The Editorial Team |

Kenyan Credit Growth Accelerates for First Time in Two Years

NAIROBI (Capital Markets in Africa) – Lending to Kenya’s private sector accelerated in August for the first time in two years, after growing at the weakest pace since 2002 the month before as banks continued to shun borrowers because of a government-imposed interest-rate cap. Credit grew 1.6 percent in August from a year earlier, compared with 1.4 percent in July, the Central Bank of Kenya said in an emailed statement. The bank kept its benchmark interest rate…

Helios Towers Africa Considering London Stock Exchange Listing

Posted on by The Editorial Team

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – Africa’s Helios Towers, the independent telecoms tower infrastructure company and its shareholders are exploring strategic options for the business to drive its long-term growth. This may include the possibility of listing on the London Stock Exchange. At this stage, no decision has been made with all options remaining open to the company. Kash Pandya, CEO, commented: “This is an exciting time for Helios Towers as we continue to execute…

Tanzanian Leader’s War for Taxes Puts Economy in Firing Line

Posted on by The Editorial Team

DAR ES SALAAM (Capital Markets in Africa) – Tanzanian President John Magufuli’s deepening dispute with companies he accuses of being tax cheats is rattling investors and dimming the allure of one of Africa’s fastest-growing economies. Since taking office in late 2015, Magufuli has been on a drive to increase revenue from natural resources to help fund his industrialization plans. His administration has passed laws enabling it to renegotiate contracts and ordered foreign mining firms to…

UBS Wealth Has Good Things to Say About EM, Not South Africa

Posted on by The Editorial Team

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – There’s one emerging market country that Michael Bolliger can’t get bullish about at the moment: South Africa. President Jacob Zuma is fighting to stay out of court before the African National Congress votes for a new leader in December. He’s pushing for his ex-wife to succeed him, but most analysts in a Bloomberg survey think the nation’s Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa probably will. It’s more noise for a market that has already paid a price…

Death Threats, Split Authority Said to Endanger Kenyan Vote

Posted on by The Editorial Team

NAIROBI (Capital Markets in Africa) – Death threats to top members of Kenya’s divided electoral body are endangering preparations for a rerun of last month’s annulled presidential election, a senior official at the authority said. The relatives of one administrator at the Independent Electoral & Boundaries Commission fled the country after their lives were threatened, while Chairman Wafula Chebukati made additional security arrangements for his family, said the official, who asked not to be identified…

KPMG Slammed by South Africa’s Pravin Gordhan on Tax Report

Posted on by The Editorial Team

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – Pravin Gordhan, who was ousted from his post as South Africa’s finance minister in March, slammed KPMG LLP after it withdrew the findings of a report on the country’s tax agency that was used as evidence in a police probe against him and led to the removal of senior staff. The auditing firm said on Friday that its conclusions and recommendations in a report for the South African Revenue Service about a unit that allegedly…

Bitcoin’s Biggest Challenge? Too Many Americans Think It’s Illegal to Own

Posted on by The Editorial Team

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – About 11% of respondents in a recent survey said owning bitcoin was breaking the law and close to half weren’t sure if it’s legal or not. Although 78.6% of Americans have heard of bitcoin, close to 11% think the cryptocurrency is illegal and 48% aren’t sure of its legality, according to new data from a LendEDU survey of 1,000 people. Bitcoin is, in fact, completely legal to own. But…

« 1 … 640 641 642 643 644 … 1,073 »