South Africa | - Part 57

African Central Banks Monetary Policy Rates and Foreign Reserves

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…

South Africa’s big four banks to see rise in problem loans – Moody’s

Posted on by The Editorial Team

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – South Africa’s big four banks will see a rise in problem loans in the next 12 to 18 months as the economy struggles to grow, but this poses only a moderate risk to profits, ratings agency Moody’s said on Tuesday. Sluggish economic growth, forecast by the government to average 0.5 percent this year, will pose challenges for FirstRand, Standard Bank, Barclays Africa Group and Nedbank. “The subdued South African…

South African pension fund seeks central bank approval to increase Barclays Africa stake

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JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – Africa’s biggest pension fund, Public Investment Corporation, has sought approval from South Africa’s central bank to raise its stake in Barclays Africa, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter said. Barclays Africa’s parent, Barclays Plc, wants to reduce its holding to below 20 percent, which would make it an equity investment rather than a subsidiary. The plan is part of a broader sale by the British bank of…

South Africa’s M&R exits infrastructure sector with $23 million sale

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JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – South Africa’s Murray and Roberts (M&R) has sold its infrastructure and building business for 314 million rand ($23 million) as part of its drive to focus on projects for the global natural resources sector, it said on Tuesday. The engineering and construction group said in a statement it sold the business to Firefly Investments, which represents a consortium led by Southern Palace Group of Companies Proprietary Limited, a black-owned…

South Africa doing well if you strip out growth, Moody’s Says

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JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – South Africa measures favourably in most indices bar economic growth, which the Treasury has forecast will be 0.5 percent this year, a Moody’s representative said on Tuesday. Moody’s rates South Africa two notches above sub investment grade with a negative outlook and is due to publish its next review in December. Fellow ratings firms S&P’s and Fitch have the country just a step above junk. The three agencies have…

South African rand’s upbeat mood to be short-lived, volatile 2017 expected

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JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – The South African rand’s gains after fraud charges against the finance minister were dropped will be short-lived, a poll showed, as concerns about possible credit rating downgrades and an African National Congress leadership election weigh. The rand is expected to weaken around 8 percent to 14.65 per dollar in 12 months, according to a Reuters poll taken before prosecutors dropped fraud charges against Pravin Gordhan on Monday. South Africa’s currency broke on…

South Africa cuts growth forecast, calls for political stability

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CAPE TOWN (Capital Markets in Africa) – South Africa’s Treasury on Wednesday slashed this year’s growth forecast and predicted a wider budget deficit for the 2016/17 fiscal year, warning that it would have to cut spending to avoid credit rating downgrades. Speaking to reporters before presenting his budget speech to parliament, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, who is facing fraud charges, stressed the need to bring an end to “political noise” in the country and get…

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