Finance

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is hamstrung by politics and the economy is suffering the consequences. His narrow win to become leader of the ruling African National Congress in December 2017 has left him dependent on the left — the unions and the South African Communist Party that are ANC allies and helped him become party president. Now the same labor movement that he worked to strengthen almost four…

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in AfricA) – Africa’s largest money manager sees “significant investment opportunities” in West African gold mining as the industry at the southern end of the continent declines. Investor-friendly policies can help Ghana and other countries in the region drive the next “gold-mining boom,” said Lebohang Sekhokoane, a mining research analyst at South Africa’s Public Investment Corp. Low-cost deposits in Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea and Ivory Coast offer the long-term investment potential the PIC…

LONDON (Capital Markets in Africa) – A short drive outside Los Angeles lies one of the world’s biggest warehouse complexes. Gene Seroka says its 1.8 billion square feet of capacity — enough room to house 9 million cars — is “bursting at the seams.” The warehouse district is part of the Inland Empire, serving the port of Long Beach and the twin port of Los Angeles, where Seroka is executive director. Together they handle almost half of American’s maritime trade…

LONDON (Capital Markets in Africa) – One of the U.K.’s largest pension funds, which oversees the retirement assets of 350,000 British railworkers, is betting on private credit to help preserve returns during the next downturn. RPMI Railpen aims to boost its exposure to private debt to as much as 40% within a private investment strategy totaling 4.5 billion pounds ($5.5 billion) across two funds. While still a fraction of the scheme’s 30 billion pound asset total,…

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) Steinhoff International Holdings NV is considering an initial public offering of Pepkor Europe, its fastest-growing unit, as the scandal-hit South African retailer seeks funds for the next phase of its recovery plan, people familiar with the matter said. The company has been discussing a listing of Pepkor Europe with potential advisers, according to the people, who asked not to be identified because the information is private. The business — which owns…

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – The U.S. and Africa have different views on their future trade relationship when a preferential access deal expires in 2025. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Tibor Nagy said in an interview Sunday his country favors bilateral trade agreements with African nations. A day later, African Union Trade and Industry Commissioner Albert Muchanga said the AU favors a free-trade agreement with the U.S. to replace the African Growth and Opportunity Act….

KAMPALA (Capital Markets in Africa) – Uganda will be able to get the cash it needs to build a planned $3.5 billion oil-export pipeline, with financiers ready to commit funds as soon as a final investment decision is made, according to Stanbic Bank Uganda Ltd. The project has attracted “a lot of interest” and raising capital “is not a problem,” Stanbic Chief Executive Officer Patrick Mweheire said Tuesday in Kampala. The pipeline, which is crucial to plans…