NAIROBI, May 6 (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 shares rose on Thursday and commodity prices held near multi-year highs as investors switched to cyclicals amid hopes of a strong economic recovery, while the Australian dollar fell after China said it would end economic dialogue with Canberra.
WORLD OIL PRICES
Oil prices rose on Thursday, recouping early losses, as crude stockpiles in the United States, the world's largest oil consumer, fell more sharply than expected as refining output rose and exports surged.
SOUTH AFRICA MARKETS
The South African rand gained on Wednesday afternoon, as the U.S. dollar eased off a more than two-week high hit earlier in the day and local media reported that the governing party had suspended one of its top officials, Ace Magashule.
MARKETS
The Kenyan shilling KES firmed slightly on Wednesday due to subdued dollar demand from importers and inflows from foreign investors in an upcoming government bond auction, traders said.
DEBT
Political turmoil in Chad has cast doubt over the Central African oil producer's efforts to agree relief on its nearly $3 billion debt burden, widely seen as a test case for a global plan to help the world's most indebted countries.
IMF
Uganda has applied to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a $900 million loan to help bolster its shaky finances after the COVID-19 pandemic hammered its economy, a top finance ministry official said on Wednesday.
RELATIONS
Kenya will waive work and business permits for investors from its neighbour Tanzania, President Uhuru Kenyatta said on Wednesday, as his counterpart made similar overtures in a thawing of often frosty relations between the two countries.
LOAN
Sudan said on Wednesday it had cleared its arrears to the African Development Bank through a $425 million bridge loan provided by Britain, Sweden and Ireland, opening it up to new funding, including an immediate grant of $207 million.
MAIZE
Zambia's maize production is expected to rise 7% to 3.62 million tonnes in the current 2020/2021 crop season from 3.38 million tonnes last season, Agriculture Minister Michael Katambo said on Wednesday.
COAST BONDS
Ivory Coast has launched domestic bonds worth 150 billion CFA francs ($276 million) to finance its infrastructures projects, a lead manager of the issuance said on Wednesday.