Finance

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – A gauge measuring South African manufacturing sentiment dropped the most in nine months in April after the worst flooding in almost three decades left more than 400 people dead, damaged businesses and halted operations at the nation’s biggest port. Absa Group Ltd.’s purchasing managers’ index, compiled by the Bureau for Economic Research, dropped to 50.7 from 60 a month earlier. That’s the biggest monthly decline and the lowest reading…

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – Nigeria is considering a bond sale targeted at its citizens overseas to raise funds to help Africa’s biggest economy narrow its budget deficit. The government may sell the debt after it repays $300 million of diaspora bonds maturing in June, Patience Oniha, director-general of the Abuja-based Debt Management Office said in a text message on Thursday. “We are doing both an analysis of recent research report on diaspora remittances…

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – Africa Finance Corp. plans to sell shares of its projects on stock exchanges in London and the United Arab Emirates to raise capital and fund infrastructure development across the continent. The Nigerian banking group aims to combine assets in renewables, ports and industrial parks and offer them to investors through initial public offerings over the next three years, Chief Executive Officer Samaila Zubairu said in an interview. The value of any…

NEW YORK (Capital Markets in Africa) – Even if Activision Blizzard Inc. shareholders approve a $69 billion sale to Microsoft Corp on Thursday, Wall Street is betting that Biden antitrust enforcers could unravel one of the largest mergers in U.S. history. Shares of the gaming juggernaut are trading 25% below Microsoft’s $95 offer, indicating investors see risk the buyout won’t close as planned. This risk premium is more than double that of Twitter Inc. following Elon Musk’s offer,…

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – Shareholder support for Glencore Plc’s climate change strategy has weakened and the world’s top coal shipper will now have to consult with investors as it looks to defend one of its most profitable businesses. The company secured about 76% support for its climate progress report at its annual general meeting on Thursday, significantly less than the 94% backing it received last year. Influential advisory firms, including Glass Lewis &…

DAKAR (Capital Markets in Africa) – Senegal’s sovereign wealth fund is considering investing in neighboring countries after it starts receiving part of the oil and gas revenues from new fields in the nation. The $25 billion economy, set to start production next year, will allocate a minimum of 10% of the sector’s revenues to the fund, Babacar Gning, chief investment officer at the state-owned Sovereign Fund for Strategic Investments or Fonsis, said in an interview.“The law…

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – A non-fungible token created from Nelson Mandela’s original arrest warrant raised 1.9 million rand ($130,000) in an auction to help fund a heritage site that documents South Africa’s struggle for democracy.  Mandela, the anti-apartheid activist who emerged from 27 years in prison to become South Africa’s first Black president, was arrested in 1962 for conspiring to overthrow the White-minority government.  Proceeds from the sale will go toward the Liliesleaf Museum…