Southern Africa |

Nigerian Banks Outstrip Peers on Returning Dollar, Old Mutual Up

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – Since the Nigerian central bank eased a dollar shortage by opening a currency-trading window for foreign investors in April, lenders in Africa’s biggest economy have soared. The local banking index is up 35 percent this quarter, outstripping South Africa’s equivalent stock gauge and MSCI’s emerging-market financials index. Even after the jump, Guaranty Trust Bank is the sole Nigerian lender in the index to trade above its book value, while none of…

South Africa Avoids a Second Fitch Cut as Rating Affirmed

Posted on by The Editorial Team

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – South Africa avoided a second downgrade in two months from Fitch Ratings Ltd. as the company left its assessment of the nation’s debt at the highest non-investment grade. The local- and foreign-currency ratings were affirmed at BB+, Fitch said in an emailed statement Thursday. The outlook on both assessments was kept at stable. Fitch and S&P Global Ratings cut their assessments of South Africa’s foreign-currency debt to the highest junk level in…

Barclays Sells Zimbabwe Bank to Malawi’s First Merchant

Posted on by The Editorial Team

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – Barclays has announced the sale of its Zimbabwe bank to Malawi-listed First Merchant Bank on Friday as the British lender continues its exit from Africa. In March Barclays announced it was in talks on the sale of its stake in Barclays Bank of Zimbabwe as part of a broader exit from Africa to refocus on the United States and Britain. Barclays said the deal would remove 292 million pounds ($375.69 million)…

`Gupta Leaks’ Emails Set to Show Family’s South Africa Influence

Posted on by The Editorial Team

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – Two South African news organizations plan to publish a series of stories about the influence of the Gupta family in the country after they obtained thousands of emails they say exposes dealings that allegedly include influence over government and state company decisions. Scorpio, the investigative unit of the Daily Maverick, and the amaBhungane Centre for Investigative Journalism have access to as many as 200,000 emails and other documents about the work…

South Africa Posts Third Straight Monthly Trade Surplus in April

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JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – South Africa recorded a surplus on its trade account for a third straight month in April as imports of equipment components decreased. The 5.1 billion-rand ($388 million) surplus with March’s revised 11.3 billion-rand surplus, the Pretoria-based South African Revenue Service said in an emailed statement Wednesday. The median of four economist estimates compiled by Bloomberg was for a surplus of 7.4 billion rand. A smaller trade gap eases pressure on the current account,…

South Africa Removes Eskom CEO Molefe After Bungled Rehire

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JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – South Africa will remove Brian Molefe as chief executive officer of Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd. less than three weeks after his controversial return to the state power utility. Public Enterprises Minister Lynne Brown will appoint an acting CEO within 48 hours, after a committee of cabinet ministers asked by President Jacob Zuma to review Molefe’s reinstatement found that the decision was incorrect, she told reporters in Cape Town on Wednesday. Brown has asked the…

Miners Frozen Out as South Africa Readies Empowerment Rules

Posted on by The Editorial Team

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – Mining companies in South Africa have been frozen out of consultation over regulatory changes that could dilute shareholders, raise costs and impose new levies to fund community development. South Africa’s Cabinet last week approved a new draft of the country’s Mining Charter and Mining Minister Mosebenzi Zwane has promised it will be gazetted within weeks. Yet while labor leaders have been consulted on the long-delayed new rules, the Chamber of Mines,…

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