South Africa Avoids a Second Fitch Cut as Rating Affirmed

South Africa Avoids a Second Fitch Cut as Rating Affirmed

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – South Africa avoided a second downgrade in two months from Fitch Ratings Ltd. as the company left its assessment of the nation’s debt at the highest non-investment grade. The local- and foreign-currency ratings were affirmed at BB+, Fitch said in an emailed statement Thursday. The outlook on both assessments was kept at stable. Fitch and S&P Global Ratings cut their assessments of South Africa’s foreign-currency debt to the highest junk level in…

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Barclays Reaches Target on Africa Stake as It Boosts Sale

Barclays Reaches Target on Africa Stake as It Boosts Sale

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – Barclays Plc reached a long-term target for shrinking its stake in its African unit earlier than expected as the bank boosted the size of a share sale by more than 50 percent. The London-based lender is selling 285.7 million shares of Barclays Africa Group Ltd., equal to a 33.7 percent stake, at 132 rand each, it said in a statement on Thursday. The bank previously planned to sell a 22 percent stake…

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`Gupta Leaks’ Emails Set to Show Family’s South Africa Influence

`Gupta Leaks’ Emails Set to Show Family’s South Africa Influence

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – Two South African news organizations plan to publish a series of stories about the influence of the Gupta family in the country after they obtained thousands of emails they say exposes dealings that allegedly include influence over government and state company decisions. Scorpio, the investigative unit of the Daily Maverick, and the amaBhungane Centre for Investigative Journalism have access to as many as 200,000 emails and other documents about the work…

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Barclays Shares Surge After Report Suggests Africa Group Sale Imminent

Barclays Shares Surge After Report Suggests Africa Group Sale Imminent

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – Barclays plc shares rose to the near top of the FTSE 100 Wednesday after a report from Sky News suggested the bank will announce the sale of a substantial stake in its troubled African division. The deal could raise around £1.6 billion ($2 billion) for the British lender while reducing its stake in the Johannesburg listed Barclays Africa Group from 51% to around 28%, Sky reported. Barclays stock rose…

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South Africa Posts Third Straight Monthly Trade Surplus in April

South Africa Posts Third Straight Monthly Trade Surplus in April

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – South Africa recorded a surplus on its trade account for a third straight month in April as imports of equipment components decreased. The 5.1 billion-rand ($388 million) surplus with March’s revised 11.3 billion-rand surplus, the Pretoria-based South African Revenue Service said in an emailed statement Wednesday. The median of four economist estimates compiled by Bloomberg was for a surplus of 7.4 billion rand. A smaller trade gap eases pressure on the current account,…

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South Africa Removes Eskom CEO Molefe After Bungled Rehire

South Africa Removes Eskom CEO Molefe After Bungled Rehire

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – South Africa will remove Brian Molefe as chief executive officer of Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd. less than three weeks after his controversial return to the state power utility. Public Enterprises Minister Lynne Brown will appoint an acting CEO within 48 hours, after a committee of cabinet ministers asked by President Jacob Zuma to review Molefe’s reinstatement found that the decision was incorrect, she told reporters in Cape Town on Wednesday. Brown has asked the…

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Miners Frozen Out as South Africa Readies Empowerment Rules

Miners Frozen Out as South Africa Readies Empowerment Rules

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – Mining companies in South Africa have been frozen out of consultation over regulatory changes that could dilute shareholders, raise costs and impose new levies to fund community development. South Africa’s Cabinet last week approved a new draft of the country’s Mining Charter and Mining Minister Mosebenzi Zwane has promised it will be gazetted within weeks. Yet while labor leaders have been consulted on the long-delayed new rules, the Chamber of Mines,…

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