Standard Bank issued a voluntary trading update on Monday covering the five months to end-May 2026, maintaining its full-year guidance unchanged while flagging a deteriorating global backdrop driven by the US-Iran war, energy price inflation, and softening client confidence across several of its key African markets. Standard Bank Group — key metrics and guidance (FY2026) MetricFigure / GuidanceStatusFY2026 full-year guidance (unchanged)Banking revenue growthMid-to-high single digitsMaintainedCost-to-income ratioSlight declineMaintainedCredit loss ratioBottom half of 70–100bps rangeMaintainedReturn on equity (FY2025 base)Above 19.3%MaintainedEarnings growth — Q1 2026+12%Moderated sinceNext results update13 August 2026H1 resultsGlobal macro context — Iran war impactBrent crude peak (early March 2026)$119.50/bbl+40% from…
Author: Staff Writer
1. FinTech Summit Africa 2026 📅 24–25 June | 📍 Sandton, Johannesburg One of the biggest fintech gatherings on the continent this week. Brings together banks, fintechs, investors, and regulators to explore AI, payments, digital banking, financial inclusion, and insurtech. 2. Stats SA Releases May PPI Data — Sharp Spike Expected 📅 This week | 📍 National Producer inflation is expected to jump from 4.8% in April to between 6.4% and 7% in May, driven by fuel costs linked to the Middle East war and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Petrol rose roughly 14% year on year; diesel…
Business Explainer sat down with Stephen Berwick, Director of International Sports Investments — the company that has held the commercial rights to Barbarian international matches since 1998 — ahead of the highly anticipated clash between the world champion Springboks and the Barbarian FC at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on 20 June 2026. For a club that has no clubhouse, no stadium, and no permanent squad, the Barbarian FC has built one of rugby’s most enduring and commercially resilient brands. Since 1890, the invitational side has drawn players from every corner of the globe, played in countries that rarely…
As South Africa continues to debate the regulation of combustible tobacco and non-combustible nicotine products through the proposed Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill, a significant global regulatory shift is unfolding in the United States, one that could offer important lessons for local policymakers, healthcare professionals and public health stakeholders. There was a shift in viewpoint at the recent 10th Annual Nicotine Summit US 2026, held in Washington, D.C., where Dr. Bret Koplow, Acting Director of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Tobacco Products (CTP), delivered what many observers are viewing as opening up further opportunities…
Engen Xtreme proudly participated in the 2026 Gas Motorshow International at Suncoast Durban, from June 13-14, reinforcing its position as a trusted performance lubricant brand while connecting directly with thousands of motoring enthusiasts, customers and aftermarket industry stakeholders. As one of KwaZulu-Natal’s premier automotive lifestyle events, Gas Motorshow International attracted approximately 30,000 visitors over the two-day showcase, providing Engen Xtreme with an ideal platform to engage a highly relevant audience passionate about cars, motorcycles and automotive performance. Co-hosted within the Super Discount Motor Spares (SDMS) Midas stand, Engen Xtreme activations included interactive product engagements, gaming experiences, racing simulators, competitions, giveaways…
Ukiyo, a South African edutech and youth development organisation, has launched its Global Student Support Platform [GSSP], a mobile app that brings education, funding, career opportunities and student support into one place. The launch comes at a difficult point for young people in South Africa. According to Statistics South Africa’s Quarterly Labour Force Survey for Q1 2026, unemployment among those aged 15 to 24 stands at 60.9%, while about 3.9 million young people in the same age group are not in employment, education or training. Ukiyo developed GSSP to help young people find the information, support and opportunities they need…
In the evolving global landscape of anti-money laundering (AML), counter-terrorism financing (CFT) and proliferation financing, the defining question for financial and legal institutions is no longer whether they comply, but how intelligently they do so. For South African law firms and accountable institutions operating under the Financial Intelligence Centre Act (FICA), the regulatory paradigm has fundamentally shifted. Driven by recent regulatory directives—specifically the FIC’s Guidance Note 7A – the era of rigid, rules-based compliance is giving way to a Risk-Based Approach (RBA). Where strict, unyielding protocols once dominated, institutions are now expected to exercise discretion, professional skepticism, and, above all,…
Jaguar, in collaboration with the Royal College of Art (RCA), London, has unveiled the shortlist to mark the second year of the Jaguar Awards – an initiative celebrating bold originality in artistic practice. The RCA – one of the world’s leading institutions for art and creativity, has a long history of nurturing talent that has gone on to shape culture globally. The Jaguar Awards are open to students across all RCA multidisciplinary programmes, with 20 selected for their forward-thinking creativity and bold experimentation – an ethos that sits at the forefront of Jaguar’s brand reimagining today, and instilled by its…
Many hospitality businesses are struggling with a long-standing challenge that the rapid adoption of AI and automation is compounding: finding and retaining the right people. AI, automated booking systems, cloud-based management platforms, smart scheduling and inventory tools – and more – are reshaping hospitality operations. And, as technology takes care of the administrative burden that has traditionally consumed large portions of employees’ efforts, staff have more time to create genuine emotional connections and deliver the personalised service that guests remember. But there is a disconnect. In a recent publication, the South African Hoteliers Report indicates that 77% of South African…
Youth Month is a powerful reminder of South Africa’s past, but it also asks an important question about the present: what does freedom mean for young people today? For many young South Africans, freedom is deeply practical. It is the ability to study further, get to work, attend interviews, start a business, support family and move through life with greater independence. Mobility plays a direct role in that freedom. A vehicle is not only a way to travel from one place to another. It can be a tool for progress, a source of confidence and a step toward greater self-reliance.…