JSE firmer, rand steady as investors digest US consumer inflation

The JSE was on track to reach a new record on Friday morning, firming along with its global peers, with the rand firmer in line with the emerging-market currencies as investors digest US consumer inflation data, which came in as expected.

The consumer price index (CPI), which measures the cost of a broad basket of goods and services, fell 0.1% for December, while core inflation — which eliminates volatile food and energy prices and is regarded as a better indicator of underlying price pressures — rose 0.3% in the month and 5.7% from a year ago, also in line with expectations…