The following company announcements, scheduled economic indicators, debt and currency market
moves and political events may affect African markets on Friday.
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GLOBAL MARKETS
Asian stocks were set to pull back on Friday, following a
dip on Wall Street as disappointing U.S. jobs data fanned
concerns the economic recovery from the coronavirus was
losing momentum. MKTS/GLOB
WORLD OIL PRICES
Oil prices slid by up to 2% in early trade on Friday, adding
to overnight declines, on worries that refineries will take
time to resume operations after the big freeze in the U.S.
South, creating a gap in demand, while OPEC+ supplies were
expected to rise. O/R
SOUTH AFRICA MARKETS
South Africa's rand firmed on Thursday as the U.S. dollar
and Treasury yields eased, with the local unit recovering
from losses in two previous sessions. GDP
Nigeria exited recession in the fourth quarter despite a
full-year contraction in 2020, reflecting the easing of
COVID-19 induced restrictions, the statistics office said on
Thursday. SECURITY
Nigeria's defence minister prompted criticism on Thursday
for urging Nigerians not to "be cowards" and to stand up to
armed bandits, while security forces embarked on a mission
to rescue 42 people kidnapped from a boarding school this
week. MARKETS
The Kenyan shilling KES= was unchanged on Thursday as
dollar inflows from remittances and non-governmental
organisations matched importer demand, traders
said. CORONAVIRUS
Kenya's main airport in Nairobi will find it easy to switch
from handling fruit to importing vaccines because it already
has extensive cold storage, a leading logistics executive
says. POLITICS
The Ugandan military on Thursday sentenced seven soldiers to
up 90 days in jail after they were convicted of assaulting
journalists who were covering an event outside a U.N. office
in the capital Kampala. CURRENCIES
Kenya's shilling, Zambia's kwacha and Nigeria's naira are
expected to weaken against the dollar in the next week to
Thursday, traders said. WORLD BANK
The World Bank on Thursday named the first African chief
executive of its private sector arm, the International
Finance Corp, a position key to the bank's efforts to
finance vaccines and drive investment in low-carbon energy
projects. FASO SECURITY
Suspected Islamists killed at least 18 people in attacks in
northern Burkina Faso and central Mali on Wednesday and
Thursday, government and security sources said. IVORY COAST AIRLINES
Ivory Coast's national airline Air Cote d'Ivoire reported
turnover of 48 billion CFA Francs ($88.7 million) in 2020,
down 42% from 83 billion the previous year because of the
coronavirus pandemic, an official said on
Thursday. EBOLA
Democratic Republic of Congo has confirmed two new cases of
Ebola, including one far from the centre of the outbreak,
provincial Health Minister Eugene Nzanzu Salita said on
Thursday. RATES
Zimbabwe lifted its main lending rate to 40% from 35%
previously on Thursday in a bid to reduce excess liquidity
and control speculation in its foreign currency market, the
central bank said. the latest precious metals report click on GOL/
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