Economy | - Part 54

Uganda Current-Account Gap to Widen on Projects, World Bank Says

KAMPALA (Capital Markets in Africa)- Uganda’s current-account gap could widen to between 8 percent and 10 percent of national output annually over the next two years as imports for infrastructure and oil-related projects grow, the World Bank said. The shortfall on the current account, the broadest measure of trade in goods and services, in the East African nation on the cusp of becoming an oil producer came in at 5.9 percent of gross domestic product…

Kenya GDP Growth May Plummet to 1 Percent by 2019, Investec Says

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NAIROBI (Capital Markets in Africa) – Kenya’s economic growth could slow to as little as 1 percent over the next two years as credit extension in East Africa’s biggest economy weakens, Investec Prime Services estimates. Banks reporting higher levels of souring debt and decelerating money-supply growth suggest gross domestic product expansion will plummet, according toChris Becker, frontier strategist at the Johannesburg-based brokerage. Growth was an estimated 6 percent in 2016. Investec sees growth of between…

Which Path Africa’s Inflation Rate is Taking in January?

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LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – Angola’s inflation slowed to 40.39% year-on-year in January from 41.95% in December, data from the national statistics agency showed. Prices increases on a month-on-month basis rose 2.29% in January compared to 2.17% previously. Botswana’s consumer inflation inched up to 3.1% year-on-year in January from 3.0% in December, data from the statistics office showed. Prices rose 0.4% month-on-month compared to 0.1% previously. Burundi’s year-on-year inflation jumped to 12.9% in January…

Ivory Coast to Review 2017 Budget Amid Slump in Cocoa Prices

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ABIDJAN (Capital Markets in Africa) – Ivory Coast, the world’s biggest cocoa producer, will revise its budget for 2017 after prices for the beans dropped by a third since the middle of last year, according to a government official. While the slump in cocoa prices weighs on income, the West African nation also has to provide for new expenditures, government spokesman Bruno Kone said by phone. Ivory Coast’s “resources are largely sufficient to face these expenses…

Nigeria’s economy shrinks by 1.51% in 2016 for first time in 25 years

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LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – Nigeria’s economy contracted 1.5 percent in 2016 due to lower oil revenues and a shortage of hard currency, the National Bureau of Statistics said on Tuesday, its first annual contraction in quarter of a century. Africa’s largest economy slid into recession in the second quarter of 2016 as a slump in crude prices hammered the OPEC member’s public finances and battered the naira currency. Crude sales make up two-thirds…

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

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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…

South Africa’s 2017 Budget Analysis: A tough and taxing year ahead – STANLIB

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Johannesburg (Capital Markets in Africa) – The South African Minister of Finance, Pravin Gordhan, delivered a tough budget for 2017/2018, highlighting the need for significant tax increases, especially on wealthier individuals, while at the same time endeavouring to contain government expenditure. Although the government’s fiscal parameters are expected to remain largely under-control over the coming year, there is a lack of new initiatives to meaningfully stimulate the economic growth of the country. Under these circumstances,…

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