The Markets | - Part 233

Desperate for Dollars, Investors Line Up for a Sure-Fire Loser

CAIRO, Egypt, Capital Markets in Africa: The hot trade in Egypt’s stock market is a sure thing — a guaranteed money-loser. Clients have been snapping up shares of Commercial International Bank Egypt on the Cairo market, paying in Egyptian pounds, only to turn around and sell them in London for dollars at a loss of as much as 30 percent, brokers say. Big international companies are so desperate to get dollars that they’re willing to…

Congo Scales Back Eurobond Plans as It Seeks World Bank Help

Posted on by The Editorial Team

Kinshasa, DR Congo, Capital Markets in Africa: The Democratic Republic of Congo scaled back plans to sell $1 billion of Eurobonds and instead asked multilateral lenders for direct budgetary support after the collapse in commodity prices forced the government to cut spending. The World Bank will provide $250 million to $500 million of assistance, in addition to $100 million from the African Development Bank, pending a review in June by the International Monetary Fund of the country’s…

Congo Targets Airtime Touts as Central Bank Props Franc

Posted on by The Editorial Team

Kinshasa, DR. Congo, Capital Markets in Africa: Mobile-phone airtime touts on the streets of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital have become the latest target in the government’s attempt to stop the slide of the Congolese franc. The traders who peddle mobile credit to pedestrians in Kinshasa must stop speculating on the exchange rate and sell $1 airtime cards for no more than 1,000 Congolese francs ($1.05), according to a statement issued May 11 by the office…

Naira Forwards Jump by Record as Traders See Nigeria Devaluation

Posted on by The Editorial Team

LAGOS, Nigeria, Capital Markets in Africa: Naira forwards surged by the most on record as traders bet that the ability of Nigerian authorities to maintain their almost 15-month-long currency peg is waning. Three-month naira non-deliverable forwards rose by 14 percent, the most on a closing basis since the contracts began trading in March 2011, to a record 267 against the dollar at 4:06 p.m. in London. One-month forwards jumped 11 percent to 238, bringing their implied yield —…

Oil Climbs to Highest Since November as European Shares Retreat

Posted on by The Editorial Team

LAGOS, Nigeria, Capital Markets in Africa: Brent crude rose to a six-month high, leading a rebound in commodities and boosting the ruble and mining companies, as supply disruptions in Nigeria added to production woes. Oil extended last week’s gains as Goldman Sachs Group Inc. increased its price forecast, saying the market had moved into a supply deficit earlier than expected. Precious metals rallied with aluminium and commodity producers climbed, while almost all of the other industry groups in the Stoxx Europe 600…

Market Watch | Emerging Stocks Decline for Fourth

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LAGOS, Nigeria, Capital Markets in Africa: Emerging-market stocks were set to extend their longest losing streak since August and currencies retreated on concern the pace of global growth remains sluggish. Shares in China posted their worst run of weekly declines in two years on speculation the government will refrain from adding fresh stimulus, while Hungarian shares fell and the forint slid to the lowest level since March after the economy unexpectedly contracted. South Africa’s rand slid more than 1…

Oil Rises to Six-Month High as Nigeria, U.S. Supply Tightens

Posted on by The Editorial Team

LAGOS, Nigeria, Capital Markets in Africa: Oil advanced to its highest intraday level in six months as supply reductions around the world, from the U.S. and Canada to Nigeria, helped whittle away the global surplus. Futures gained 1.2 percent in New York after climbing 6.4 percent the previous two sessions. U.S. inventories dropped by 3.4 million barrels last week, government data showed Wednesday. Nigeria said militants have curbed the country’s oil output by about 30 percent. The global surplus in…

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