BitMine increases ethereum holdings to $6.6 billion, adds 373,000 tokens
NAIROBI, April 30 (Reuters) - The following company announcements, scheduled economic
indicators, debt and currency market moves and political events may affect African markets on
Thursday.
- - - - -
GLOBAL MARKETS
Asian stocks rose to a fresh seven-week high on Thursday, lifted
by encouraging early results from a COVID-19 treatment trial,
though bonds and currencies held cautious ranges ahead of a
European Central Bank meeting later in the day. MKTS/GLOB
WORLD OIL PRICES
Oil prices jumped on Thursday, extending steep gains in the
previous session on signs the U.S. crude glut is not growing as
quickly as expected and that gasoline demand battered by
COVID-19 restrictions is starting to pick up. O/R
EMERGING MARKETS
For the top emerging markets news, double click on STOCKS
For the latest news on African stocks, click on .J
SOUTH AFRICA MARKETS
South Africa's rand climbed to a two-week best on Wednesday as
investors found more reasons to buy risk assets with a number of
major economies readying to reopen their economies and hopes of
a coronavirus treatment resurfacing. OIL
Nigeria's oil and gas exports are expected to decline by at
least $26.5 billion as the novel coronavirus batters
international prices and cuts fuel demand, the International
Monetary Fund said late on Wednesday. CENTRAL BANK
Nigeria's central bank said on Wednesday it has resumed dollar
sales to commercial banks in view of the gradual easing of the
coronavirus lockdown. MARKETS
The Kenyan shilling KES= was flat on Wednesday amid thin
demand for hard currency from importers in the energy and other
sectors. ECONOMY
Kenya's economic growth is expected to drop to 1.5% this year,
and contract 1% in the worst-case scenario under the impact of
the coronavirus outbreak that has hit tourism, agricultural
exports and remittances, the World Bank said on
Wednesday. COMMODITIES
Zimbabwe farmers started selling their tobacco crop on Wednesday
after the coronavirus outbreak delayed the opening of auctions,
which provide vital foreign currency inflows, by more than a
month. CORONAVIRUS
The social media platform TikTok and the philanthropic Gates
Foundation donated $10 million each on Wednesday to the vaccine
alliance GAVI to help fund efforts to tackle the COVID-19
pandemic in Africa. TRADE
Uganda has stepped up restrictions on trucks passing through its
territory - limiting them to one driver and banning them from
stopping over in hotels - in a bid to curb the spread of the new
coronavirus. the latest precious metals report click on GOL/
For the latest base metals report click on MET/L
For the latest crude oil report click on O/L