Absa Enters Aviation Finance to Challenge Investec, Nedbank

Absa Enters Aviation Finance to Challenge Investec, Nedbank

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – Absa Group Ltd. poached a team of bankers from cross-town rival Nedbank Group Ltd. to begin financing aircraft deals in Africa. South Africa’s third-largest bank late last year hired Morne Visagie, who spent 13 years at Nedbank, to head its structured finance and aircraft funding businesses, said David Renwick, head of global finance and trade at Absa’s corporate and investment bank. He brought three other members of his team with him….

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Zimbabwe Lesson for Venezuela: Fixing Broken States Is Hard

Zimbabwe Lesson for Venezuela: Fixing Broken States Is Hard

HARARE (Capital Markets in Africa) – Simukai Tabvura knew nothing other than Robert Mugabe’s strongman rule in Zimbabwe until his ousting little more than a year ago. The promise of change that accompanied the end of Mugabe’s near-four-decade reign has long since withered for the used clothes seller. “It’s like a year of being able to speak freely never happened,” said Tabvura, 41, sitting on a home-made wooden stool at her second-hand stall on a broken…

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May on Collision Course With Pro-Brexit Tories Over Irish Border

May on Collision Course With Pro-Brexit Tories Over Irish Border

LONDON (Capital Markets in Africa) – British Prime Minister Theresa May risked enraging members of her Conservative Party by insisting she wants to keep the most contentious part of her Brexit plan for avoiding a hard border with Ireland. The premier said she will not push people to accept a divorce deal with the European Union that does not include the so-called backstop guarantee for keeping the Irish border open for goods trade. May’s comments were aimed…

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New ZAR X app to drive market inclusion, broaden investor pool

New ZAR X app to drive market inclusion, broaden investor pool

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – ZAR X today took a major step toward broadening financial inclusion in the country following the official launch of its new mobile app. The ZAR X Mobi app makes it simple and easy for anyone to access the stock market in real-time via a smartphone or any Internet-enabled device to trade in the shares of companies listed on ZAR X exchange. “This web-based app will break down the barriers…

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Brexit or Not, Britain’s Real Economic Threat Is Here to Stay

Brexit or Not, Britain’s Real Economic Threat Is Here to Stay

LONDON (Capital Markets in Africa) – In the relentless political drama of Brexit, the closure of a small ball-bearing factory 95 miles (152 kilometers) west of London barely registered outside the local community. The loss of the Stonehouse plant will cost 185 jobs, hardly the thousands some companies say are under threat because of the upheaval from leaving the European Union. Nor did the December announcement come with the kind of political noise surrounding Japanese carmaker Nissan…

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Brexit Yields Rare Accord as Officials Aim to Avert Market Chaos

Brexit Yields Rare Accord as Officials Aim to Avert Market Chaos

LONDON (Capital Markets in Africa) – With the U.K. deadlocked over Brexit, financial regulators scored a rare accord aimed at preventing chaos in markets should Britain leave the European Union without a deal. Authorities in the U.K. and the EU redoubled efforts in recent days to ensure trillions of euros in transactions can continue unimpeded. The Bank of England reached an agreement with the European Securities and Markets Authority that will enable derivatives to be…

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UBS Bets This Time Is Different; Shorts Rand Versus Lira

UBS Bets This Time Is Different; Shorts Rand Versus Lira

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – Shorting the rand against the lira is a popular trade that doesn’t always pay off. But this time is different, a technical signal suggests. UBS Group AG on Wednesday recommended the trade, which Wall Street heavyweights including Bank of America Corp. and JPMorgan Chase & Co. have tried in the past without success. The rand has been the best performing currency in the world this year with a 7 percent gain against…

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