logo
South Africa's Tiger Brands' half-year profit rises more than expected

South Africa's Tiger Brands' half-year profit rises more than expected

Reuters28-05-2025
JOHANNESBURG, May 28 (Reuters) - South Africa's Tiger Brands (TBSJ.J), opens new tab half-year earnings rose more than expected on Wednesday, with the country's biggest food producer declaring a special dividend of 12.16 rand.
The owner of Jungle Oats and Koo baked beans said its headline earnings per share from continuing operations, a key profit measure in South Africa, rose by 34% to 10.21 rand in the six months ended on March 31, from 763 cents a year ago.
SBG Securities had estimated a rise of 24%. Tiger Brands also declared an interim dividend of 415 cents per share.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Lesotho's textile factories face closures despite US tariff cut
Lesotho's textile factories face closures despite US tariff cut

The Independent

timean hour ago

  • The Independent

Lesotho's textile factories face closures despite US tariff cut

The southern African nation of Lesotho has had its U.S. export tariff reduced from a threatened 50% to 15% but its crucial textile industry still faces massive factory closures, officials said on Friday. Despite a reduction announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, the country's textile sector says it remains at a competitive disadvantage and faces ongoing factory closures and job losses. In April, the Trump administration announced a 50% tariff on imports from Lesotho, the highest among all countries. The tariffs were paused across the board but the anticipated increase wreaked havoc across the country's textile industry, which is its biggest private sector employer with over 30,000 workers. About 12,000 of these workers work for garment factories exporting to the U.S. market, supplying American retailers like Levi's and Wrangler. The Associated Press reported this week that clothing manufacturer Tzicc has seen business dry up ahead of the expected tariff increase, sending home most of its 1,300 workers who have made and exported sportswear to American stores, including JCPenney, Walmart and Costco. David Chen, chairperson of the Lesotho Textile Exporters, has warned that the U.S. government's move to reduce the tariffs offer little relief for the struggling industry as their competitors have lesser tariffs. 'Other countries which we are competing against are already being charged 10 percent, which makes it difficult for us to compete on an equal footing," said Chen, singling out the east African country of Kenya as its strongest competitor with a more favorable 10% tariff. 'As a result, many factories will have to shut down,' said Chen. 'They had already been forced to lay off workers when the tariffs were first announced in April.' According to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, in 2024, U.S.-Lesotho bilateral trade stood at $240.1 million. Apart from clothing, Lesotho's exports also include diamonds and other goods. Classified as a lower-middle income country by the World Bank, nearly half of Lesotho's 2.3 million population live below the poverty line, while a quarter are unemployed. Lesotho's Minister of Trade, Industry and Business Development, Mokhethi Shelile, said that while several meetings with U.S. trade representatives led to a reduced tariff, more needed to be done to lower it further. 'We remain committed to pushing for a further reduction to the minimum tariff level of 10 percent, which is essential for our textile sector to compete effectively in the US market," he said. 'I have already communicated with the U.S. Embassy regarding continued negotiations.' Lesotho's neighbor and trading partner, South Africa, is also reeling after Trump announced a reciprocal 30% tariff for the country which is expected to significantly impact its agriculture and manufacturing sectors, among others. ____

Libyan Islamic Bank goes live with Backbase
Libyan Islamic Bank goes live with Backbase

Finextra

time2 hours ago

  • Finextra

Libyan Islamic Bank goes live with Backbase

Backbase, the global leader in AI-powered banking technology, today announced the recent successful platform launch of Libyan Islamic Bank (LIB), one of the country's fastest-growing financial institutions. This achievement represents Backbase's first platform launch in Libya, underscoring its commitment to expanding state-of-the-art, customer-centric banking across North Africa. 0 This content is provided by an external author without editing by Finextra. It expresses the views and opinions of the author. From ambition to impact As a digitally focused bank, LIB set out to differentiate itself through an experience-led approach to banking. In collaboration with Backbase, the bank laid the groundwork for a customer-first operating model that is built for speed, flexibility, and long-term relevance in a rapidly evolving market. 'This is a proud moment for us. With Backbase, we are transforming banking for our customers, bringing financial services closer to them with the convenience, security, and accessibility of world-class digital banking.' Mohamed Almabrok Digital Banking Platform Project Manager, Libyan Islamic Bank A redesigned experience for everyday banking The new mobile app offers a more intuitive way for customers to manage their finances, with features such as: Secure logins and real-time transaction tracking Internal transfers and in-app messaging Personalized servicing and customer self-service capabilities Instant payments and ATM/branch locator functionality A clean, user-friendly interface designed for daily use As part of the launch, LIB also became one of the first banks in the country to integrate with LYPAY, the Central Bank of Libya's instant payment service. This showcases the agility of the platform in meeting new regulatory and infrastructure demands. 'The successful launch of Libyan Islamic Bank's digital platform is setting new standards for digital-first experiences. It reflects the bank's ability to lead and evolve in Libya's rapidly changing financial sector.' Aymen Daoud Regional Vice President for Africa, Backbase Local knowledge, global technology The go-live was delivered through a close collaboration between Backbase and regional implementation partner OneTech Business Solutions. OTBS played a vital role in aligning the deployment with LIB's specific needs and Libya's regulatory environment, helping ensure speed, stability, and long-term scalability. 'This project shows what's possible when global technology meets local execution. Working closely with Backbase and Libyan Islamic Bank, we ensured a seamless deployment that reflects the realities of the Libyan market. It's a strong example of how partnership drives real digital transformation.' Atef Loukil Deputy CEO and Head of Digital Factory, OneTech Business Solutions Built for what comes next This launch represents the first phase of LIB's longer-term digital transformation roadmap. With a strong digital foundation now in place, the bank is positioned to respond to evolving customer expectations and continue modernizing its services at scale. Backbase's successful entry into Libya also marks a strategic expansion point in North Africa. The company remains committed to helping banks of all sizes modernize at speed, through adaptive technology, regulatory alignment, and seamless customer experiences, all powered by its AI-powered Banking Platform.

South African rand recoups some losses after US jobs data, stocks fall on tariff concerns
South African rand recoups some losses after US jobs data, stocks fall on tariff concerns

Reuters

time2 hours ago

  • Reuters

South African rand recoups some losses after US jobs data, stocks fall on tariff concerns

JOHANNESBURG, August 1 (Reuters) - The South African rand gained against a softer dollar after the United States reported weaker-than-expected jobs data, but stocks on the local bourse fell sharply as traders mulled the impact of higher tariffs on the country after it failed to clinch a trade agreement with Washington. At 1604 GMT, the rand traded at 18.0350 against the dollar , about 1% firmer than its previous close and paring losses after dropping to an over two-month low in early trade. The dollar last traded more than 1% weaker against a basket of currencies. South Africa's rand, like other risk-sensitive currencies, often takes cues from global drivers such as U.S. policy and economic data. The Johannesburg Stock Exchange's Top-40 index (.JTOPI), opens new tab closed down 0.7% and the wider All-Share index (.JALSH), opens new tab dipped 0.8%. In an executive order on Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump modified tariff rates for some countries, but South Africa's figure was kept at 30%, as he seeks to reshape global trade on more favourable terms for the United States. The order said the higher duty rates would take effect in seven days. A seasonally-adjusted purchasing managers' index earlier showed that South African manufacturing sentiment improved in July, pointing to better business conditions in the sector for the first time in nine months. Separately, data from the national auto association NAAMSA showed a 15.6% year-on-year increase in new vehicles sold domestically in July (ZAVEHY=ECI), opens new tab. South Africa's benchmark 2035 government bond was stronger, as the yield fell 3 basis points to 9.595%. The country's government borrowing costs dropped to their lowest in five years after the Reserve Bank said on Thursday it would lower its inflation goal, despite the finance minister not yet having signed off on a formal change of target.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store