The Markets

LONDON (Capital Markets in Africa): A year on from the devastating invasion of Ukraine, which shocked the world, sparked runaway inflation, and led to turbulence across global markets, investor confidence is still struggling to fully recover. The HL Investor Confidence Index shows that, although there has been a marked improvement since last month, confidence in the UK market is still below the level it was last February, before it plummeted in March 2022, following Russia’s…

LONDON (Capital Markets in Africa): Investors are waking up to a stark realisation that the Fed’s work is not done, and that interest rates may have to be hiked even higher to cool hot inflation. Wave of exuberance, which have propelled equities higher since the start of the year, have turned into tides of disappointment and apprehension about the difficulties that still may lie ahead for the mighty US economy. High hopes that the Federal…

LONDON (Capital Markets in Africa): ‘’There’s a quiet pulse of positivity on the markets with investors still cautious about the direction of interest rates in the United States, but hopeful that recovery elsewhere will lend a hand to trade. The FTSE 100 is expected to cling on above the psychologically important 8000 level at the open. Volumes are set to be more muted during the sessions in Europe given that Wall Street is closed for…

DUBAI (S&P Global Ratings) Feb. 20, 2023–As Tunisia seeks to secure an IMF program to alleviate its twin deficits, the country’s banks are navigating major uncertainty and significant macroeconomic pressure, according to a new S&P Global Ratings scenario analysis report published today. “With a potential IMF deal looming, we have analyzed the current situation and considered the potential financial and economic implications for the banking sector under three hypothetical scenarios, from low stress to severe…

LONDON (Capital Markets in Africa) – Looking for a “precious” present for your loved one? Hargreaves Lansdown investment analysts highlight their picks for gold exposure this Valentine’s Day. Alex Watkins, Passive Investment Analyst, Hargreaves Lansdown “Roses are red, gold shines bright, buy a gold ETC to track the spot price overnight. Gold is often associated with luxury, wealth and romance, which makes it a popular gift choice for Valentine’s Day. We often gift gold jewellery…

  JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, February 13, 2023/ — Pan-African fintech, Yellow Card (YellowCard.io) is excited to announce its biggest giveaway ever with “A WHOLE in Your Wallet”. The competition will provide customers with a rare chance to win one Bitcoin (BTC) worth over $23 000 (at the time of publishing). The “A WHOLE in Your Wallet” lucky draw competition will run from 13 February until 26 March, and is open to all customers who buy,…

LONDON (Capital Markets in Africa): Running against the tide, the currencies of Armenia, Georgia, and Tajikistan have been steadily appreciating over the course of 2022. Exchange rates of these currencies are now significantly above their levels prior to the Russia-Ukraine conflict and among the strongest performers across emerging markets so far this year, S&P Global Ratings said in a report (see attached). Central Asian And Caucasus economies have experienced a massive influx of people from Russia, who fled…