The JSE must contend with weaker Asian markets on Thursday morning, as investors consider a surge in the number of coronavirus cases as a result of a change in how infections and deaths are reported in China. A weaker rand and higher precious metal prices could support miners a little, however, and Tencent was up more than 1% in Hong Kong.

The death toll in China’s central Hubei province from a coronavirus outbreak leapt by a record 242 on Thursday, taking the total number of deaths in the province so far to 1,310, Reuters reported. Hopes that the coronavirus has peaked has helped buoy stocks recently, with US markets closing at a record high on Wednesday...

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