Banking | - Part 83

Global Central Banks Can’t Ignore the Bitcoin Boom, BIS Says

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – The world’s central banks can’t ignore the growth in cryptocurrencies and may at some point have to consider whether it makes sense for them to issue their own digital currencies, according to the Bank for International Settlements. “Whether or not a central bank should provide a digital alternative to cash is most pressing in countries, such as Sweden, where cash usage is rapidly declining,” the BIS said in its quarterly review….

Kenyan Politics Limbo Hinders Central Bank on Currency Risk

Posted on by The Editorial Team

NAIROBI (Capital Markets in Africa) – On Monday, Kenya’s central bank may have little choice but to do what the rest of the country is stuck with: waiting for a rerun of its presidential election. With political limbo reigning since the Supreme Court’s annulment of the previous attempt at a national vote on Aug. 8, officials are left contemplating the effects of prolonged uncertainty on an economy that also faces slowing growth and persistent inflation….

South Africa Central Bank Says Graft Ombudsman Met Zuma Lawyers

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JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – The country’s graft ombudsman used a probe into an apartheid-era bailout of a lender to attack the South African Reserve Bank and didn’t disclose a meeting with lawyers in President Jacob Zuma’s office to discuss the investigation before its findings were released, the central bank said. Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane instructed lawmakers in a June 19 report to amend the constitution to make the bank focus on the “socioeconomic well-being of the citizens”…

Standard Bank Group Names Tshabalala First Sole Black CEO

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JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – Standard Bank Group Limited appointed Sim Tshabalala as sole chief executive officer, ending a dual role he shared with Ben Kruger, and making him the first black person to lead Africa’s largest lender independently. Kruger, 58, will step down as joint-CEO immediately and continue as an executive director, reporting to Tshabalala, 49, Johannesburg-based Standard Bank said in a statement on Tuesday. The joint leadership structure was necessary as part of the company’s management succession…

Ghana Is Said to Triple Minimum Capital Requirements for Banks

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ACCRA (Capital Markets in Africa) – The Bank of Ghana more than trebled minimum capital requirements for lenders as part of reforms aimed at strengthening the industry, according to people familiar with the matter. Banks will need to set aside at least 400 million cedis ($91 million) in capital compared with 120 million cedis previously to meet their license obligations, the people said, asking not to be identified because an official announcement hasn’t yet been made. Lenders…

Moody’s takes rating actions on five Tunisian banks

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TUNIS (Capital Markets in Africa) – Moody’s Investors Service (“Moody’s”) has today downgraded to B1 from Ba3 the long-term local currency deposit ratings of Arab Tunisian Bank (ATB), Banque Internationale Arabe de Tunisie (BIAT) and Banque de Tunisie (BdT) while also downgrading the long-term local currency deposit ratings of Amen Bank (Amen) and Société Tunisienne de Banque (STB) to B2 from B1. Moody’s also changed the outlook on the long-term deposit ratings of ATB to…

Standard Bank’s First-Half Profit Rises 14% as Impairments Drop

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JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – Standard Bank Group Ltd., Africa’s largest lender by assets, said first-half profit rose 14 percent after impairments dropped and costs were contained. Net income climbed to 12.3 billion rand ($937 million) from 10.8 billion rand a year earlier, the Johannesburg-based lender said in a statement on Thursday. Earnings per share excluding one-time items, known locally as headline earnings, advanced 11 percent to 7.56 rand beating the 7.44 rand median estimate of…

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