The Editorial Team |

South Africa’s Credit-Rating Outlook Kept at Stable by Fitch

Johannesburg, South Africa, Capital Markets in Africa: Fitch Ratings Ltd. has maintained its outlook on South Africa’s credit rating at stable, giving the country more time to avoid having its debt assessment cut to junk, even as the economy contracted in the first quarter. South Africa’s foreign-currency rating was kept at BBB-, the lowest investment-grade level, Fitch said in a statement Wednesday. The assessment is better than that of S&P Global Ratings, which affirmed its BBB- level with a negative outlook on…

Mozambique Commits to Repay Debt Used in Public Interest

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MAPUTO, Mozambique, Capital Markets in Africa: Mozambique vowed to honour what it said were illegal debt contracts to state-owned companies even as it aims to only repay loans that have benefited the public interest. Yields on the nation’s Eurobonds fell for the first time in four days. Prime Minister Carlos do Rosario, acknowledging that it seemed “attractive” to default on some payments, told lawmakers on Wednesday that the “good image of the country among international creditors”…

Nigeria Officials Pledge Naira Announcement Within Weeks

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LAGOS, Nigeria, Capital Markets in Africa: Nigerian officials said they are still working out the details of a new currency policy and may make an announcement within the next month, according to bond investors who met with a delegation led by Finance Minister Kemi Adeosun in London on Tuesday. When asked how long before a more flexible foreign-exchange regime was unveiled, investors were told it would probably be “days or weeks,” said Kevin Daly, a money manager…

Zimbabwe’s Black Market, Where the Dollar Trades Against Itself

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HARARE, Zimbabwe, Capital Markets in Africa: In Zimbabwe — the country that once suffered 500 billion percent inflation — one dollar may now cost you as much as $1.07. A shortage of banknotes is resulting in a new black market more than seven years after Zimbabwe abolished its own money, the Zimbabwean dollar, and adopted the greenback and other foreign currencies to avoid exactly that sort of unofficial trading. The cash crunch has intensified in…

Hydra-Headed Violence Haunts Nigeria as Economy Weakens

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LAGOS, Nigeria, Capital Markets in Africa: Just as Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari appeared to be gaining the upper hand against the Boko Haram Islamist insurgency, more rebellions have exploded across Africa’s most populous nation while the government grapples with the worst economic crisis in decades. They range from renewed attacks in the southern oil-rich Niger River delta that have cut monthly oil shipments to the lowest in about three decades to attempts to revive the secessionist state…

Ghana in Talks to Consolidate $1.2 Billion Energy Utility Debt

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ACCRA, Ghana, Capital Markets in Africa: Ghana is in talks with domestic and foreign banks to consolidate its energy sector utilities’ $1.2 billion debts, Finance Minister Seth Terkper said. The state won’t be responsible for the debt, which will be accounted for by the energy companies, Terkper said in an interview in the capital, Accra. Ghana’s Chief Director at the Petroleum Ministry, Thomas Akabzaa, said Tuesday the country will sell $2 billion of bonds to clear $1.5 billion in debt…

Oil Climbs to 10-Month High as Falling U.S. Supplies Trim Glut

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LAGOS, Nigeria, Capital Markets in Africa: Oil advanced to the highest level in more than 10 months as weekly U.S. industry data showed crude stockpiles declined, reducing a glut. Futures rose 1.3 percent in New York after climbing 3.6 percent the previous two sessions to close above $50 a barrel Tuesday for the first time since July. Inventories fell by 3.57 million barrels last week, the American Petroleum Institute was said to report. Repair work on a…

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