Banking

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – A group of Barclays Plc shareholders has filed what they say is the first climate change resolution at a European bank, taking aim at the lender’s support of fossil fuels. Eleven institutional investors and more than 100 individuals urged Barclays to say how it will phase out financing energy firms that don’t align with the Paris Agreement climate goals, according to a statement from U.K. non-profit ShareAction, which coordinated the…

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – Outgoing Bank of England Governor Mark Carney said central banks globally are getting close to running out of tools should they need to tackle another serious economic downturn. “It’s generally true that there’s much less ammunition for all the major central banks than they previously had, and I’m of the opinion that this situation will persist for some time,” he said in an interview with the Financial Times to…

NEW YORK (Capital Markets in Africa) – Citigroup Inc. plans to recruit 2,500 programmers this year for the unit that houses its traders and investment bankers, bulking up on coders and data scientists as technology reshapes the business. Roughly three-quarters of the company’s trade orders last year were electronic, according to Stuart Riley, global head of operations and technology for the bank’s Institutional Clients Group. The ICG arm will add programmers in locations from New York to…

NAIROBI (Capital Markets in Africa) – A Kenyan lender formed out of a takeover last year is urging the central bank to increase safety buffers to drive more takeovers in East Africa’s biggest economy.   Raising minimum capital requirements as much as tenfold to 10 billion shillings ($99 million) will “force marriages” between lenders too afraid of the risks that come with mergers and acquisitions, said NCBA Group Plc Chief Executive Officer John Gachora. With over…

LONDON (Capital Markets in Africa) – Morocco’s central bank held its interest rates steady, opting against ending a nearly four-year freeze even after King Mohammed VI called on lenders to open their taps for businesses. A decision on Tuesday kept the benchmark rate at 2.25%. It’s a surprise because the central bank started to shift toward monetary easing in September by lowering mandatory reserves for lenders, a measure that unlocks liquidity and could revive the flow of credit…

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – Old Mutual Ltd.’s homecoming may get even rockier next year as an ongoing battle with its former head risks distracting the South African insurer from handling weak economic growth and rising competition. The firm will end 2019 still sparring with ex-Chief Executive Officer Peter Moyo. The dispute has been in court since June, about a year after Old Mutual moved its listing back to Johannesburg. That return — celebrated…

ADDIS ABABA (Capital Markets in Africa) – Ethiopia is shaking up its economy by opening many industries to foreign investors. Just don’t expect the government to loosen its grip on banks yet. “Banking, insurance, micro-credit, and micro-savings services” will be reserved only for domestic investors, according to draft regulations released by the Ethiopian Investment Authority. International aviation, where state-controlled Ethiopian Airlines dominates, power, postal services, and weaponry will be done by, or in partnership, with…