South Africa’s $14 Billion Question as Downgrade to Junk Looms

South Africa’s $14 Billion Question as Downgrade to Junk Looms

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – Wall Street and other global banks say it’s a question of when, not if, South Africa loses investment grade status on its local-currency ratings. The bigger question is how much damage that would cause. Bank of America Corp. estimates there may be $14 billion of outflows if rand debt is excluded from Citigroup Inc.’s World Government Bond Index, which requires non-junk ratings from Moody’s Investors Service and S&P Global Ratings. That…

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Moody’s says South Africa budget credit negative; central bank flags growth fears

Moody’s says South Africa budget credit negative; central bank flags growth fears

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – Ratings agency Moody’s said on Monday the budget statement presented by South African Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba last week was credit negative, while a central bank official raised concerns over economic growth. Gigaba shocked markets on Oct. 25 by flagging sharply weaker growth expectations, wider deficits and rising government debt. The comments by Moody‘s, which along with S&P Global is expected to review South Africa’s credit ratings next month,…

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Ryanair Pilots Step Up Pressure With Demand to Double Pay Rise

Ryanair Pilots Step Up Pressure With Demand to Double Pay Rise

LONDON (Capital Markets in Africa) – Ryanair Holdings Plc’s pilot uprising shows little signs of abating, with an ad-hoc group demanding that a wage increase turned down by London Stansted crews be doubled and extended across the budget airline’s European bases. The unofficial European Employee Representative Council made the proposal to pilots after cockpit crews at Ryanair’s biggest base rejected the existing offer, according to a document sent to pilots on Sunday and seen by Bloomberg….

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Anadarko May Not Decide on Mozambique Gas Until 2018, ENH Says

Anadarko May Not Decide on Mozambique Gas Until 2018, ENH Says

MAPUTO (Capital Markets in Africa) – Anadarko Petroleum Corporation isn’t likely to make a final investment decision on its $20 billion liquefied natural gas project in Mozambique before the end of next year, even as it races to get the fuel to markets ahead of rivals, its state-owned partner said. The venture may look at options to speed the process up, such as selling at a lower price to international LNG traders who would collect…

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Egypt Calls for Less LNG in Tender as Domestic Gas Boost Looms

Egypt Calls for Less LNG in Tender as Domestic Gas Boost Looms

CAIRO (Capital Markets in Africa) – State-run Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Co. is seeking 12 LNG cargoes for delivery in the first quarter of 2018 in a tender, according to two people with direct knowledge. That compares with more than 100 cargoes it planned to purchase via tenders or government-to-government contracts for this year. Traders are monitoring how much LNG Egypt will buy next year as Africa’s biggest gas market weighs it needs for imports against a…

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Nigeria Seeks to Boost Mining Reserves to Lure Investors

Nigeria Seeks to Boost Mining Reserves to Lure Investors

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – Nigeria plans to spend 15 billion naira ($42 million) over the next year to explore for minerals and attract investors into mining and reduce its dependence on oil, Solid Minerals Development Minister Kayode Fayemi said. “Because we are starting from a low base, we want to have a portfolio of exploration activities in place that could whet the appetite of the average investor who wants to come in,” Fayemi said in…

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Engie Agrees to Buy Solar-Power Firm Fenix to Expand in Africa

Engie Agrees to Buy Solar-Power Firm Fenix to Expand in Africa

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – Engie SA agreed to buy U.S. energy-technology start-up Fenix International to help fund the roll out of solar-power systems for Africans with no access to the electricity grid.  The French utility will provide capital and help raise debt to expand the electricity service into at least 10 African countries over the next five years, Fenix Chief Executive Officer Lyndsay Handler said in a phone interview. Courbevoie-based Engie decided on the…

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