BN Daybreak Tues 6 Jan 2026: Latest on Venezuela Crisis; panicking autocrats; oil stocks, Rand stronger

In today’s episode: The Venezuela Crisis: The latest from Bloomberg, historian Niall Ferguson argues Trump’s intervention was telegraphed months ago, while the FT provides critical context on the situation.Global Markets: Bitcoin hits $93,800, Gold holds near $4,500, and US oil stocks react strongly.Local Movers: The Rand strengthens to R16.32. On the JSE, Lewis hits a new high while Arcelor Mittal drops to a trough.Tech Watch: Updates on Nvidia and the overnight action on Wall Street..Sign up for your early morning brew of the BizNews Insider to keep you up to speed with the content that matters. The newsletter will land in your inbox at 5:30am weekdays. Register here.Support South Africa’s bastion of independent journalism, offering balanced insights on investments, business, and the political economy, by joining BizNews Premium. Register here.If you prefer WhatsApp for updates, sign up to the BizNews channel here..Watch here.Listen here.Edited transcript of today's BizNews Daybreak:.Good morning. 2026 is here and we are back in rhythm while the markets are moving. This is BizNews Daybreak for Tuesday, the 6th of January 2026, from the BizNews studios. I’m Alec Hogg, and here is the context you need to win the day.Market updateThe Rand’s strength continued overnight. Yesterday morning, we were trading at 16.50, having edged slightly weaker following news of the capture of Maduro by US forces. That weakness did not last long; the Rand is at 16.32 as we start the day.Bitcoin has also performed well amidst a "risk-on" sentiment, trading at $93,800, up from $85,000 just a week ago. Gold is also strong, sitting just below $4,500. Overnight on Wall Street, the US stock market was firm, with major indices up by two-thirds of a per cent.The Maduro crisis and Venezuela’s oilThe Maduro story continues to dominate global headlines. Senior members of President Trump’s national security team briefed select members of Congress on the situation. House Speaker Mike Johnson noted that under the War Powers Act, there was no requirement for prior congressional approval or notification, as the intelligence was highly sensitive.President Trump has suggested the US may subsidise efforts by US energy companies to rebuild Venezuela’s oil industry, a project he claims could be operational in less than 18 months. US Energy Secretary Chris Wright is scheduled to meet with oil industry executives—including representatives from Chevron and ConocoPhillips—in Miami this week to discuss these plans.Experts suggest Venezuela could potentially quintuple its oil production, though political stability remains a major concern. Oil companies are seeking a stable government and the rule of law before making major commitments. Currently, Nicolas Maduro is being held at the Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn after pleading not guilty to narco-terrorism charges in a New York court.Global repercussions and NATOIn Europe, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned that any US attack on Greenland would mean the end of the NATO alliance. This follows suggestions that Donald Trump is serious about his desire to acquire the territory. The principle of collective defence—where an attack on one member is an attack on all—is the foundation of the alliance currently under strain.Historian Niall Ferguson noted that this intervention was telegraphed in recent national security documents through the "Trump Corollary," a throwback to an era where the US asserted the right to intervene in Latin American governments. However, he warned that the situation is delicate, and a botched transition could lead to a "nightmare scenario" of civil war, similar to the aftermath of the Iraq intervention.Corporate and Tech newsOil Stocks: Exxon and Chevron were among the biggest gainers on the S&P 500 following Trump's pledge to revive the Venezuelan energy sector. Coinbase: Shares rose after an upgrade to "Buy" from Goldman Sachs, citing potential in tokenisation and prediction markets. Nvidia: At the CES tech conference in Las Vegas, CEO Jensen Huang announced "Alpha Myo," the world’s first "thinking and reasoning" autonomous vehicle AI. He also noted that the new "Rubin" accelerator chips are nearing release..South African market highlightsLocally, the JSE remains quiet as many are still in holiday mode.Lewis Group: A portfolio favourite, it rose 2.5% yesterday to a new high of R94. ArcelorMittal: The share price dropped 8.5% to a trough of R1.17. This decline casts further doubt on the rescue of the Newcastle long steel plant, as potential buyers like the IDC appear to have withdrawn from negotiations.

BN Daybreak Tues 6 Jan 2026: Latest on Venezuela Crisis; panicking autocrats; oil stocks, Rand stronger

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