The following company announcements, scheduled economic indicators, debt and currency market moves and political events may affect African markets on Wednesday.
GLOBAL MARKETS
Asian shares inched up on Wednesday following buoyant U.S. manufacturing indicators and a rally in U.S. tech shares, with investors also expecting more policy support from Washington.
WORLD OIL PRICES
Crude oil futures extended gains on Wednesday after a bigger-than-expected draw in U.S. crude stockpiles and as solid U.S. and Chinese factory activity fuelled optimism of a recovery from the pandemic, boosting investor risk appetite.
SOUTH AFRICA MARKETS
South Africa's rand rallied by nearly 2% on Tuesday reflecting a weakened dollar as well as easing anxiety over squabbling in the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party.
MARKETS
The Nigerian currency firmed sharply on the black market on Tuesday, gaining 9.65% to 435 naira against the U.S. dollar, traders said, citing the central bank's plan to restart forex sales to bureaux de change. The Kenyan shilling inched down against the dollar on Tuesday, weighed down by higher demand for hard currencies by importers, and generally poor sentiments about its prospects.
ECONOMY
The economic slump in sub-Saharan Africa caused by the coronavirus outbreak could last well over three years, Ghana's finance minister said on Tuesday.
BOURSE
Zimbabwe's markets regulator on Tuesday licensed a U.S. dollar-denominated stock exchange to operate in the resort town of Victoria Falls, part of efforts to lure foreign investors to a country grappling with severe foreign exchange shortages.
ARREST
The family of Paul Rusesabagina - hailed a hero in a Hollywood movie about Rwanda's 1994 genocide - have accused authorities in Kigali of kidnapping him, a day after he was paraded before media in handcuffs.