JOHANNESBURG, Nov 18 (Reuters) – The following scheduled economic events, company announcements, equity and currency market moves may affect South African markets on Monday.

ECONOMIC EVENTS

Foreigners’ trading in South African bonds and equities

South African Treasury bill auction

COMPANIES

S.Africa’s top poultry firm Astral expects rate cut boost

Mobile operator Telkom reports half year results

SOUTH AFRICAN MARKETS

The South African rand gained on Friday as the U.S. dollar slipped, but analysts said pressure could soon build again as bets on U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s policies remain a key market driver.

On the Johannesburg stock market, the blue-chip Top-40 index was up about 0.1%.

GLOBAL MARKETS

Global stocks began the week on firmer footing ahead of a highly anticipated earnings release from Nvidia, while in Japan, a speech from its central bank’s head left markets none the wiser on the country’s rate outlook.

WALL STREET

Wall Street’s main indexes closed lower on Friday, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq notching their biggest one-day losses in two weeks, on concerns about slower interest-rate cuts and as investors reacted to cabinet picks by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump.

GOLD

Gold prices rose more than 1% on Monday after last week’s sharp declines, as a rally in the dollar paused, while market players awaited comments from Federal Reserve officials this week for more clues on the U.S. interest rate path.

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Some of the main stories out in the South African press:

BUSINESS DAY

– Delay in electricity law raises concerns about reforms

– Treasury welcomes surprise S&P decision to raise SA credit rating outlook

FIN 24

– Cheap money, costly mistakes: Inside the GEPF’s controversial 6.5 billion rand impairments

(Compiled by Bhargav Acharya)