The Markets

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – Emerging-market stocks are the world’s best investment after February’s rout cheapened valuations, according to Goldman Sachs Asset Management. Unlike previous market corrections, when developing nations suffered big outflows, clients have been adding more money to the riskiest assets, said Sheila Patel, the chief executive officer of International GSAM. That’s been a sound strategy during the past month as emerging-market stocks returned 3.1 percent, beating the 2.5 percent gain for U.S. peers….

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – Few can honestly claim to have never been embarrassed by their parents. Yet for Steinhoff Africa Retail Limited, there’s more at stake than just an awkward silence when an outdated remark falls flat. The continent’s biggest seller of clothing was left mortified in December, when majority shareholder Steinhoff International Holdings NV reported accounting wrong doing that wiped 90 percent off the parent company’s market value. STAR, as the South African retailer is…

CAIRO (Capital Markets in Africa) – The buzz around initial public offerings in Egypt is growing louder, with two more companies announcing plans for share sales. Investment bank CI Capital Holding said Thursday it intends to offer more than 40 percent of its capital on the Cairo stock market. BPE Partners is preparing to sell shares in its private equity investment company later this month, the firm’s founding partner said Wednesday. They join a growing line-up…

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – Bitcoin continues to redefine the word volatility. The cryptocurrency is down more than 50 percent from its December peak; but that still leaves it up more than 600 percent from its value a year ago. On Thursday, it dipped below $8,000, marking a decline of more than a third this month alone. Its fellow digital currencies including Ripple and Ethereum have inflicted similar losses on holders — or hodlers,…

ABDIJAN (Capital Markets in Africa) – Investors are overlooking attractive opportunities in West Africa’s regional stock market — and the companies listed there are partly to blame, according to the head of the exchange. The 45 companies from eight countries that trade on the Bourse Regionale des Valeurs Mobilieres, or BRVM, need to step up on disclosure and transparency to win over investors, Chief Executive Officer Edoh Kossi Amenounve said in an interview in Johannesburg. South Africa…