Features | - Part 247

Nigeria | Easing Cycle Over but Committee to Hold-Off on Tightening

LAGOS, Nigeria, Capital Markets in Africa —-The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) will be meeting next week (21st and 22nd March 2016) – for the 2nd time in the year – since its last meeting in January 2016 to review developments in the domestic and global fronts as well as take key policy decisions. This meeting is coming against the backdrop of renewed optimism in the global economy, albeit tepid; sustained sub-optimal domestic economic performance and…

Managing African Equity Portfolios in a Challenging Environment

Posted on by The Editorial Team

The Annus Horibilis In a year that felt like an annus horribilis for global investing and where most asset classes from commodities to bonds and equities declined, African equity markets were not spared the rout in 2015. Market returns in US dollars for 2015 Source: Bloomberg The MSCI Emerging and Frontier Markets Index for Africa excluding South Africa fell 22.1% in 2015, although the two largest and most liquid markets fared worse, with Nigeria and Egypt…

Mozambique: A Soft Landing in 2016 — Tiago Dionisio, Chief Economist

Posted on by The Editorial Team

Mozambique’s long-term economic outlook remains upbeat Economic activity in Mozambique slowed in 2015. The latest data released by the National Statistics Bureau (INE) showed that real GDP expanded at a more modest 5.9% YoY in 2Q15. This is well below the growth rates seen in the previous four quarters, which averaged 7.4%. The mining and construction sectors remained the main growth drivers of the economy, improving 17.9% and 13.1%, respectively, from the same period of 2014….

Excitement over “People Power” in Africa will not continue in 2016 — Control Risk

Posted on by The Editorial Team

NAIROBI, Kenya, Capital Markets in Africa — People power witnessed in 2014 and 2015, for example in changes of government in Burkina Faso and Nigeria, will be proved limited in 2016. A combination of elections, constitutional pressures and financial difficulties will test governments across the region, including in Chad, Uganda, Congo (Brazzaville), Angola and South Africa. Incumbents will however retain their hold on power. These are some of the key messages of RiskMap 2016, published…

Nigeria’s Monetary Policy Committe High Stakes, Tough Choices …

Posted on by The Editorial Team

LAGOS, Nigeria, Capital Markets in Africa — The Nigerian Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) will be sitting for its 6th and last session for the year from 23rd and 24th of November 2015. The meeting is coming against the backdrop of concerns surrounding FX rate amid calls for further devaluation of the local unit, slow GDP growth, unrelenting inflationary pressure, robust liquidity levels in the financial system as well as the increasing expectation for a FED rate…

Africa’s much-trumpeted growth is a reality but not a quality growth — Dr. Calos Lopes

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Kinshasa, DR Congo, Capital Markets in Africa — The most urgent challenge faced by Africa at the present time is how to eradicate poverty while promoting prosperity. While we seem to be doing well on the latter front, with average economic growth of 5 per cent over the past decade – well above the global average – the picture is much less encouraging with regard to the fight against poverty. Africa’s much-trumpeted growth is a…

Investment in Africa: Managing Currency Risk — Andrew Gillespie

Posted on by The Editorial Team

Volatility is not a new word for investors in Africa. Events of 2014 and this year across the continent highlight this – especially in the continent’s currency markets. Irrespective of the market, or country; be it via private equity, listed equity, fixed income, or underlying trade and capital flows – managing FX volatility and risk is a constant feature of the evaluation process. For most participants, it is often a frustrating, opaque and expensive exercise,…

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