Rand eases, eyes data for rate clues

South Africa's rand eased slightly against the dollar on Monday but was seen contained within a 7.18-7.32 band while awaiting further direction from a range of local and U.S. data over the week.

The rand was at 7.2930/dollar at 0645 GMT, a touch weaker from its 7.2850 position when New York closed on Friday.

"There's not much change from Friday although the dollar is quite stronger against everything else. I think dollar/rand has had its run. We'll most probably peak around 7.30-7.32 and come back to the lower 7.18-7.20's over the next couple of days," a Johannesburg dealer said

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Bull market intact

Investors can enjoy firming equity markets on the back of multiple expansions, triggered by cooled crude oil prices.

Despite an equities bull market of several years’ vintage, investors are likely to continue enjoying firming stock prices as time continues to march into 2007. Measured in dollar terms, global stock prices have more than doubled since early 2003, but rising profits have meant that a key measure of stock valuation is now at one of its least expensive levels in the past two decades.

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Gold rebounds but firm US dollar weighs

Gold rebounded after falling in New York on profit taking and a firmer dollar. Investec Australia pegged support at $610 and resistance at $650 an ounce.

Spot gold rose to $647/648 an ounce from$645.00/646.00 late in New York on Friday, when it had dropped more than $1.

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Oil rises on US cold snap, renewed Iran tensions

Oil prices rose closer to the $56 a barrel mark on Monday, supported by a cold snap in top consumer the United States and by escalating political tensions in Iran and Nigeria.

U.S. crude climbed 47 cents to $55.89 a barrel by 0155 GMT, extending Friday's 2 percent gain, on expectations that freezing temperatures in the U.S. would speed up consumption of a brimming stockpile.

London Brent crude rose 30 cents to $55.59.

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Oil firms eye new frontier in Angola's Cabinda

For more than three decades Angola's Cabinda province has been a tantalising but risky prize for oil companies who wanted to drill on its untapped shores but were put off by a bloody separatist insurrection.

Exploration in the former Portuguese protectorate has focused almost entirely on the oil-rich waters in the Baia de Cabinda until last year when Angola's government and a group of Cabindan rebels agreed to end their bloody 31-year war.

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Five ways to pay for education

School fees eat up a sizable chunk of disposable income, with the annual cost of sending a child to the better primary and secondary schools easily in line and even in excess of a year at university.With all those regular bills, and no time to build a big lump sum, what’s the best way to pay?

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