Politics Trumps Oil Recovery: A Guide to Mideast Markets in 2018

Politics Trumps Oil Recovery: A Guide to Mideast Markets in 2018

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – For as long as Gulf economies rely on oil, crude will be a factor in determining how investors trade regional markets. But right now, politics is king. In the past 12 months, tension between Saudi Arabia and Iran escalated, ties between Qatar and its neighbours were severed, rebels in Yemen fired rockets over Riyadh and Saudi Arabia started a crackdown on corruption that led to the arrest of high-profile…

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Moody’s: Challenging operating conditions keeps 2018 outlook for African banks negative

Moody’s: Challenging operating conditions keeps 2018 outlook for African banks negative

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) — Moody’s Investors Service says its negative outlook for the African banking system in 2018 reflects high macroeconomic risks that expose banks to asset quality pressures, reduced government support and sovereign credit risk. Moody’s report, “Banks — Africa, 2018 Outlook”, is available on www.moodys.com. Moody’s subscribers can access this report via the link provided at the end of this press release. This report does not constitute a rating action. “Although…

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Egypt’s Ibnsina Pharma Plans Expansion After $90 Million IPO

Egypt’s Ibnsina Pharma Plans Expansion After $90 Million IPO

  CAIRO (Capital Markets in Africa) – Ibnsina Pharma, Egypt’s second-biggest pharmaceuticals distributor, plans to invest 700 million Egyptian pounds ($39 million) over the next five years to expand its storage hubs using the proceeds from its ongoinginitial public offering. The company, which is offering 40 percent of its shares in the local market for about $90 million, plans to add 20 new distribution centers over the next five years to boost growth, co-Chief Executive Officer Omar…

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Egypt Lifts Remaining Currency Restrictions as Crunch Abates

Egypt Lifts Remaining Currency Restrictions as Crunch Abates

CAIRO (Capital Markets in Africa) – Egypt’s central bank lifted its last remaining official foreign-currency controls, as a dollar shortage that stymied the economy receded since authorities floated the pound and introduced wide-ranging reforms. The regulator removed limits imposed in 2015 for deposits and withdrawals by importers of non-essential goods, the bank said in a statement Tuesday. Deposits had been restricted to $10,000 per day and $50,000 monthly, while withdrawals were capped at $30,000. Caps…

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Israel, Egypt Ministers Said to Discuss Potential Gas Exports

Israel, Egypt Ministers Said to Discuss Potential Gas Exports

  CAIRO (Capital Markets in Africa) – Ministers from Egypt and Israel held a call last week to discuss the potential sale of Israeli gas to Egypt, according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter. Egyptian Oil Minister Tarek El-Molla and Israel’s energy minister, Yuval Steinitz, spoke after an interview El-Molla gave to Bloomberg earlier this month sent shares of Israeli gas companies tumbling on speculation Egypt would halt talks on buying gas from Israel, the person said. El-Molla…

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Egypt Signs Expanded $3.2 Billion Financing Deal With Lenders

Egypt Signs Expanded $3.2 Billion Financing Deal With Lenders

CAIRO (Capital Markets in Africa) – Egypt signed an expanded $3.2 billion financing deal with foreign banks, the central bank governor said, as it continues to bolster foreign reserves and prepare for about $14 billion of foreign debt repayments in 2018. The repurchase transaction, signed in November 2016 for one year, was increased from $2 billion, Tarek Amer said on Monday in an interview, without saying whether the duration of the deal has changed. Under the arrangement,…

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IMF Reaches Initial Agreement With Egypt for $2 Billion Tranche

IMF Reaches Initial Agreement With Egypt for $2 Billion Tranche

CAIRO (Capital Markets in Africa) – The International Monetary Fund reached a staff-level agreement with Egypt to unlock a $2 billion loan installment, and said economic reforms in the Arab world’s most populous nation are starting to pay off. Egypt and the Washington-based lender signed a 3-year, $12 billion agreement a year ago, of which $4 billion has already been disbursed. The next $2 billion installment is subject to approval from the IMF’s executive board, and Egyptian authorities…

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