Ghana’s Central Bank Holds Benchmark Rate as Inflation Burden Eases

Ghana’s Central Bank Holds Benchmark Rate as Inflation Burden Eases

ACCRA, Ghana, Capital Markets in Africa: Ghana’s central bank maintained its benchmark interest rate as the cedi stabilized and inflation eased. The monetary policy committee of the Bank of Ghana held the rate at 26 percent, Governor Abdul Nashiru Issahaku, who chaired the meeting for the first time, told reporters in Accra, the capital, on Monday. This was in line with the forecast of all eight economists in a survey compiled by Bloomberg.  Former governor Kofi Wampah didn’t…

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Algeria Signs Oil, Gas Deal as OPEC Member Boosts Sales

Algeria Signs Oil, Gas Deal as OPEC Member Boosts Sales

Algiers, Algeria, Capital Markets in Africa: Algeria will supply oil and other energy products to Jordan for the first time under a memorandum of understanding signed on Monday, as the OPEC member seeks to diversify sales after years of stagnating oil production. Algeria’s state-run Sonatrach Group will start liquefied natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas shipments to Jordan in September, followed by crude oil, Algerian Energy Minister Salah Khebri said in an interview in Amman. Sonatrach and National Electric Power…

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Ghana Interest Rates Seen Steady as Issahaku Holds First Meeting

Ghana Interest Rates Seen Steady as Issahaku Holds First Meeting

ACCRA, Ghana, Capital Markets in Africa: Ghana’s new central bank governor, Abdul Nashiru Issahaku, will probably keep policy unchanged at his debut interest-rate announcement after inflation started to slow and the cedi stabilized. Issahaku, 54, appointed last month after the early retirement of Kofi Wampahin March, will probably leave the benchmark rate at 26 percent when he announces the first Monetary Policy Committee decision under his leadership on May 16, according to the median of eight economist estimates compiled by Bloomberg….

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South Africa | SARB Serves Economy Best With Price Stability, Mminele Says

South Africa | SARB Serves Economy Best With Price Stability, Mminele Says

Johannesburg, South Africa, Capital Markets in Africa: The Reserve Bank can best serve the South African economy by ensuring price stability, even if higher interest rates affect growth over the short term, Deputy Governor Daniel Mminele said. “The long-term interests of the South African economy are served by focusing on that price stability mandate and avoiding any temptation to try and play a short run trade-off between inflation and growth,” Mminele said Friday in an interview at the World…

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Market Watch | Emerging Stocks Decline for Fourth

Market Watch | Emerging Stocks Decline for Fourth

LAGOS, Nigeria, Capital Markets in Africa: Emerging-market stocks were set to extend their longest losing streak since August and currencies retreated on concern the pace of global growth remains sluggish. Shares in China posted their worst run of weekly declines in two years on speculation the government will refrain from adding fresh stimulus, while Hungarian shares fell and the forint slid to the lowest level since March after the economy unexpectedly contracted. South Africa’s rand slid more than 1…

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Rwanda in Talks With IMF for Standby Facility as Imports Surge

Rwanda in Talks With IMF for Standby Facility as Imports Surge

Kigali, Rwanda, Capital Markets in Africa: Rwanda is in talks with the International Monetary Fund to arrange a standby facility of about $200 million to help offset the impact of declining export revenue and surging imports, Central Bank Governor John Rwangombwa said. The collapse in global commodity prices is expected to result in “negative growth” in revenue for Rwanda’s mineral shipments this year, Rwangombwa said in an interview Friday at the World Economic Forum on Africa in the…

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Zambia Will Only Take IMF Bailout If Terms Agreeable, Lungu Says

Zambia Will Only Take IMF Bailout If Terms Agreeable, Lungu Says

LUSAKA, Zambia, Capital Markets in Africa: Zambian President Edgar Lungu said Africa’s second-largest copper producer will only access International Monetary Fund support if the lender’s conditions are acceptable. “If we find that there are conditionalities which we find acceptable, we will work with them,” he told reporters Friday in Lusaka, the capital. “If not, we will throw them out.” The southern African nation had earlier said it was working to seal an “inevitable” aid program from the…

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