Angolan Leader Dos Santos to Step Down After 38 Years in Power

Angolan Leader Dos Santos to Step Down After 38 Years in Power

LUANDA (Capital Markets in Africa) – Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos, in power since 1979, won’t stand as the ruling party’s top candidate in elections this year, ending an era that was burdened by civil war while he expanded oil output to rival Nigeria as Africa’s biggest producer. Defense Minister Joao Manuel Goncalves Lourenco will be the pick for the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola in the August vote, Dos Santos said at the…

Read More

Expect No Mercy After Default, Bondholder Tells Mozambique

Expect No Mercy After Default, Bondholder Tells Mozambique

MAPUTO (Capital Markets in Africa) – Mozambique became the first African nation to default since 2011 after failing to make an interest payment on a Eurobond before the grace period ended, according to a bondholder. The southern African nation did not pay a $60 million coupon on its $727 million of notes due in January 2023 by the close on Thursday, Lutz Roehmeyer, a fund manager at Landesbank Berlin Investment, said in an e-mailed response to questions. “The view on…

Read More

South Africa Central Bank Opposes Gupta Associate’s Bank Bid

South Africa Central Bank Opposes Gupta Associate’s Bank Bid

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – South Africa’s central bank has recommended rejecting a bid to buy Habib Overseas Bank’s local unit because of concerns about the source of the two businessmen’s income and tax declarations, according to government officials with knowledge of the matter. The Reserve Bank has written a letter to Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan recommending that the merger between the Habib Overseas Bank unit and a South African company be blocked, said the officials…

Read More

Bargain Hunting in Banking Stocks Drives Nigerian Equity Index Higher …NSE ASI up 13bps

Bargain Hunting in Banking Stocks Drives Nigerian Equity Index Higher …NSE ASI up 13bps

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – The Nigerian equities market bucked a 3-day downtrend as bargain hunting in banking stocks drove the index 13bps northwards to settle at 25,936.24 points. The performance was driven by gains in STANBIC(+2.9%), UBA (+2.9%), ZENITH (+1.4%) and GUARANTY (+0.6%). Accordingly, YTD loss eased slightly to -3.5%. Investors, in turn, gained N11.5bn as market capitalization settled at N9.0tn. However, activity level waned as volume and value traded decreased 50.3% and 12.0% to settle at 151.5m units and…

Read More

Been-Here-Before Feeling Saps Ghana Bonds Amid $1.6 Billion Hole

Been-Here-Before Feeling Saps Ghana Bonds Amid $1.6 Billion Hole

ACCRA (Capital Markets in Africa)- The West African nation’s ballooning budget gap has dismayed investors betting the combination of a new government and an International Monetary Fund program would bring the country’s finances under control. The discovery of a 7 billion-cedi ($1.6 billion) hole is reviving memories of 2015 when Ghana’s economy was in tatters amid a slowdown in commodity prices and excessive spending. “There were some hopes that finally, under the previous government, and with the IMF’s…

Read More

Banks Bashed in Battle Over South African Financial System

Banks Bashed in Battle Over South African Financial System

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – New allegations by President Jacob Zuma’s supporters that South Africa’s biggest banks are frustrating efforts to address racial inequality signal an escalation of a battle for control of the nation’s financial system including the Treasury. Protestors from the ruling African National Congress’s youth wing invaded aBarclays Africa Group Ltd. branch on Jan. 26. Then, on Monday, the ANC’s top leaders said the four biggest lenders can’t be allowed to continue dominating…

Read More

Nigeria Heads to London, U.S. for First Eurobond Since 2013

Nigeria Heads to London, U.S. for First Eurobond Since 2013

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – Nigeria will meet investors this week for its first Eurobond sale in more than three years as Africa’s most populous nation battles an economic contraction and the worst dollar squeeze in almost a decade. Beginning Friday, officials will hold roadshows in London and the U.S. before the proposed issue of 15-year bonds, the country’s longest-maturity dollar notes yet, according to a person familiar with the matter, who is not…

Read More
1 740 741 742 743 744 1,073