Malawi Sees at Least 5.5% Growth This Year; Plans Power Boost

Malawi Sees at Least 5.5% Growth This Year; Plans Power Boost

LILONGWE (Capital Markets in Africa) – Malawi’s economy will expand at least 5.5 percent this year as the country recovers from a drought that ravaged crops throughout southern Africa, President Peter Mutharika said. The country also plans to bolster its power-generating capacity in the next decade, using a $200 million World Bank loan to help to raise the generation to 2,500 megawatts from 350 megawatts now, he told lawmakers Friday in the capital, Lilongwe. Of the current installed…

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As Leadership Vote Looms, Four Scenarios for South Africa’s ANC

As Leadership Vote Looms, Four Scenarios for South Africa’s ANC

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – South Africa’s ruling African National Congress is due to elect a new leader next month and the race is proving to be one of the most hotly contested and divisive in the 105-year-old party’s history. The front-runners to succeed President Jacob Zuma are his deputy Cyril Ramaphosa and Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Zuma’s ex-wife and the former chairwoman of the African Union Commission, with ANC Treasurer-General Zweli Mkhize seen as a possible compromise candidate. While it remains guesswork who’ll…

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Mauritian Deputy Premier Soodhun Steps Down, Prime Minister Says

Mauritian Deputy Premier Soodhun Steps Down, Prime Minister Says

PORT LOUIS (Capital Markets in Africa) – Mauritian Vice Prime Minister Showkutally Soodhun has stepped down and police are still investigating inappropriate comments that he allegedly made, the Indian Ocean island nation’s leader said. “I met with Minister Soodhun this afternoon,” Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth told reporters in the capital, Port Louis, on Friday. “We reviewed the situation. We agreed that in the general interest he steps down as DPM and Minister of Housing and…

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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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Kenya’s ARM Is Said to Become Next Target in Africa Cement Wars

Kenya’s ARM Is Said to Become Next Target in Africa Cement Wars

NAIROBI (Capital Markets in Africa) – ARM Cement Ltd., the Kenyan building-materials supplier, is the newest takeover target in the battle among the world’s biggest cement makers to expand in Africa, according to people familiar with the matter. ARM’s owners are exploring a sale, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the talks are private. The Nairobi-based company is currently valued at about $133 million on the Nairobi stock exchange, though the…

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African Lender Mulls U.S. Bond Sale to Fund Trade Financing

African Lender Mulls U.S. Bond Sale to Fund Trade Financing

DAR ES SALAAM (Capital Markets in Africa) – Trade & Development Bank, a trade financier with operations in 21 African countries, will hold an investor roadshow in the U.S. next year to prepare for a possible Eurobond sale, Chief Executive Officer Admassu Tadesse said. TDB completed a promotional campaign in Gulf states last month, where it’s in the process of finalizing $200 million of funding, Tadesse said in an interview Thursday at his office in the…

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Want to Know What Investors See for the Rand? Follow This Stock

Want to Know What Investors See for the Rand? Follow This Stock

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – If you want to know what investors are thinking about prospects for South Africa’s rand as the ruling African National Congress’ leadership battle unfolds, look no further than Cie Financiere Richemont SA’s Johannesburg share price. The company has the highest correlation to movements in the rand among stocks in the FTSE/JSE Africa Top 40 Index of South Africa’s biggest listed companies, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The correlation this month rose…

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