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Old Mutual puts China insurance joint venture stake on block

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – Old Mutual has put up for sale its 50 percent stake in a Chinese insurance joint venture, people with direct knowledge of the matter said, as part of a revamp of the Anglo-South African financial group and amid a tough market for foreign insurers in China. Old Mutual, which is working with financial advisers on the stake sale plan, could sell its holding in the 13-year-old life insurance joint venture…

South African Treasury Boss Says He Has Requested Early Exit

Posted on by The Editorial Team

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – The head of South Africa’s Treasury, Lungisa Fuzile, said on Wednesday he has asked to leave government in May, one year before his contract expires, but that his departure was unlikely to trigger an exodus of other top officials. He has discussed his departure with Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba and may delay his exit if necessary to ensure a smooth transition and preserve the institutional integrity of the Treasury, Fuzile, who is the…

President Zuma Survives Calls to Quit With Backing From South Africa’s ANC

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JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – South African President Jacob Zuma survived calls to resign by winning the support of the ruling party following his decision to fire the finance minister and stack the cabinet with loyalists. The rand weakened. The African National Congress won’t vote against Zuma in a no-confidence motion in parliament that the main opposition parties have requested, Secretary-General Gwede Mantashe told a briefing Wednesday in Johannesburg after a meeting of the ANC’s National Working Committee….

South Africa’s finmin Gigaba to take “tough, unpopular choices” to grow economy

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JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – South Africa’s new Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba said on Monday he would pursue “tough and unpopular choices” to oversee economic growth and a redistribution of wealth to the country’s black majority and help grow a flagging economy. Africa’s most industrialised economy faces the risk of being downgraded to junk status owing to weak growth and the political upheavals after it got a reprieve last year. The economy grew by 0.3…

South African markets fall sharply after S&P downgrade

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JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa): South Africa’s rand, bonds and banking shares tumbled sharply on Tuesday after S&P Global Ratings cut the country’s credit rating to junk in response to President Jacob Zuma’s move to sack its respected finance minister. Zuma’s cabinet reshuffle has triggered public criticism from within the ruling African National Congress (ANC) and pressure is likely to mount on the president after the credit agency handed South Africa its first downgrade since…

Rand tumbles after S&P downgrades South Africa to “junk”

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JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – South Africa’s rand fell more than 2 percent on Monday to its weakest in almost three months after S&P Global Ratings cut the country’s credit score to sub-investment grade with a negative outlook after last week’s dismissal of the South African finance minister. Stocks were higher on the day, led by gold shares, as demand for the safe-haven asset rose globally in response to worries U.S. President Donald Trump…

South Africa’s credit rating downgraded to junk by S&P after finmin changed

Posted on by The Editorial Team

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – S&P Global Ratings downgraded South Africa’s sovereign credit rating to BB+ from BBB- grade on Monday, saying the recent firing of its internationally respected finance minister posed a risk fiscal policy. The rand fell by as much 2 percent to the dollar in response to the news of the downgrade, while government bonds also weakened sharply. “The downgrade reflects our view that the divisions in the ANC-led government that…

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