African Markets - Factors to watch on January 16

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

World stocks inched ahead to a record high on Thursday after

the United States and China signed an initial deal to defuse

their 18-month trade war, though financial markets were wary

as a number of thorny issues remained

unresolved. MKTS/GLOB

WORLD OIL PRICES

Oil prices rose on Thursday after the signing of an initial

Sino-U.S. trade deal that sets the stage for a surge in

Chinese purchases of American energy products, while U.S.

crude inventories fell more than expected. 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 firmed against the dollar on Wednesday

as November retail sales rose more than expected, giving

insight into how the economy performed in the final quarter

of last year. MARKETS

The Kenyan shilling KES= was stable on Wednesday and was

forecast to trade in a tight range against the dollar

supported by inflows from non-governmental organizations and

offshore investors buying government debt, traders

said. ECONOMY

Kenya will no longer set wide budget deficits and will focus

on boosting inadequate revenue collection and minimal

borrowing, the finance minister said on

Wednesday. GOLD

Small-scale mining is booming, and new gold refineries are

opening by the dozen, to process metal produced by informal

diggers in Africa and beyond. ELECTIONS

Ethiopia proposes to hold its national vote on Aug. 16, the

electoral board said on Wednesday, the first poll under

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed who has eased political

restrictions and taken steps to open the economy since

taking office in 2018. AIRLINES

Ethiopian Airlines will start constructing a new $5 billion

airport later this year, its chief executive officer was

quoted as saying on Wednesday, as the rapidly-expanding

carrier outgrows capacity at its current base in Addis

Ababa. REPUBLIC OF CONGO MINING

The Democratic Republic of Congo's state mining company

Gécamines on Wednesday opened the Deziwa copper and cobalt

mine and processing plant, part of a joint venture

majority-owned by China Nonferrous Metal Mining Company

(CNMC). For 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