JOHANNESBURG, Feb 12 (Reuters) – The following equity and currency market moves may affect South African markets on Wednesday.

SOUTH AFRICAN MARKETS

South Africa’s rand was flat on Tuesday as traders gauged the effects of U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, which risk sparking a multi-front trade war.

On the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, the blue-chip Top-40 index closed 0.2% lower.

GLOBAL MARKETS

Stocks rose and U.S. Treasury yields firmed on Wednesday as investors assessed the latest U.S. tariff salvo along with Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s signal of a patient path for rate cuts.

WALL STREET

Wall Street’s main indexes ended mixed on Tuesday as gains in Coca-Cola and Apple offset losses in Tesla, while investors parsed Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s latest comments.

GOLD

Gold prices retreated on Wednesday from an all-time high hit in the previous session, as Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s hawkish comment cemented views of slower rate cuts this year, while investors awaited a key U.S. inflation report.

– – – –

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

BUSINESS DAY

– No Starlink soon with equity hoops to jump

– MPs rally around SA’s sovereignty amid Trump threats

(Compiled by Sfundo Parakozov)