South African Daybook: Retail Sales, MTN Earnings, Aurora Hearings, Grains

South African retail sales probably rose 2.1 percent in June from a year earlier, according to the median estimate of 12 economists surveyed by Bloomberg. Sales were unchanged in May.

Estimates for the data ranged from -0.6 percent to 4 percent. The Pretoria-based Statistics South Africa will publish the figures at 1 p.m.

     WHAT TO WATCH:
* Government officials brief lawmakers on the liquidation of
Aurora Empowerment Systems, a South African mining company, in
Cape Town at 9 a.m.
* The South African Municipal Workers Union holds a news
conference in Johannesburg at 10 a.m. on a strike by council
workers.
* South Africa’s Reserve Bank to release an invitation at about
11 a.m. in Johannesburg for a weekly government bond auction.
* The South African Grain Information Service releases data on
weekly deliveries of corn and wheat into storage at about 12
p.m. in Johannesburg.

     MARKETS:
* The rand weakened 0.1 percent to 7.1517 per dollar by 7:10
p.m. yesterday.
* The FTSE/JSE Africa All-Share Index fell 0.6 percent to
29,987.27 yesterday.
* The yield on the 13.5 percent government bond due September
2015, known to traders as the R157, declined 8 basis point to
6.85 percent late yesterday.

     EQUITY MOVERS:

* Evraz Highveld Steel and Vanadium Ltd. (EHS SJ): The
steelmaker is expected to release first-half earnings.
* MTN Group Ltd. (MTN SJ): Africa’s largest mobile-phone
operator releases first-half earnings at 7 a.m.
* Fortress Income Fund Ltd. (FFA SJ): The South African
capital fund may release results for the six months through
June.
* Hospitality Property Fund Ltd. (HPA SJ): The investor in
hotels and resorts is expected to give first-half results.
* Morvest Business Group Ltd. (MOR SJ): The computer-services
company is expected to release results for the year through May.

To contact the reporter on this story: Gordon Bell in Johannesburg at gbell16@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Vernon Wessels at vwessels@bloomberg.net