The Markets

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) — As rising government bond yields stir up angst on financial markets, one person who sounds unfazed is U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. Her own go-to measure of debt costs is headed in the opposite direction. Interest payments on the national debt fell last year, to $345 billion or 1.6% of gross domestic product. They’re on track to shrink further in 2021 — even after all the pandemic spending, plus a debt-market…

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) — Bitcoin has given up all the gains made over the weekend when prices reached a record $61,000. Prices for the largest cryptocurrency shot up on Saturday, only to quickly retreat in the following days. The largest cryptocurrency sank almost 7% on Monday and was little changed on Tuesday, trading around $55,900 during the London morning. The volatility is due to investors taking some profit after Bitcoin’s recent run, said Vijay Ayyar, head…

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) — You’d think a world tiptoeing its way out of the coronavirus pandemic might only be good news for governments and economies. Yet the consequent surge in the price of energy, metals, and crops is highlighting the strengths of some and the vulnerabilities of others.  Oil has climbed 75% since the start of November as major economies vaccinate their populations and reopen after the pandemic shut down factories and grounded planes. Copper, used…

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) — Bitcoin pared its rally this week after briefly climbing past $55,000 amid ongoing speculation about whether the largest cryptocurrency can test the record it set last month. The token fell as much as 2.1% and was trading at about $53,500 as of 12:01 p.m. in Hong Kong. It remains on track for a second straight weekly advance, bouncing back from a rout at the end of February. “It wouldn’t…

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) — The world’s biggest cryptocurrency scam of last year was a jolt to South Africa’s regulator — and not everyone will wait to see how it shakes out. As major financial hubs like Singapore redraw legislation to lure crypto firms and with the U.K. government facing calls to embrace digital currencies, South Africa’s burgeoning exchanges say they are having to move headquarters abroad due to uncertainty over potential government regulation. Behind the frustration is…

ACCRA (Capital Markets in Africa) — Ghana will begin a roadshow next week to raise $5 billion from the international capital markets, as it seeks to close its 2021 budget financing gap. The nation wants to start marketing the debt to investors after Friday’s budget presentation, a Ministry of Finance official said by phone on Tuesday. The meetings would be held virtually due to coronavirus restrictions, said the official, who declined to be named because they are…

NEW YORK (Capital Markets in Africa) — Tucked away among the Ford, Dodge, and Chevy sedans, the 12,000-gallon storage container and the inoperable Caterpillar tractor being auctioned off by the U.S. government is an unusual item: 0.7501 of a Bitcoin. The U.S. General Services Administration typically uses its auctions to sell surplus federal equipment to the general public. With lot 4KQSCI21105001, which goes up for auction in a week, the government is offering an amount of Bitcoin worth…