renewable energy, is closing in on a five-year high.
The gold-copper producer, with assets in Australia, Papua New Guinea, and South Africa, acquired MAC Copper for $1.03 billion (or about R18.4bn at the time of the deal).
MAC Copper, headquartered in Jersey, owns CSA Mine in regional New South Wales, which it says is one of Australia's highest grade copper mines. CSA Mine produces about 40,000 tonnes of copper each year and is MAC's only asset.
The Jersey-based miner is developing the Merrin Mine, which is located in the upper parts of CSA and is expected to provide additional copper and zinc production.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Equities surged in May while the Rand stabilised
Equities surged in May while the Rand stabilised

The Star

time4 hours ago

  • The Star

Equities surged in May while the Rand stabilised

Chris Harmse | Published 3 days ago The JSE had a bumper month and year-to-date. Given all the growing uncertainties on the global and domestic geo-political front, investors and the public expected the worst for the share and foreign exchange markets during the month of May. Given the Trump administration's chop-and-change announcements in the trade war between the US and other countries, like China, Canada, and European countries, as well as the jittery South Africa/US relations, it was expected by many members of the public that the economy and financial markets would go from better to worse. Table 1: Various share indices performances since the beginning of 2015 Index 1 month 3 months Year-to-date JSE ALSI 3.4% 10.2% 12.1% JSE Top40 3.4% 10.8% 14.4% JSE Financial15 4.3% 8.7% 16.0% JSE Industrial 25 4.2% 8.7% 16.0% JSE Res 10 3.1% 21.1% 31.3% Dow S&P500 5.5% -0.13% -0.14% UK FTSE 3.3% -0.04% 7.3% MSCI Europe 3.8% 7.0% 18.3% Hang Seng 5.3% 1.7% 16.10% In contrast, share prices on the JSE reached record high levels and their best annual five months since the 2020 Covid-Virus equity downward streak, and all the main indices recorded growth of above 10% since the beginning of the year. Prospects for share and capital markets Despite the national budget woes, US trade tariff threats, the lack of domestic service delivery, and a deterioration of transport infrastructure and export facilities, signs of an economic recovery in South Africa boost capital and equity markets. The cut in the repo rate by the Monetary Policy Committee , nine consecutive months where the inflation rate remained less than the Reserve Bank's midpoint target of 4.5%, and expectations of an inflation rate remaining around the 3.0% proposed new target range, boosted domestic and global investment confidence. The expected further cut in fuel prices in June, despite the hike in the fuel levy by the Treasury, the possible extension of the Agoa agreement, and lower proposed US tariffs against South Africa, increase domestic and foreign investment appetite on the South African share and capital markets. The rand against the dollar stabilises and gives reason for a rate cut. On the foreign exchange market, the rand improved in May to its strongest level against the major currencies for 2025. Against the dollar, the rand improved over the month of May by 3.1% or 50 cents from R18.59 to R17.99 on Friday. Against pound sterling, the currency appreciated by 2.5% or 57cents to R24.21/£ and against the Euro, stronger by 3.0% or 64c to R20.24/€. The stronger rand also contributes to a surge in financial, retail, and property shares on the JSE with the capital market returns also higher. The Trump administration's latest tariff surge threatens. US President Trump doubled tariffs on steel imports on Friday from 25% to 50% and announced: 'Nobody is going to get around that,' as he also introduced 50% tariffs on imported aluminum. This 'new' tariffs surge will be introduced on June 4. This latest tariff craze put global equity markets and currencies under pressure. The Euro Stoxx 50 index lost 1.07% last week, and the Hang Seng index in Hong Kong traded 1.2% lower on Friday and tumbled by 1.4% over the week. Prospects for this coming week This coming week, domestic and foreign investors await the release of US non-farm payrolls for May 2025, which will be released on Friday. The market expects 140 000 new jobs, and the unemployment rate to remain at 4.2%. These two indicators will give an indication of prospects for a bank rate cut by the Federal Reserve at their next interest rate meeting later this month. Domestically, the new vehicle sales for May will be released today. Elsewhere, the ECB will make its interest rate decision on Thursday. Chris Harmse is the consulting economist of Sequoia Capital Management and a senior lecturer at Stadio Higher Education. BUSINESS REPORT

TotalEnergies in landmark greenwashing trial in France
TotalEnergies in landmark greenwashing trial in France

eNCA

time4 hours ago

  • eNCA

TotalEnergies in landmark greenwashing trial in France

Environmental groups took TotalEnergies to court Thursday in a landmark Paris trial, accusing the French oil and gas giant of misleading consumers with ads that overstate its climate commitments and fossil fuel transition. It is the first such case in France targeting a major energy company and could set a legal precedent for corporate environmental advertising, which is starting to face tighter regulations in the European Union. The civil case stems from a March 2022 lawsuit by three environmental groups accusing TotalEnergies of "misleading commercial practices" for saying it could reach carbon neutrality while continuing oil and gas production. The plaintiffs took that legal route as "greenwashing", or the act of claiming to be more environmentally responsible than in reality, is not specifically covered under French law. Starting in May 2021, TotalEnergies advertised its goal of "carbon neutrality by 2050" and touted gas as "the fossil fuel with the lowest greenhouse gas emissions". At the time, the company had changed its name from Total to TotalEnergies to emphasise its investments in wind turbines and solar panels for electricity production. The plaintiffs allege that TotalEnergies made around 40 "false advertisements" in their lawsuit. "For the average consumer, it is impossible to understand that TotalEnergies is actually expanding fossil fuel production," said Clementine Baldon, a lawyer for the NGOs. The company's strategy "will not help the energy transition", Baldon told the court. "It delays it, even prevents it, and it contributes to putting the objectives of the Paris accord at risk," she added, referring to the international agreement aimed at curbing climate change. TotalEnergies maintains it has not engaged in misleading commercial practices. Moreover, it insists that the messages are part of its institutional communications regulated by financial authorities and not consumer law. It has also argued the NGOs are misusing consumer protection rules to challenge its corporate strategy, and that no consumer organisation is party to the case. The NGOs said the Paris court will rule on the legality of ads presenting natural gas as essential to the energy transition. Climate experts say methane leaks from the gas industry have a powerful warming effect on the atmosphere. - Correcting ads - Environmental groups in recent years have turned to the courts to establish case law on companies misleading consumers by appearing more eco-friendly than they are. In Europe, courts ruled against Dutch airline KLM in 2024 and Germany's Lufthansa in March over misleading consumers about their efforts to reduce the environmental impact of flying. In Spain, utility Iberdrola failed to secure a conviction against Spanish oil and gas company Repsol over similar allegations of "false" environmental claims. A greenwashing case against Australian oil and gas producer Santos, challenging its claim to be a "clean fuels" company, has been ongoing since 2021. Other fossil fuel companies, under pressure from advertising regulators or legal complains, have had to scrap or correct ad campaigns. Shell, for example, received a warning in the UK and had to stop promoting "carbon-neutral" gasoline in several countries, including Germany, the Netherlands and Canada. New European laws now ban vague, generic environmental claims such as "green" or "100 percent natural" product, and aim to require brands to more strictly substantiate environmental claims on labels and in advertising. TotalEnergies has said it plans to show that its messages "about its name change, strategy and role in the energy transition are reliable and based on objective, verifiable data". By Nathalie Alonso And Ivan Couronne

AYO Technology Solutions: share repurchase agreement was executive in good faith
AYO Technology Solutions: share repurchase agreement was executive in good faith

IOL News

time7 hours ago

  • IOL News

AYO Technology Solutions: share repurchase agreement was executive in good faith

AYO Technology Solutions has affirmed its support for the JSE's ongoing commitment to market transparency and investor confidence,' Image: Armand Hough / Independent Newspapers. AYO Technology Solutions said Thursday that a share repurchase agreement with the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) in 2023 was executed based on advice from advisors at the time and was made in good faith and in alignment with the legal guidance provided. 'AYO acknowledges the JSE's decision to issue a public censure and to suspend the application of a fine for five years and affirms its support for the JSE's ongoing commitment to market transparency and investor confidence,' the company said. AYO stated that the period surrounding the PIC settlement was marked by a wave of media scrutiny and speculative reporting, much of which misrepresented the intent and content of the agreement. 'AYO remains committed to correcting the narrative by continuing to act in the best interests of its shareholders and in compliance with the regulatory framework that governs its operations. AYO has co-operated fully with the JSE throughout this process and takes its obligations under the Listings Requirements seriously,' the company said in a statement. AYO had been trading under cautionary from 6 March 2023 due to legal proceedings between the company, the PIC, and its main client, the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF). On 24 March, AYO announced that legal proceedings between it, the PIC, and the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) had ceased following an amicable settlement agreement between them. The terms of the agreement were not disclosed in this announcement, as the parties in the dispute had cited the terms as 'confidential.' The next day, the terms were published in the media that AYO had agreed to repurchase shares from the GEPF for around R600 million; there was a further repurchase option granted to the GEPF, while certain minority protections were afforded to the GEPF. The JSE then stated that the terms of the repurchase needed to be published. On 4 April, the JSE directed AYO to publish a further supplementary SENS announcement, which was done on 18 May, with all the required information. BUSINESS REPORT Visit:

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store