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Moody’s downgrades Gabon’s rating to B3, outlook negative

LIBREVILLE (Capital Markets in Africa) – Moody’s Investors Service has today downgraded the long-term issuer and senior unsecured debt ratings of the government of Gabon to B3 from B1 and maintained the negative outlook. Concurrently, Moody’s has lowered the government of Gabon’s local currency as well as foreign currency bond and deposit ceilings to Ba3 from Ba1. The rating downgrade drove the change in ceilings. Rating Rationale The key drivers behind the downgrade to B3…

South Africa Gets S&P Reprieve as Local Debt Averts Junk

Posted on by The Editorial Team

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – S&P Global Ratings left its assessment of South Africa’s foreign-currency debt at the highest junk level and its rand bonds at the lowest investment grade, granting the country a reprieve after a downgrade in April. The foreign-currency rating was affirmed at BB+, S&P said in a statement Friday. The assessment on rand debt, which comprises about 90 percent of the country’s portfolio, was maintained at BBB-. The outlook on both…

Moody’s: Sub-Saharan Africa’s recovery from foreign currency shortages to take time

Posted on by The Editorial Team

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – While foreign currency shortages in Sub-Saharan Africa stemming from lower oil and commodity prices are easing, it will take time for sovereigns, banks, and non-financial companies to restore their financial health, Moody’s Investors Service said in a report today. The report, “Foreign currency shortages are subsiding but will take a time to overcome”, is now available on www.moodys.com. Moody’s subscribers can access this report via the link at the end of this press release….

Moody’s changes outlook on Morocco’s Ba1 rating to positive from stable

Posted on by The Editorial Team

RABAT (Capital Markets in Africa) – Moody’s Investors Service has today changed the outlook on the Government of Morocco’s rating to positive from stable and affirmed the issuer and senior unsecured ratings at Ba1. The key drivers of today’s rating action are: (1) Improving external position reflected in the build-up of foreign exchange reserves in the wake of dynamic new export industries and lower nominal oil imports; (2) Declining fiscal imbalances, reflecting gradual but steady…