Monetary |

Nigeria’s Buhari says monetary policy alone not enough to expand economy

ABUJA, Nigeria, Capital Markets in Africa: Nigeria will need to combine monetary policies with fiscal and structural policies in order to overcome its worst economic crisis in decades and return to growth, President Muhammadu Buhari said on Thursday. Nigeria is in the middle of its worst crisis in decades as a slump in oil revenues hammers public finances and the naira. Gross domestic product shrank in the first quarter and the central bank governor has…

Ghana’s Central Bank Holds Benchmark Rate as Inflation Burden Eases

Posted on by The Editorial Team

ACCRA, Ghana, Capital Markets in Africa: Ghana’s central bank maintained its benchmark interest rate as the cedi stabilized and inflation eased. The monetary policy committee of the Bank of Ghana held the rate at 26 percent, Governor Abdul Nashiru Issahaku, who chaired the meeting for the first time, told reporters in Accra, the capital, on Monday. This was in line with the forecast of all eight economists in a survey compiled by Bloomberg. Former governor Kofi Wampah didn’t…

Central Bank of Egypt Keeps Policy Rate Unchanged at 10.75% in April

Posted on by The Editorial Team

CAIRO, Egypt, Capital Markets in Africa — In its meeting held on April 28, 2016, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) decided to keep the overnight deposit rate, overnight lending rate, and the rate of the Central Bank of Egypt’s (CBE) main operation unchanged at 10.75 percent, 11.75 percent, and 11.25 percent, respectively. The discount rate was also kept unchanged at 11.25 percent. Annual headline CPI remained at around 9 percent in February and March 2016,…

Kenya holds Lending Rate Unchanged at 11.5% as Kenyan Shilling Stabilizes, Inflation Ease …

Posted on by The Editorial Team

Nairobi, Kenya, Capital Market in Africa — The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) kept its key Central Bank Rate (CBR) unchanged as the Kenyan shilling stabilized against the US dollar and easing pressure on inflation, according to the statement signed by Governor Patrick Njoroge. The Monetary Policy Committee retained the lending interest rate for a third consecutive meeting at 11.5 percent after an increase of 150 basis points each in June and July to cushion the effect of Kenya…

Egypt’s central bank keeps benchmark rates unchanged

Posted on by The Editorial Team

CAIRO (Reuters) – Egypt’s central bank kept its benchmark interest rates unchanged at a monetary policy committee meeting on Thursday. The overnight deposit rate remains 8.75 percent and the overnight lending rate is steady at 9.75, the bank said in a statement.

Ghana: Bank of Ghana Maintains Policy Rate at 21%

Posted on by The Editorial Team

In line with our expectation, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Bank of Ghana (BoG) maintained the policy rate at 21%, continuing the tight monetary stance. Inflation for Jan-15 eased for the first time in 16 months by 60bps to 16.4%, weighed down by the declining crude oil price and a relative stability in exchange rate and utility prices. Despite the downward pressure from the low crude oil price and improved inflation expectations, the…

Nigeria: CBN Maintain or Tighten Policy?

Posted on by The Editorial Team

We expect policy to be held steady later today as the 100bp tightening in the MPR to 13% late-November 2014 is still yet to transmit its full effect throughout the economy. It is also unlikely for a tightening of policy prior to the election. However, there are various ways that the MPC could respond to current pressures, for example: • Tightening monetary policy further by around 100bp. • Raising Cash Reserve Ratio on Private Sector…