Moody’s: Egypt’s IMF program to support fiscal and external position, reform pace may slip

Moody’s: Egypt’s IMF program to support fiscal and external position, reform pace may slip

CAIRO (Capital Markets in Africa) – While Egypt’s IMF program will support gradual improvements to the country’s fiscal and external position, its social and economic costs risk slowing the pace of fiscal reform momentum, Moody’s Investors Service said in a report today. The report, “Government of Egypt – IMF Program Supports Gradual Fiscal, External Improvements”, is now available on www.moodys.com. Moody’s subscribers can access this report via the link at the end of this press…

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Uganda Current-Account Gap to Widen on Projects, World Bank Says

Uganda Current-Account Gap to Widen on Projects, World Bank Says

KAMPALA (Capital Markets in Africa)- Uganda’s current-account gap could widen to between 8 percent and 10 percent of national output annually over the next two years as imports for infrastructure and oil-related projects grow, the World Bank said. The shortfall on the current account, the broadest measure of trade in goods and services, in the East African nation on the cusp of becoming an oil producer came in at 5.9 percent of gross domestic product…

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Kenya GDP Growth May Plummet to 1 Percent by 2019, Investec Says

Kenya GDP Growth May Plummet to 1 Percent by 2019, Investec Says

NAIROBI (Capital Markets in Africa) – Kenya’s economic growth could slow to as little as 1 percent over the next two years as credit extension in East Africa’s biggest economy weakens, Investec Prime Services estimates. Banks reporting higher levels of souring debt and decelerating money-supply growth suggest gross domestic product expansion will plummet, according toChris Becker, frontier strategist at the Johannesburg-based brokerage. Growth was an estimated 6 percent in 2016. Investec sees growth of between…

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Which Path Africa’s Inflation Rate is Taking in January?

Which Path Africa’s Inflation Rate is Taking in January?

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – Angola’s inflation slowed to 40.39% year-on-year in January from 41.95% in December, data from the national statistics agency showed. Prices increases on a month-on-month basis rose 2.29% in January compared to 2.17% previously.  Botswana’s consumer inflation inched up to 3.1% year-on-year in January from 3.0% in December, data from the statistics office showed. Prices rose 0.4% month-on-month compared to 0.1% previously.  Burundi’s year-on-year inflation jumped to 12.9% in January…

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Ivory Coast to Review 2017 Budget Amid Slump in Cocoa Prices

Ivory Coast to Review 2017 Budget Amid Slump in Cocoa Prices

ABIDJAN (Capital Markets in Africa) – Ivory Coast, the world’s biggest cocoa producer, will revise its budget for 2017 after prices for the beans dropped by a third since the middle of last year, according to a government official. While the slump in cocoa prices weighs on income, the West African nation also has to provide for new expenditures, government spokesman Bruno Kone said by phone. Ivory Coast’s “resources are largely sufficient to face these expenses…

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Nigeria’s economy shrinks by 1.51% in 2016 for first time in 25 years

Nigeria’s economy shrinks by 1.51% in 2016 for first time in 25 years

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – Nigeria’s economy contracted 1.5 percent in 2016 due to lower oil revenues and a shortage of hard currency, the National Bureau of Statistics said on Tuesday, its first annual contraction in quarter of a century. Africa’s largest economy slid into recession in the second quarter of 2016 as a slump in crude prices hammered the OPEC member’s public finances and battered the naira currency. Crude sales make up two-thirds…

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Moody’s changes outlook on Morocco’s Ba1 rating to positive from stable

Moody’s changes outlook on Morocco’s Ba1 rating to positive from stable

RABAT (Capital Markets in Africa) – Moody’s Investors Service has today changed the outlook on the Government of Morocco’s rating to positive from stable and affirmed the issuer and senior unsecured ratings at Ba1. The key drivers of today’s rating action are: (1) Improving external position reflected in the build-up of foreign exchange reserves in the wake of dynamic new export industries and lower nominal oil imports; (2) Declining fiscal imbalances, reflecting gradual but steady…

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