Flash Briefing: CR leads the way as SA rolls out J&J Covid vaccine; Electricity price hikes; oil prices; Tiger Brands

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* South Africa began administering its first coronavirus vaccines on Wednesday, dispensing Johnson & Johnson shots to health workers and top politicians .
* South Africa’s High Court has ruled that Eskom can recover R10 billion ($681 million) from consumers, enabling the state power utility to raise electricity tariffs by 16%.
* Meanwhile, many municipalities have collapsed and are unable to provide a stable electricity supply or pay their Eskom bills. Non-paying municipalities owe Eskom R36 billion.
* Rising energy prices are fueling inflation expectations in South Africa, prompting traders to bet that rate increases are on the cards this year even as the economy remains in the doldrums.
* The Wall Street Journal reports that Saudi Arabia plans to increase oil output in the coming months, reversing a recent big production cut.
* South Africa’s biggest food producer Tiger Brands said on Wednesday it expected headline earnings from continuing operations in the six months to March 31 to rise as much as 20%. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
17 Feb 2021 7AM English South Africa Investing · Business News

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