With a potential credit downgrade in the offing, yawning fiscal gaps to fill, and an election on the horizon, South Africa has found itself at yet another critical junction, forcing government and state-owned companies to weigh short-term wins against long-term objectives. In advance of our Bonds, Loans & Sukuk event in Cape Town in March, we speak with Dr Frans Cronje, CEO of the South African…
8 Mar 2019
EM ended the week firm on rising optimism regarding US-China trade. Talks will continue this week ahead of Friday’s deadline. It may be too soon to strike a deal, however, and so we expect a 60-day extension. China provides the first snapshot of February activity with its PMI readings this week, where some stability is seen after recent stimulus measures. Downside risks remain in place, however.
25 Feb 2019
Markets have hung their hopes on the upcoming 2019 election and the avoidance of a blowout at troubled state-owned utility Eskom as potential reasons for optimism in South Africa, but without a monumental shift in mindset, or an end to the factionalism that has increasingly defined the executive and the ANC, both reform and growth will remain elusive.
22 Feb 2019
How do telecom operators and governments shut down an entire country’s connectivity? In Africa, where is the risk highest in 2019? And, what is the commercial and economic impact of the shutdowns? EXX Africa's Robert Besseling provides the analysis.
12 Feb 2019
EM FX ended the week mixed but gave up much of their post-FOMC gains as the week progressed. MYR, PHP, and MXN were the best EM performers for the week and posted small gains. ZAR, BRL, and ARS were the worst in EM, dropping nearly 2% against USD. US-China trade talks and Chinese data are likely to set the tone for EM this week. Reports that the US government may shut down again should weigh on…
11 Feb 2019
The long-term investment potential in South Africa and the continent as a whole remains vast, but African fixed-income remains vulnerable to global factors, which forces investors to limit their exposure to asset classes that can withstand tumultuous periods, says Simon Howie, Co-Head of SA and Africa Fixed Income at Investec Asset Management, in an interview with Bonds & Loans.
5 Feb 2019
Sub-Saharan Africa has progressed in strides over the past two decades, but rapid debt accumulation, political instability and impact of global market volatility has led to souring near-term sentiment on the region. Bonds & Loans discussed these and other topics with Darias Jonker, Director for Southern Africa at the Eurasia Group.
30 Jan 2019
EM FX ended the week on a soft note, as the dollar remains resilient. While a softer US interest rate outlook benefits EM, we think this is offset by the deteriorating global growth outlook. The IMF will release its updated World Economic Outlook Monday, which is likely to highlight the growing downside risks.
21 Jan 2019
In an exclusive interview with Bonds & Loans, Joe Delvaux, Senior Fund Manager at Duet Asset Management, delves into frontier markets, assessing their performance in 2018, providing insight into investor sentiment on broader EM assets, and takes a glimpse into what 2019 might bring.
14 Jan 2019
Gardner Rusike, Sovereign Analyst at S&P Global, offers a brief outlook assessment of Africa’s largest markets and examines the challenges and opportunities facing the continent in 2019.
9 Jan 2019