The Editorial Team

IMF Approves $2.3 Billion Three-Year Funding Plan for Kenya

NAIROBI (Capital Markets in Africa) — The International Monetary Fund approved a $2.34 billion financing package for Kenya to support the country’s Covid-19 response and address an urgent need to reduce debt vulnerabilities. Approval of the so-called Extended Credit Facility and Extended Fund Facility will enable immediate disbursement of about $307.5 million for budget support in the East African nation, the Washington-based lender said Saturday in an emailed statement. “Kenya was hit hard at the onset…

South African Business Group Urges Economic Reforms as Mood Dips

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JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) — South Africa should prioritize economic growth-enhancing reforms to enlarge its tax base, create jobs in the private sector that reduce the reliance on social welfare and ease the strain on public finances, a local commerce group said. A business confidence index compiled by the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry fell to 94 in March from 94.3 the previous month, according to an emailed statement Wednesday. While the…

The Role of Cryptocurrencies in Investor Portfolios

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LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – Cryptocurrencies have attracted widespread interest among private investors and even some hedge funds as a vehicle for speculation. However, institutional investors such as endowment funds, pension funds, and sovereign wealth funds have allocated only small amounts to cryptocurrencies. Their reluctance to invest meaningfully in cryptocurrencies can be traced to a variety of concerns. Cryptocurrencies have displayed significant volatility, they are not backed by a sovereign entity, and their value…

Commodity Outlook: Oil prices to average $64 p/b in 2021

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ICE Brent crude oil front-month prices averaged $65.7 per barrel (p/b) in March 2021, constituting an increase of 5.5% from $62.3 p/b in February 2021 and a rise of 95% from $33.7 p/b in March 2020. The recovery in oil prices was mainly due to improving demand prospects amid the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine world-wide, as well as to supply discipline from the recurrent OPEC and non-OPEC output cuts, and to lower oil production…

Africa: Real GDP to grow by 3.4% in 2021, outlook subject to elevated uncertainties

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LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) projected Africa’s real GDP to grow by 3.4% in 2021, after contracting by 2.1% in2020 due to the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. It attributed the region’s economic recovery to the easing of pandemic related restrictions, the anticipated resumption of tourism activity, and the increase in commodity prices. It noted that the economic impact of the pandemic varies across economic groupings and sub-regions,…

Outlook April Cryptos – Bitcoin Taking the Gold

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LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa): The adage that money flows to where it’s treated best describes what we see as firming underpinnings for the price of Bitcoin. It’s not necessarily bearish for gold, which is backing into layers of support below $1,700 an ounce, but most indicators show a shifting global tide that favors the nascent digital currency as a reserve asset. 1. Digital vs. Analog: Bitcoin’s Upper Hand Bitcoin’s relationship to gold is similar…

Biden Tax Plan Seen Hitting Tech, Pharmaceutical Companies

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LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) — The tax plan President Joe Biden laid out last week will likely hit technology and pharmaceutical companies particularly hard, although the challenge for legislators will be to minimize loopholes that could diminish the impact, tax experts said. Much of the most valuable assets at pharmaceutical and tech companies is intellectual property, like patents and algorithms — intangibles that make it easier for them to structure global operations in a…

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