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Africa: Attempting to re-join the club

Author’s note: Not all African countries have been able to take advantage of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) – a programme granting duty-free access to the world’s largest consumer market, the US. The programme has seen some criticism, ranging from the perceived lack of reciprocity from African nations to the US’ unilateral suspension of African countries, and the uncertainty this creates when making long-term investment decisions. However, at least one country, Cameroon, thinks…

Cytonn: First Quarter 2023 Markets Review

Posted on by The Editorial Team

Global Market Review According to the January 2023 World Economic Outlook Report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the global economy is projected to grow at a rate of 2.9% in 2023, 0.5% points slower than the growth of 3.4% recorded in 2022. The latest projection is 0.2% points higher than the IMF’s earlier projection of 2.7% growth, with the upward revision being on the back of full reopening of China coupled with…

Africa: Living up to one’s reputation

Posted on by The Editorial Team

Author’s note: Zimbabwe is considered one of the most corrupt countries on the planet. The latest Corruption Perceptions Index scores the Southern African nation equal to junta-led Myanmar and war-torn Iraq. A recent exposé linking top government officials with gold smuggling and sanctions busting will only feed these perceptions. Meanwhile, Zimbabwe is looking to China to fund and build energy infrastructure. The country is overly reliant on hydropower generated from the Kariba Hydropower Station, and…

Why East Africa’s Facing Its Worst Famine in Decades: QuickTake

Posted on by The Editorial Team

NAIROBI (Capital Markets in Africa) – A humanitarian disaster is unfolding in East Africa, which is in the grip of its worst drought in at least four decades. More than 80 million people across Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda and Djibouti are food insecure, and almost half of them are having to sell their possessions in order to eat, according to the World Health Organization. With forecasters seeing a high risk of rains…

Oil Heads for Longest Run of Monthly Gains Since Early 2018

Posted on by The Editorial Team

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – Oil is poised for a fifth monthly gain after another tumultuous period of trading that saw prices whipsawed by the fallout from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the resurgence of Covid-19 in China. West Texas Intermediate futures climbed to trade near $106 a barrel on Friday and are almost 6% higher in April. The war has entered its third month despite diplomatic efforts for a cease-fire, and the European…

Ghana Bonds Rally as Nation Assures Investors on Fiscal Targets

Posted on by The Editorial Team

ACCRA (Capital Markets in Africa) – Ghana’s dollar bonds rallied Thursday as the government moved to reassure investors that it is committed to fiscal targets in the budget, including expenditure cuts this year if revenue falls short.Yields on Ghana’s $1 billion of 2049 dropped 33 basis points, the most since November 2020, retreating from a near-two-year high to 12.29%. The rate on the nation’s $1 billion of 2026 securities plunged 94 basis points to 12.58%….

Biden’s Economic Package Risks Languishing in Senate Into 2022

Posted on by The Editorial Team

NEW YORK (Capital Markets in Africa) – Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer insists the Senate will pass President Joe Biden’s nearly $2 trillion tax-and-spending package before Christmas, but there’s still much work to do and time is running short. A delay into the new year risks slowing momentum for Democrats who need this legislative victory behind them as they fight to maintain narrow majorities in the House and Senate in the 2022 midterm elections. The…

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