Kenya | - Part 26

High Interest Rates: How do they impact Small Businesses in East Africa?

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – Small & Medium Businesses in East Africa should be looking at ways to maximise their efficiency and improve debt management to navigate the risks that high interest rates pose for their businesses. That’s the word from Billy Owino, Regional Director for Sage East Africa (www.Sage.com), the market leader for integrated accounting, payroll, and payment systems. He says that business builders feel the pressure of rising interest rates more severely than…

African Central Banks Monetary Policy Rates and Foreign Reserves

Posted on by The Editorial Team

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – Algeria’s foreign exchange reserves dropped by $7.1 billion to $121.9 billion in the third quarter of 2016 due to lower oil prices that have hit the country’s finances, Central Bank Governor Mohamed Loukal said. Oil and gas earnings, which make up 94 percent of total exports and 60 percent of the state budget, fell to $18.8 billion in the first nine months of 2016, down 26.3 percent from the…

Kenya Credit Rating upgrade to stable from negative by Standard and Poors

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NAIROBI (Capital Markets in Africa) – Global ratings agency Standard & Poor’s (S&P) has upgraded Kenya’s credit outlook to stable from negative, citing sustained economic growth, reduced political tension and stabilising public debt. S&P’s move to upgrade the credit outlook bodes well for the government when it moves to borrow from the international market to plug the gaping budget deficit of Sh689 billion in the current fiscal year. In its previous sovereign update on Kenya…

How is Africa Navigating the new Reality: Contraction or Expansion?

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IMF Cuts 2017 GDP Growth Outlook for Africa’s Largest Economies The International Monetary Fund has cut its 2017 economic growth forecasts for Africa’s two largest economies as low commodity prices; policy uncertainty and weak investor confidence weigh on output. Gross domestic product in South Africa will probably expand 0.8 percent next year, compared with the 1 percent forecast in July, the Washington-based lender said in its latest World Economic Outlook Report. Nigeria’s economy will contract 1.7 percent this year and…

Kenyan private equity firm Fanisi Capital launches second fund

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NAIROBI (Capital Markets in ) – Kenyan private equity house Fanisi Capital is looking to raise $75-100 million for its second fund to invest in firms in East Africa, it said on Wednesday. Fanisi, which has already invested its first fund worth $50 million in healthcare, food processing and education, said up to $40 million of the new fund will be raised locally. “Several leading pension funds have already committed to putting money into the…

The Banking Bill: A State of Transition for the Kenyan Banking Sector

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NAIROBI (Capital Markets in Africa) – Banking (Amendment) Bill by Parliament to cap banks’ lending rates at 400 bps above the Central Bank of Kenya’s base rate and impose a deposit floor at 70% of the CBR was signed into law on 24th of August 2016. If the law is implemented immediately, banks will charge a maximum of 14.5% on loans while paying about 7.35% on deposits held in interesting earning deposits. Impact on Banks…

Catalyst Principal Partners acquires stake in Tanzanian pharmaceutical manufacturer

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NAIROBI (Capital Markets in Africa) – Catalyst Principal Partners (Catalyst), a leading East African focused private equity firm, has acquired a controlling stake in Zenufa Laboratories Ltd. in Tanzania. Zenufa is one of the leading pharmaceutical manufacturers in Tanzania with its factory recognised by the Tanzania Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) as being fully compliant with Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) conforming with international guidelines and systems that ensure high standards in design, monitoring and control…

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