South African IT spending will grow 19.8% in 2026 to US$28.1-billion, more than five percentage points faster than the global figure, according to figures Gartner provided to TechCentral. The research firm does not publish a South African breakdown with its quarterly global releases. It supplied the local cut on request, following its worldwide forecast on…
The world’s most valuable chip stocks have seen more than $1 trillion wiped from their market caps this week as investor jitters swept through the sector. The selloff was led by Nvidia, which saw a $238 billion rout since market close on Friday. SK Hynix, Samsung Electronics and Micron — all key players in the…
Rennie Naidoo, Professor of Information Systems at the Wits School of Business Sciences. For the past two years, the conversation around AI has focused largely on software. We debate models, benchmarks, agents and the race between technology companies. The story is usually told as one of innovation. But another story is unfolding beneath the headlines….
Djima Antaley delivers a package for Afrety in Dakar, Senegal. Ricci Shryock/Reuters No bank card? No address? No problem. Shoppers in Africa increasingly are buying online from big brands such as Amazon or Walmart even though they have no physical presence on much of the continent. Among those benefiting from the shift are local and…
PARIS, FRANCE – JUNE 24: Pedestrians use umbrellas to shield from the sun as record-breaking high temperatures continue in Paris on June 24, 2026 in Paris, France. Li Yang | China News Service | Getty Images Europe wants to narrow its record trade deficit with China by October, but the bloc’s worst-ever heat wave is…
An AI boom has driven stock markets to record highs and big tech firms are piling hundreds of billions of dollars into new tech, while consumers, workers and businesses are grappling with existential questions unleashed by the likes of ChatGPT and Claude. Some analysts say artificial intelligence will boost productivity and make businesses more profitable….
Travel bans, visa denials, safety fears, and record-high ticket prices are suppressing World Cup attendance–and threatening both FIFA’s promised $40 billion windfall and a U.S. tourism industry that was already struggling before the opening whistle. Ahead of kickoff, the 2026 men’s World Cup is beset with a slew of travel restrictions affecting entry to the…
A customer shops for gold jewelry at a gold store in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China, on June 3, 2026. Costfoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images China’s wholesale prices rose at the fastest pace in nearly four years in May, driven by surging raw material costs due to the Iran war and an artificial intelligence investment…
SHENZHEN, CHINA – MAY 1: The Chinese national flag is seen in front of stacked shipping containers bearing MSC (Mediterranean Shipping Company), Maersk, and Hamburg Süd branding at Yantian Port on May 1, 2026, in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China. Cheng Xin | Getty Images News | Getty Images China’s trade growth held up better than…
Every South African bank that has launched a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) – Capitec, FNB, Standard Bank, Nedbank and soon Absa – has built its mobile business on phone numbers it does not control. The international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) embedded in every Sim card belongs to the host network. The phone number –…
