The rand was trading at R12.47/$ at 6:15am on Friday morning, hanging on to Thursday’s gains when it reached a low of R12.43/$. The yen, on the other hand, weakened against the dollar, sending Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 index up 0.84%. Thursday’s feared "Trump tantrum" was postponed to Friday, buying US President Donald Trump an extra day to persuade Republican congressmen in the House of Representatives to vote in favour of his healthcare bill. Of the 216 "yes" votes Trump needs, only 145 Republican congressmen have committed their support. The New York Times reported that the number of Republican congressmen intending to vote "no" had grown to 33 — 11 more than needed to scupper Trump’s plan to "repeal and replace Obamacare". A further 11 Republican congressmen are listed as having "concerns or leaning to no" and 48 are undecided. If Trump does get his bill through the House of Representatives, it would proceed to the US Senate where his Republican party has 52 votes and the opposition De...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.