South Africa’s weak economy and poor growth prospects have hidden the “phenomenal” potential for the shares in some locally focused companies to deliver returns for investors, according to Old Mutual Investment Group.

South African private sector activity expanded for the first time in 18 months in October as an easing of coronavirus restrictions continued to boost output and new sales, a survey showed on Wednesday.

JSE-listed telecommunications operator Telkom said on Tuesday that it expects headline earnings per share to rise by as much as a quarter in the six months to 30 September 2020, sending its shares leaping higher.

The paint has barely dried on phase 1 of Teraco’s huge new expansion of its Isando data centre but the company is already embarking on its next big build: a massive, R4-billion facility north of OR Tambo International Airport.

The CSIR thinks it can predict who will win the US election, from the moment early results are posted after the polls have closed on Tuesday’s highly anticipated vote.

Apple on Monday announced a special event for 10 November but gave no further details aside from a tag line of “one more thing”.