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President Donald Trump remains unhappy with the latest proposal from Iran to end the war in the Middle East. The hopes for an early end are fading away, with the war continuing to disrupt energy supplies, raising fears of spikes in inflation. Iran's latest proposal would set the discussion of its nuclear program aside until the war is ended and the US blockade of Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz is lifted. The Japanese Yen has firmed after the BOJ kept its benchmark interest rate on hold at 0.75%. The Yen is 0.2% stronger against the Dollar at 159.02. We also await the Fed's interest rate decision on Wednesday, with the markets expecting the FOMC to keep rates unchanged at 3.75%. On Thursday, the European Union will also announce its benchmark rate decision, with markets expecting rates to remain unchanged at 2.15%. With a short week this week in South Africa, markets will remain volatile, with key interest rate decisions and the outlook from Central banks on inflation, and the impact of the war, will keep traders on their toes. The Rand is currently softer at R16.58 in line with a firmer Dollar and softer EM currencies. The price of gold dipped as investors watched for the impact of the Middle-East conflict and stalled US-Iran peace talks. Gold is down 0.64% at $4,652.20 per ounce. The price of Brent and WTI is up 1.2% and 1.21%, respectively, with Brent trading well above the $100 mark at $109 per barrel and WTI at $97.50, as the war in the Middle East has no clear end in sight, while tankers have also been turned back by the US blockade. #MarketUpdate #InterestRates #MiddleEastConflict #InflationWatch #OilPrices #ZAR

The dollar is edging higher, the euro is struggling near $1.17, and the Japanese yen is so weak that Japan's Finance Minister is warning of intervention. The rand is also weaker on the back of this. Gold, which should be surging in a war, is actually falling, because rising rates make it less attractive. Bond yields are behaving strangely too. The honest summary are markets are absorbing the tension without a full-blown meltdown, but they're clearly unsettled. The biggest risk right now is a weekend surprise, geopolitical shocks have a habit of dropping on Saturdays and Sundays, and traders are nervous heading into the close. The situation could unravel quickly if diplomacy fails completely. Brent crude is sitting near $105 a barrel, up roughly 40% since the conflict began and climbing for a fifth straight day. Why? The Strait of Hormuz, the world's most important oil shipping lane, has been effectively shut for nearly two months. Over 50% of Persian Gulf oil production has been disrupted. The US Navy is blockading Iranian ports. Iran is attacking ships. Peace talks are stalled partly because President Trump's social media posts keep derailing diplomatic backchannels. Goldman Sachs says even if Hormuz reopens tomorrow, it will take months for oil supply to fully recover. Higher oil prices mean higher inflation, which keeps interest rates higher for longer. That's bad news for everyone. #MarketUpdate #OilPrices #CurrencyMarkets #InterestRates

The conflict between the US and Iran in the Strait of Hormuz has pushed oil prices back above $100. Brent crude oil is now around $103.25. This follows Iranian attacks on ships, which were in response to US actions blocking Iranian ports. Because of this rising tension, investors are becoming more cautious. Many are moving their money into safer assets like the US Dollar, while reducing riskier investments. Kevin Warsh, who may become the next head of the US Federal Reserve, is currently speaking to Congress. He said he has not promised former President Trump that he would cut interest rates, and he supports keeping the Fed independent. However, he also mentioned that he may change how the Fed operates if he is appointed. Emerging-market currencies, including the Rand, are under pressure amid these global risks. The Rand has weakened past R16.50 against the Dollar. South Africa’s latest inflation data showed a small increase, but the full impact of higher fuel prices is yet to be felt. Some analysts now expect the South African Reserve Bank to raise interest rates twice this year. Even amid global political uncertainty, gold prices have dropped slightly. Gold is trading just above $4,700, about 0.75% lower than yesterday. This drop is mainly due to a stronger US Dollar and higher oil prices. Other precious metals, like platinum and palladium, have also fallen, each down by more than 1.5%. #MarketUpdate #OilPrices #USDEconomy #EmergingMarkets #InterestRates #GoldPrices #Inflation

Most South African SMEs treat foreign exchange as a task: “Pay the supplier. Receive the funds. File the paperwork.” But FX is not admin. It’s a margin line. When your business imports stock, raw materials, or equipment, the rand’s movement changes your landed cost. When you export or invoice offshore, timing and rate moves can either protect your margin or quietly erode it. The difference is rarely dramatic in a single transaction - it’s the cumulative effect that shows up months later, when the numbers no longer make sense. This is where SMEs often get caught: large corporates have treasury teams monitoring markets and negotiating pricing. Most SMEs don’t. So FX becomes a “default” decision, and default decisions usually come with hidden costs. The practical leadership move is simple: treat FX like any other major purchasing input. Compare quotes, understand the all-in cost, and put a repeatable process around it. 👉 The best way to buy & sell Foreign Exchange: smeforex.co.za #SouthAfricanSMEs #ForeignExchange #FXManagement #ImportExport

There is a structural shift underway in how sophisticated treasury teams think about ERP-to-bank integration. The traditional model - build it in-house, maintain it internally, and absorb the overhead - is giving way to a managed connectivity model. The reason is straightforward: bank connectivity is critical infrastructure. And critical infrastructure should be reliable, secure, and continuously maintained by specialists - not treated as a side responsibility for an already-stretched IT or finance team. Connectivity-as-a-Service means: ☑️ A single managed layer that connects your ERP to all your banks ☑️ Automatic updates when banks change their format specifications ☑️ 99.9% uptime SLA with 24/7 monitoring ☑️ Sub-second payment processing and real-time statement retrieval ☑️ No internal resource drain maintaining point-to-point integrations TreasuryONE has implemented this model for JSE-listed retailers, large South African industrial groups, and corporates with complex multi-bank, multi-currency requirements. The outcome in every case is the same: lower operational risk, better cash visibility, and a treasury function that can focus on value-adding work rather than infrastructure maintenance. The organisations that lead in treasury excellence in the next five years will be those that have made this shift. The question is not whether to modernise your bank connectivity - it is whether you do it proactively or reactively. We would welcome the conversation. Schedule a demo with our team to see what best-in-class connectivity looks like for your organisation. #BankConnectivity #TreasuryManagement #ERPIntegration #CorporateTreasury #ConnectivityAsAService

US President Donald Trump announced an indefinite extension of the ceasefire, keeping sentiment buoyed, but the Strait of Hormuz would still remain closed. The announcement seemed one-sided just before the previous ceasefire expired. It remains unclear whether Iran or US ally, Israel, have agreed, or would, to the new ceasefire. While the ceasefire announcement kept investors on their toes, back in the US, Fed Chair nominee, Kevin Warsh had no clear path of confirmation. He is likely to prevail, but a criminal probe of current Chair Jerome Powell remains a stumbling block. US retail sales were boosted by a record surge in gasoline prices. Retail sales rose 1.7% up from the previous 0.7%, which indicates higher consumer spending, and higher overall economic activity. The EU will set out a plan later today to cut electricity taxes and refill gas storage, as it seeks to cushion the energy fallout. The Rand lost ground late yesterday afternoon, falling to almost 16.60 against the Dollar. The Rand has track backed some of the losses this morning and sits at 16.43. We await local CPI due out later this morning, with a jump to 4.1% expected, and the SARB reassessing the interest rate outlook, with the possibility of a hike as the higher energy costs weigh. The price of Gold has risen on the news of the extension of the ceasefire. The price of Gold rose 1.15% to $4,765 as fears of an inflation spike and prolonged high interest rates eased. Oil prices have slipped 1.10% but remain elevated. Brent sits at $97.40 per barrel, while investors watched for progress in the US-Iran peace talks.

Iran has refused to engage in peace talks with the US, and with both sides ramping up their rhetoric, fears of further escalation are growing. The 2-week ceasefire expires tomorrow, keeping markets on edge. Despite the US blockade remaining in place, oil has eased back below $95 - markets are caught between hoping for a deal and bracing for prolonged disruption. Adding to the uncertainty, Trump's Fed Chair nominee Kevin Warsh faces his Senate confirmation hearing today, where senators are expected to press him on Fed independence and his views on interest rates. Any signal on rate cuts or political influence over the Fed could move the dollar sharply. The rand is trading flat at R16.36 to the dollar, holding in a tight range for now. Tomorrow's local inflation data is the next key test - economists expect a jump to around 4.1%, driven by higher fuel and energy costs filtering through from the conflict. A surprise to the upside could put the South African Reserve Bank under pressure and weaken the rand. Meanwhile, gold has dipped back below $4,800 - unusual in a conflict environment and a sign that markets may be pricing in some hope of a resolution, or simply reacting to uncertainty around the Warsh hearing. Platinum and palladium, both key South African exports, have also slipped, which is worth watching for any broader rand implications. #GlobalMarkets #OilPrices #IranUSRelations #RandExchangeRate

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This week’s market update highlights the growing economic cost of uncertainty. Questions over whether the Strait of Hormuz is fully open, partially restricted or at risk of further disruption continue to dominate sentiment, while the ceasefire remains fragile. For markets, the issue is not only the conflict itself, but the difficulty it creates for businesses, consumers and policymakers trying to plan in an environment where the outlook can change from one headline to the next. For South Africa, higher fuel costs and wider inflation pressure are becoming increasingly important, even as the rand has shown relative resilience. 👉 Link in the comments below 👇 #MarketUpdate #EconomicOutlook #FuelCosts #InflationPressure #RandCurrency #GlobalMarkets #MarketReview

The US dollar edged to its highest level in a week, with new US - Iranian tensions and fading hopes for a peace deal in the Middle East, which sent investors back toward safe-haven assets. The US seized an Iranian cargo ship that tried to run its blockade, prompting retaliatory action from Iran. The initial move late Friday afternoon after the opening of the Strait saw the markets rally, the Oil price fall by over 8.0%, and the Dollar weaken. Later this week, markets await US retail sales, ADP employment change data, and jobless claims numbers. The Rand traded as low as R16.13 but has now completely reversed these gains as fears of the war being extended linger. The Rand is currently trading at R16.40 with traders watching developments in the Middle East. Local CPI data is due out on Wednesday, which could have a major impact on what the SARB MPC does next. Gold prices fell this morning, due to the firmer Dollar, while the Strait of Hormuz has been closed again, pushing oil prices higher and reviving inflation fears. Gold is down 0.85% at $4,787.65 per ounce. The price of Brent crude jumped as rising tensions in the Middle East kept shipping in and out of the Gulf to a minimum, with traders holding on to hopes the war might end. The price of Brent crude has risen by 5.47%, to $95.35 per barrel. #MarketUpdate #OilPrices #GoldMarket #MiddleEastTensions #USDRand #CommodityMarkets

If you want to understand why treasury teams still get caught off guard by liquidity surprises, start with a simple question: How many different places do you need to log into before you can say, with confidence, “this is our cash position”? For many South African corporates, especially groups with multiple entities, multiple banks, and cross-border accounts, the answer is: too many. And that reality comes with a cost: slower decisions, higher operational risk, and missed opportunities to optimise funding and returns. Treasury is not short on data. It’s short on trusted, centralised visibility. Bank portals were never designed to give a CFO a group-wide view of liquidity. They were designed to service the relationship with one bank, on one platform, with one set of credentials and workflows. A purely portal-driven approach creates practical pain points most teams recognise immediately: individual logins per bank, labour-intensive processes, fragmented cash insights, heavy reliance on credentials and tokens, and limited controls at scale. READ MORE: treasuryone.co.za/from-bank-port… #TreasuryManagement #CashVisibility #LiquidityManagement #CorporateFinance #TreasuryTech

Israel and Lebanon have agreed to stop fighting, and Donald Trump says a deal with Iran is nearly done. That said, markets are still sitting on the fence — the current two-week ceasefire is almost up, so traders are waiting to see what happens next. Oil jumped 5% yesterday and is hovering just below $100 a barrel. The US Dollar hasn't moved much today, though it has weakened over the past week as fears eased and hopes grew that interest rates could be cut soon. The rand is barely budging, trading around R16.42 to the dollar. It's been a quiet few days for the rand, with fewer trades than usual keeping it stuck in a tight range. Gold is slightly higher at $4,804, boosted by news of peace talks. But ongoing worries about inflation are keeping bigger gains in check. Platinum and palladium are also a little higher this morning, and both are on track to end the week up more than 3%. #DailyMarketReport #OilPrices #GoldMarket #ForexTrading #InterestRates

Real-time cash visibility is consistently cited as a top priority by CFOs and Group Treasurers across South Africa. Yet the gap between aspiration and reality remains significant - and the root cause is almost always the same: disconnected, fragmented bank connectivity. When your ERP cannot pull bank statements automatically and in real time, your cash position is always historical. You are making liquidity decisions, funding decisions, and FX decisions based on data that is hours - sometimes days - old. The business impact is concrete: 🔷 Idle cash sitting in accounts because the treasury team cannot see it 🔷 Short-term borrowing costs incurred unnecessarily 🔷 FX exposures that are not hedged in time 🔷 Intercompany funding inefficiencies across group structures A properly integrated ERP-to-bank connectivity layer - one that delivers automated, real-time bank statement processing across all your banking relationships - transforms cash visibility from a reporting function into a strategic capability. This is not about technology for its own sake. It is about giving the CFO and the treasury team the information they need to make better decisions, faster. #CashVisibility #TreasuryManagement #ERPIntegration #BankConnectivity #CorporateTreasury

The US Dollar is holding near its lowest level since March, as optimism grows over a possible peace deal between the US and Iran, encouraging traders to shed safe-haven positions. The Dollar has almost surrendered all its gains since the war erupted. President Trump commented that the US-Israeli war on Iran was “close to over’’ expressing optimism about a deal. US Treasuries climbed to record highs, rising for a second month, signaling a waning appetite for US debt. Markets await CPI out of the European Union later today, with markets expecting a sharp rise in both the Month-on-Month and Year-on-Year figures. The South African Rand remains resilient and currently sits at R16.33 against the Dollar, while also showing gains against both the Euro and Pound, on the back of the optimism over a potential peace deal. The price of Gold is up by 0.95%, supported by the weaker Dollar, as the main focus remains on any news out of the Middle East. Oil has remained little changed at $95.00, reversing earlier declines. The partial opening of the Strait of Hormuz is helping to ease supply constraints, however the risks remain for higher energy prices and higher inflation. #ForexTrading #USDollar #PeaceDeal #GoldPrices #InflationWatch

The US naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz has entered its second day, the 2-week ceasefire is still holding, and there is some optimism over possible renewed peace talks between the US and Iran. All of this is keeping markets fairly static, however, with a slightly risk-on mood. The price of Oil is trading relatively unchanged at $95.20, while the Dollar is marginally up from last night's softer closing levels. A decline in safe-haven demand and softer US PPI data saw the Dollar retreat further yesterday. The softer PPI data have lifted rate cut bets and reduced demand for the greenback. The Rand is sticking to a fairly tight trading range, holding on to yesterday's gains, as markets await fresh news out of the Middle East. The local currency is currently consolidating around the R16.35 level. Gold is down around 0.4% lower at $4,820 this morning on the back of some profit-taking after yesterday's strong rally. Gold jumped over 2.0% yesterday after the Dollar fell and softer PPI data lifted rate cut bets. #MarketUpdate #OilPrices #GoldMarket #EconomicOutlook #FinancialMarkets

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Global markets began the week with little real progress in the Middle East, as hopes of de-escalation once again gave way to renewed uncertainty. According to TreasuryONE’s weekly market update, discussions over the weekend failed to produce a lasting breakthrough, leaving the conflict in a familiar pattern of escalation followed by temporary pauses. The result is a market environment still dominated by geopolitical risk rather than economic fundamentals. 👉 Link in the bio below #GlobalMarkets #GeopoliticalRisk #MarketUpdate #MiddleEast

Cash flow pressure doesn’t wait for a 12-month transformation programme. That’s why speed to value matters so much in forecasting. Finance teams need to improve visibility quickly, build confidence with stakeholders, and create a rhythm that actually sticks, not something that works for three months and then collapses back into spreadsheets. The real opportunity isn’t simply implementing a tool. It’s resetting the operating model: moving from manual forecasting cycles to automated data, better visibility, and faster decision-making. Done right, forecasting becomes a living capability in the business, and one that helps you manage liquidity proactively, not reactively. #CashFlowForecasting #FinanceTransformation #FinancialPlanning #AutomatedForecasting #LiquidityManagement When forecasting becomes easier, teams stop avoiding it, and the business starts using it.

The US naval blockade on all Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz has come into effect, building pressure on Tehran to agree to Trump's peace deal. The Dollar and oil prices have both softened after Trump stated that Iran had reached out to Washington to make a deal, lifting risk sentiment. Brent crude is back below the $100 mark, while the DXY index is down at 98.00. The big stumbling blocks to a peace deal remain Iran's nuclear enrichment and control of the Strait. The Rand remains sensitive to any news on the war, but has gained on the back of the weaker Dollar, and sits at R16.42 this morning. However, the war has already impacted negatively on SA, with higher fuel prices and energy security. The crisis has raised import costs and intensified domestic inflationary pressure. The price of Gold is up 0.5% on the back of the weaker Dollar, and on hopes of progress on a peace deal. Markets are back to pricing two rate cuts in the US this year, further providing support for Gold. #StraitOfHormuz #USNavalBlockade #IranDeal #PeaceDeal

The US and Iran remain worlds apart on any lasting peace deal, and Donald Trump has threatened to impose a blockade on all Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz as of today. The 2-week ceasefire still remains in place for now, however markets are on edge as they await Tehran's reaction to Trump's threat. Brent crude has jumped to above the $100.00 level once again, while the Dollar DXY index is back up at 99.00. US Treasury yields have opened higher as inflation fears rise and rate cut hopes in the US fade. The Rand has opened around 1.0% weaker at R16.55 on the back of higher oil prices, a stronger Dollar, and geopolitical concerns. The local currency will once again take its cues from international moves. The failed peace talks, higher oil prices, and a stronger Dollar are also weighing on gold prices, which currently sit at $4,724. Markets will be keeping a close eye on how the situation in the Strait of Hormuz plays out later today. #MarketUpdate #OilPrices #Geopolitics #ForexTrading #StraitOfHormuz