Fixed Income | Investec Sees South African Bonds as Resilient in Junk Downgrade

Fixed Income | Investec Sees South African Bonds as Resilient in Junk Downgrade

Johannesburg, South Africa, Capital Markets in Africa: South Africa’s corporate bond market is better equipped than other emerging countries to deal with a cut in the nation’s credit rating to below investment grade, said Hendrik du Toit, chief executive officer of Investec Asset Management Ltd. The country has a relatively small pool of dollar bonds, compared with rand-denominated debt, and a large domestic money management business with the capacity to invest in the assets, Du Toit…

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Nigeria | Naira Devaluation Bets Jump Most on Record on Policy Review

Nigeria | Naira Devaluation Bets Jump Most on Record on Policy Review

LAGOS, Nigeria, Capital Markets in Africa: Traders raised bets on a devaluation of Nigeria’s naira by the most on record after the vice president of Africa’s biggest economy said it was carrying out a “substantial review” of its foreign-exchange policy. Naira three-month non-deliverable forwards weakened to 237 against the dollar, before paring losses to trade 7.2 percent lower at 230.5 by 12:41 p.m. in London, still the biggest drop since the contracts started trading in March 2011….

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Ghana | More Delays in Store for Ghana’s Biggest IPO as Fund Seeks Stake

Ghana | More Delays in Store for Ghana’s Biggest IPO as Fund Seeks Stake

ACCRA, Ghana, Capital Markets in Africa: Ghana’s state pension fund said it may seek a stake in Agricultural Development Bank of Ghana Ltd. more than a month after the nation’s biggest-ever initial public offering closed, a move that may further delay completion of the deal. Social Security and National Insurance Trust, the nation’s biggest investor, which oversees about $1.7 billion, is reviewing the IPO prospectus and will decide in about two weeks whether to apply for…

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Zimbabwe Scraps Plan to Swap Dollar Earnings to Rand, Euros

Zimbabwe Scraps Plan to Swap Dollar Earnings to Rand, Euros

HARARE, Zimbabwe, Capital Markets in Africa: Zimbabwe’s central bank abandoned a plan to convert half of its export earnings into South African rand and euros as it explores ways to ease a shortage of dollars. In a statement on Tuesday, the institution said it will now require 50 percent of export earnings to be transferred to a Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe account. The central bank will then immediately credit the same amount, plus a 5 percent “export…

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Ivory Coast | BRVM Values Combined Cote d’Ivoire Telecom-Orange at $6 Billion

Ivory Coast | BRVM Values Combined Cote d’Ivoire Telecom-Orange at $6 Billion

Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, Capital Markets in Africa: A combination of Ivory Coast’s landline operator Côte d’Ivoire Telecom and Orange SA’s local unit may be valued at $4 billion to $6 billion on the regional stock exchange, a deal that could increase the capitalization of Bourse Regionale des Valeurs Mobilieres by as much as 40 percent. Ivory Coast and Paris-based Orange have agreed to merge Côte d’Ivoire Telecom with Orange Côte d’Ivoire, the biggest mobile operator in the West African country by…

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Nigeria | China’s Africa Push Reaches Currencies in Deal Investors Decry

Nigeria | China’s Africa Push Reaches Currencies in Deal Investors Decry

LAGOS, Nigeria, Capital Markets in Africa: Strategists are criticizing Nigeria’s latest plan to rescue its currency — this time by relying on Chinese cash. On a visit to Beijing last month, President Muhammadu Buhari signed a currency agreement aimed at encouraging trade with China and reducing Nigeria’s demand for dollars to relieve pressure on its dwindling foreign reserves. While the deal, details of which are still being negotiated, helps China’s push into Africa’s largest economy, it will…

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South Africa Rand Falls Most Among Emerging Markets After Jobless Rate Climbs

South Africa Rand Falls Most Among Emerging Markets After Jobless Rate Climbs

Johannesburg, South Africa, Capital Markets in Africa — The rand fell to its weakest in a month after data showing theSouth African jobless rate at the highest in at least eight years added to concerns that economic growth may be slow to revive. The rand dropped as much as 2.1 percent against the dollar and traded at 15.1716 by 4:38 p.m. in Johannesburg, the weakest since April 7 on a closing basis and the biggest loser among 24…

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