Banking | - Part 77

Moody’s: Challenging operating conditions keeps 2018 outlook for African banks negative

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) — Moody’s Investors Service says its negative outlook for the African banking system in 2018 reflects high macroeconomic risks that expose banks to asset quality pressures, reduced government support and sovereign credit risk. Moody’s report, “Banks — Africa, 2018 Outlook”, is available on www.moodys.com. Moody’s subscribers can access this report via the link provided at the end of this press release. This report does not constitute a rating action. “Although…

Angola Raises Key Rate to Record-High 18% on Inflation Concerns

Posted on by The Editorial Team

LUANDA (Capital Markets in Africa) – Angola’s central bank raised its benchmark interest rate to a record 18 percent as it seeks to counter inflation and support the kwanza. The key rate was increased from 16 percent, Luanda-based Banco Nacional de Angola said on Thursday after a meeting of the monetary policy committee. “The bank paid particular attention to the evolution of prices in the economy, having observed an acceleration in inflation,” the MPC said in a…

Bad Brexit Scenario Mars All-Bank Pass in BOE’s Stress Tests

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LONDON (Capital Markets in Africa) – British banks may have unanimously passed Bank of England stress tests, but that clean bill of health came with concern about a messy Brexit, courtesy of Governor Mark Carney. The central bank told lenders to add another 6 billion pounds ($8 billion) to their capital buffers and may increase their requirements again next year because it’s worried that the combination of a no-deal Brexit without a transition period and a global…

Diamond Bank to Boost Nigeria Loans Upon West Africa Retreat

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LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – Diamond Bank Plc plans to boost lending and its customer numbers in Nigeria as it targets growth in its home market after divesting its units elsewhere in West Africa. The Lagos-based lender sees its loans growing by about 10 percent next year and customers increasing by a third to 20 million by 2019, Chief Executive Officer Uzoma Dozie said in a Nov. 23 interview in the commercial capital, Lagos. “The divestment is…

Ghana Cuts Key Rate to Three-Year Low as Inflation Slows

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ACCRA (Capital Markets in Africa) – Ghana cut its benchmark interest rate to the lowest in more than three years as inflation slows toward the central bank’s target. The Bank of Ghana reduced the rate to 20 percent, Governor Ernest Addison, told reporters in the capital, Accra, on Monday. Of the eight economist surveyed by Bloomberg, four forecast the move. Ghana will meet the inflation target of 6 percent to 10 percent “at worst” by the second quarter of…

Kenya’s Biggest Bank Sees Rate Caps Staying Until at Least 2019

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NAIROBI (Capital Markets in Africa) – Kenya’s biggest bank reckons limits on interest-rate charges that have weighed on profit will be around for at least another year. “There are a lot of conversations happening and I have not seen anything today that says that we are ready to move,” KCB Group Ltd. Chief Executive Officer Joshua Oigara said in an interview in the capital, Nairobi, last week. Even the bank’s best-case scenario is that a review process of the…

HSBC Closes Accounts Linked to South Africa’s Guptas Amid Review

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JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – HSBC Holdings Plc is shuttering accounts associated with the powerful Gupta family as it assesses its exposure to the scandal gripping South Africa. The bank is conducting a wide-ranging review of any possible involvement in suspicious transactions, with the assistance of external investigators, people with knowledge of the matter said. HSBC first closed accounts held by companies linked to the Gupta family in 2014 after internal compliance procedures picked up…

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