NAIROBI, Feb 25 (Reuters) - The following company announcements, scheduled economic
indicators, debt and currency market moves and political events may affect African markets on
Thursday.
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GLOBAL MARKETS
Asian stocks jumped on Thursday after U.S. Federal Reserve
Chair Jerome Powell reaffirmed interest rates would stay low
for a long time, calming market fears that higher inflation
might prompt the central bank to tighten the monetary
spigot. MKTS/GLOB
WORLD OIL PRICES
Oil prices rose for a fourth straight session on Thursday to
the highest levels in more than 13 months, underpinned by
monetary easing policies and lower crude production in the
United States. O/R
EMERGING MARKETS
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STOCKS
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SOUTH AFRICA MARKETS
South Africa's rand strengthened on Wednesday afternoon,
then fell back, as investors digested a budget meant to
contain COVID-19 but avoid a debt spiral. MARKETS
The Kenyan shilling KES= was steady on Wednesday and was
expected to weaken due to strong end-month demand for
dollars from the energy sector and general goods importers,
traders said. TRANSPORTATION
The Nigerian naira traded at a record intra-day low of
429.75 to the dollar on the over-the-counter spot market,
exchange data showed on Wednesday, as banks bid for foreign
exchange to meet demand. TRANSPORTATION
Nigeria plans to cut import duty on tractors and mass
transit vehicles to try to reduce transportation costs and
tackle high food prices contributing to double-digit
inflation, the finance minister said on
Wednesday. VACCINE
The World Health Organization's global vaccine-sharing
scheme COVAX delivered its first COVID-19 shots on
Wednesday, as the race to inoculate the world's poorest
people and tame the pandemic accelerates. IVORY COAST AND GHANA COCOA
Top cocoa producers Ivory Coast and Ghana need to control
supplies and join forces with other producing countries if
they want to achieve higher prices, the head of the
International Cocoa Organisation (ICCO) said. NIGER ELECTIONS
Supporters of Niger's opposition leader Mahamane Ousmane set
up burning barricades and clashed with riot police in the
capital Niamey on Wednesday, as the former president
declared himself the winner of Sunday's vote, despite losing
the official tally. VACCINE
Zimbabwe will buy an additional 1.2 million COVID-19 vaccine
doses from China at a preferential price, President Emmerson
Mnangagwa's spokesman said on Wednesday, after Beijing
agreed to give more free doses to the southern African
country. For the latest precious metals report click on GOL/
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