Och-Ziff Plea Halts Rise of Hedge-Fund Billionaire’s Protege

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – At the turn of the century, hedge-fund billionaire Daniel Ochsent protege Michael Cohen, still in his twenties, to spearhead Och-Ziff’s expansion into Europe. Cohen’s team bet so successfully on equities and corporate deals that less than a decade later he was able to buy a 900-acre estate in the English countryside. A relentless investor with little patience for small talk, he was always looking for his next score, say people who know him. That led…

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Rand Trims World’s Biggest Currency Gain as Risk Aversion Grows

Rand Trims World’s Biggest Currency Gain as Risk Aversion Grows

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – The rand fell as much as 1.2 percent to head for its biggest weekly retreat this month as increased risk aversion among global investors and a possible reweighting of South Africa in a JPMorgan bond index sparked concern foreigners may sell the country’s debt. At 10:21 a.m. in Johannesburg, the rand dropped 0.4 percent to 13.9520 per dollar, trimming its quarterly and monthly gain to 5.2 percent. The government’s 10-year rand-denominated bond weakened…

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KCB in Talks With Facebook, Apple on Kenya Digital Payments

KCB in Talks With Facebook, Apple on Kenya Digital Payments

NAIROBI (Capital Markets in Africa) – KCB Group Ltd., Kenya’s biggest bank by assets, is in talks with companies including Facebook Inc., Apple Inc. and Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. about collaborating on digital payments through its new financial-technology unit, Chief Executive Officer Joshua Oigara said. The discussions, which are also being held with Alphabet Inc. and Tencent Holdings Ltd., form part of the lender’s efforts to double the number of customers on its mobile-phone platform to 20…

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Oil Trade Gives Clearest Sign Yet Nigeria’s Forcados to Return

Oil Trade Gives Clearest Sign Yet Nigeria’s Forcados to Return

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – The oil market gave the clearest sign yet that Nigeria’s Forcados crude is about to flow again for the first time in eight months, after Royal Dutch Shell Plc was among companies said to have purchased the grade halted by militant attacks in February. Axion Energy Argentina SA, Pampa Energia SA, and Shell, operator of the Forcados export terminal, together bought about 1 million barrels of the grade for delivery to refineries…

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Sun of Mauritius Expects to Return to Profitability in 2017

Sun of Mauritius Expects to Return to Profitability in 2017

PORT LOUIS (Capital Markets in Africa) – Sun Ltd, Mauritius’ third-biggest hotel group by market value, expects to swing back into the black in 2017 after posting a 567 million-rupee ($16 million) loss in the year through June, Chief Executive David Anderson said. The loss followed higher finance costs related to acquisitions and renovation work, Anderson told analysts near the capital, Port Louis, on Thursday. Sun’s net debt increased by 2.35 billion rupees to 9.8 billion…

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Early Signs of OPEC Supply After Algiers Deal Show Saudi Dilemma

Early Signs of OPEC Supply After Algiers Deal Show Saudi Dilemma

ALGIERS (Capital Markets in Africa) – Just days after OPEC agreed the framework for its first production cut in eight years, initial estimates of the group’s output this month show the potential bind faced by its most powerful member. While Saudi Arabia lowered output this month — following the typical seasonal shift as local consumption sags at the end of summer — the group’s overall output remained steady as Nigeria and Libya restored disrupted supplies and Iran continued its…

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Tullow Oil Confirms Insurance for Jubilee Field Output Losses

Tullow Oil Confirms Insurance for Jubilee Field Output Losses

ACCRA (Capital Markets in Africa) – Tullow Oil Plc confirmed that insurance would cover losses associated with a technical issue that disrupted output at its flagship asset in Ghana. The Africa-focused oil explorer and producer received confirmation from its lead insurers that they accept there is a recoverable claim, according to a statement Friday. The London-based company did not disclose the scale of losses caused when production was halted at the Jubilee field from March 20…

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