The Markets | - Part 176

With No ‘JPMorgan of Bitcoin,’ Exchanges Struggle to Win Trades

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – Bitcoin needs “Downtown” Josh Brown more than he needs bitcoin. Brown, the chief executive officer of Ritholtz Wealth Management and author of a popular finance blog, has long been sceptical of the digital currency. He finally bought some, he said, “because the goddamn thing won’t go away.” Bobby Lee, BTCC co-founder and chief executive officer, discusses the outlook for cryptocurrencies. Still, Brown, who helps manage half a billion dollars, isn’t really a convert…

Old Mutual First-Half Profit Climbs as Insurer’s Split Looms

Posted on by The Editorial Team

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – Old Mutual Plc, the London insurer planning to split into four separate businesses, said first-half profit almost doubled after it reduced debt and sold shares in its U.S. asset management unit. Pre-tax adjusted operating profit rose 37 percent and net income climbed to 531 million pounds ($689 million) from 284 million pounds a year earlier, the London-based insurer said in a statement on Friday. Diluted basic earnings per ordinary share increased…

Investors Too Busy Cheering Kenyatta to Fret About Vote Spat

Posted on by The Editorial Team

NAIROBI (Capital Markets in Africa) – Euphoria over a President Uhuru Kenyatta win, even if the election results are preliminary, boosted the nation’s stocks by the most in Africa and sent Kenya’s dollar bonds higher. The FTSE NSE Kenya 25 Index of stocks advanced as much as 2.7 percent to the highest level in two years. The yield on the nation’s Eurobonds due 2024 fell the most since March and the shilling was little changed. With ballots from more than 97…

Nigerian All-Share Index Drops 2.71%, Biggest since 1 June 2016

Posted on by The Editorial Team

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – The Nigerian Stock Exchange Main-Board Index fell for the second day, dropping 2.71 percent, or 998.59 to 35,866.12. The move was the biggest since falling 2.75 percent on June 1, 2016. The MSCI Emerging Markets Europe, Middle East and Africa Index declined 0.4 percent. Dangote Cement Plc contributed the most to the decline, falling 5 percent. Cement Co. Northern Nigeria Plc decreased 9.7 percent, the biggest loss. Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc rose 10…

Diageo’s Kenyan Unit Sees Improved Outlook as Earnings Climb

Posted on by The Editorial Team

NAIROBI (Capital Markets in Africa) – East African Breweries Ltd., the region’s biggest brewer, said it’s optimistic about the outlook for the year ahead with its main market Kenya performing better and business in Tanzania returning to growth. “Management is encouraged by trends in the second half of the year in Kenya, during which the business saw better performance in premium and mainstream beer,” the Nairobi-based company said in an emailed statement. “In Tanzania, the…

MTN Drops After Return to Profit Falls Short of Expectations

Posted on by The Editorial Team

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – MTN Group Ltd., Africa’s biggest mobile-network operator by sales, fell the most in more than a year after a return to first-half profit after a $1 billion regulatory fine fell short of analyst expectations. Headline earnings per share, which exclude one-time items, were probably 2.10 rand to 2.30 rand in the six months ended June 30, the Johannesburg-based company said in a statement Thursday. Analysts at Citi expected 2.60 rand a share, they…

Dangote Cement Profit Jumps as Higher Prices Lift Revenue

Posted on by The Editorial Team

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – Dangote Cement Plc, Africa’s largest producer of the building material and Nigeria’s biggest company, said first-half profit surged as an increase in revenue offset lower volumes and operations in the rest of the continent helped bolster sales. Net income rose 35 percent to 143.5 billion naira ($447.7 million) in the six months through June, compared with 106 billion naira a year earlier, the Lagos-based company said in a statement…

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