EM risk rears head as SA suffers political upheaval

South Africa was thrown into financial uncertainty this week as its finance minister, Pravin Gordhan, became embroiled in a corruption probe by the country’s elite police unit, the Hawks. Volatility hit local currency bonds, which remain some 50bp wider, but the country’s sovereign curve is already recovering and in equities and loans it is business as usual. But some say this underplays the risk of investing in South African assets.