Features

HARARE (Capital Markets in Africa) – Zimbabwe’s rulers are finding that two decades of economic mismanagement and brutal repression have led them into a trap from which there’s little chance of escape. If they implement the political and democratic reforms needed to win the financial support the economy needs from international donors, they’re likely to lose the next election. If they don’t, their people, propelled by the extreme hardship brought about by austerity measures imposed…

NEW YORK (Capital Markets in Africa) – President Donald Trump said he can cut taxes by indexing capital gains to inflation without congressional approval, a move the White House has been considering for months that would largely benefit the wealthy. “We’ve been talking about indexing for a long time,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Tuesday. “And many people like indexing and it could be done very simply. It could be done directly by me.”…

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – China touted common ground with U.S. allies Japan and South Korea as their top diplomats met in Beijing for their first such three-way talks since 2016. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the North Asian countries pledged Wednesday to work together to support free trade and maintain regional growth. They reaffirmed their commitment to creating a free-trade zone between them and complete negotiations by the end of the year on the…

LONDON (Capital Markets in Africa) – The European Union poured cold water on Boris Johnson’s attempt to renegotiate the Brexit deal, saying the so-called backstop to prevent a hard Irish border — which the British prime minister wants scrapped — was a vital part of the divorce agreement. It means that with just over two months to go until Johnson has said the U.K. will leave the bloc “do or die,” the two sides are completely deadlocked — with Britain…

LONDON (Capital Markets in Africa) – Dominic Cummings is hell-bent on pushing through a no-deal Brexit and ignoring parliament. His plan for what comes after is even more radical.  In the highly entertaining Channel 4 drama about the 2016 referendum campaign “Brexit: The Uncivil War,” Benedict Cumberbatch, playing the mastermind of the Vote Leave campaign, is sometimes found crouched in the narrow pantry where he retreats to think. It’s not hard to picture the real…

HARARE (Capital Markets in Africa) – Zambia, in the grips of the worst drought since 1981, isn’t facing a food shortage and won’t declare the situation a national emergency, a government official said. “That is begging,” Chanda Kasolo, the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services, said in comments broadcast on privately owned Hot FM radio. “We are a proud nation,” he added, referring to calls to declare a food emergency and allow donors…