Angola Raises Rates to a Record as IMF Loan Talks Called Off in June

Angola Raises Rates to a Record as IMF Loan Talks Called Off in June

Luanda, Angola, Capital Markets in Africa: Angola’s central bank raised its benchmark interest rate to a record 16 percent, the third increase this year, as the International Monetary Fund said the southern African nation called off loan talks to help steady the oil-producing nation’s economy. The Banco Nacional de Angola increased the key lending rate from 14 percent after a meeting of its Monetary Policy Committee in the capital, Luanda, on Thursday. The bank has increased the rate by five percentage…

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Investment | AFC fuels expansion at New Age with new investment

Investment | AFC fuels expansion at New Age with new investment

LAGOS, Nigeria, Capital Markets in Africa: Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) has announced that it is acting as lead arranger for an up to US$425mn senior mezzanine facility for New Age (African Global Energy) Limited (New Age), a privately held oil and gas exploration, development, and production company with assets primarily across Africa, to enable the company to further develop its existing assets and expand operations. AFC is investing US$75mn in the deal. AFC and the…

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Ghana Cedi Falls Second Month as Growth Spurs Dollar Demand

Ghana Cedi Falls Second Month as Growth Spurs Dollar Demand

GHANA, Capital Markets in Africa: Ghana’s cedi is heading for a second straight month of losses against the dollar as acceleration in economic growth boosts demand for dollars to pay for imports. The currency of the world’s second-biggest cocoa producer weakened 3 percent in June after sliding 0.7 percent in May, the first instance of back-to-back monthly losses since November. The cedi fell 1 percent to 3.9550 per dollar by 11:55 a.m. on Thursday in…

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Kenya Will Begin Constructing Its Crude Oil Pipeline in 2018

Kenya Will Begin Constructing Its Crude Oil Pipeline in 2018

KENYA, Capital Markets in Africa: Kenya will start the construction of an 865-kilometer (538-mile) crude oil pipeline linking fields in its northern region to a new port being built along its Indian Ocean coastline within two years, a government official said. The government is evaluating bids for the pipeline’s design and will award a so-called front-end engineering design contract in October, Ministry of Energy and Petroleum Principal Secretary Andrew Kamau said. “Once we have the pipeline design, the engineering,…

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Mozambique’s Foreign Investment Slumps by 35% in First Quarter

Mozambique’s Foreign Investment Slumps by 35% in First Quarter

MOZAMBIQUE, Capital Markets in Africa: Foreign investment flows into Mozambique fell 35 percent in the first quarter, putting pressure on the nation’s balance of payments and exchange rate, Finance Minister Adriano Maleaine said. Investors brought in $650 million in the first three months compared with $1 billion a year ago, Maleiane told members of the ruling Mozambique Liberation Front, or Frelimo, on Wednesday in the capital, Maputo. “Foreign direct investment used to be an important source of…

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South Africa Ratings Cut Could Complicate Reserve Bank’s Task

South Africa Ratings Cut Could Complicate Reserve Bank’s Task

SOUTH AFRICA, Capital Markets in Africa: A cut in South Africa’s credit rating could complicate the Reserve Bank’s challenge of weak growth and accelerating inflation, according to Deputy Governor Francois Groepe. “A sovereign rating can have an impact on monetary policy because of how it influences the availability and cost of external financing, the yields on domestic debt and, in turn, the performance of the rand,” Groepe said in a speech posted on the central bank’s website…

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Emerging Markets Head for Best Month Since March on Stimulus Bet

Emerging Markets Head for Best Month Since March on Stimulus Bet

LAGOS, Nigeria, Capital Markets in Africa: Emerging markets rose for a third day, pushing stocks and currencies toward their biggest monthly gains since March, as central banks signaled readiness to quell turmoil after the U.K.’s vote to leave the European Union. Equities took back almost all the losses posted in the wake of Britain’s referendum as central bankers from Asia to Europe said they have tools to respond to the fallout. Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis President…

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