Traxtion set to gain from rail reforms, and Berkshire Hathaway bets big on Alphabet

The rand remained relatively stable this week, hovering consistently around R16.19 to the United States dollar on the back of softer US inflation.

South Africa’s own headline inflation is expected to soften next week, thanks to a sizeable petrol price cut at the end of July.

Stats SA will release its latest inflation data for July 2026 on Wednesday, 19 August 2026, with many economists anticipating an easing.

Projections have inflation pegged between 4.3% year-on-year and 4.8% year-on-year, slightly down from the 5% recorded in June.

The JSE closed on Friday, 14 August, slightly in the red from where it opened on Monday, 10 August, with the All Share Index and the Top 40 Index both down close to 3%.

Global risk sentiment remains high due to the prolonging of the Middle East conflict, with oil prices remaining at around $88 per barrel.

US president Donald Trump commented earlier this week that he would soon declare the Strait of Hormuz as a “United States territory.”

Important finance and investing news

Berkshire Hathaway bets big on Alphabet: Berkshire Hathaway said on Friday it had increased its stake in Google owner Alphabet by 83% over the second quarter, now owning 106 million shares in the company worth about $37.8 billion. This makes Alphabet the holding company’s third largest stock-holding. [Reuters]

Traxtion set to gain from rail reforms: South African rail services provider Traxtion is positioning itself to profit from the region’s mineral boom, as well as rail reforms across South Africa and the rest of the continent which are opening up freight rail access to more private operators. [Reuters]

Stock-picking funds show lacklustre results: Just 13% of United States large-cap funds have outperformed indexes over the last decade, according to new data. This is despite investment analysts declaring the creation of a “stock-picker’s market” due to artificial intelligence disruptions. [Wall Street Journal]

Jane Street lost $15 billion in one month: American trading firm Jane Street posted losses of $15 billion in July 2026, its first down month in over a decade. This was mainly attributed to lacklustre performance at AI-focused hedge fund Situational Awareness, which Jane Street invests in. [Bloomberg]

South Africans feel burnt out: Rising living costs, job insecurity, and workplace demands are contributing to South Africa’s economic squeeze and leaving many of the country’s workforce feeling burnt out. Despite this, many remain afraid to quit their jobs. [BusinessDay]