Africa
Top Dealmaker: Hussein Hassan, Global Head of Islamic Finance, JP Morgan
Hussein Hassan, Global Head of Islamic Finance, JP Morgan talks the growth of sukuk in Africa
29 Feb 2016
Challenges to African borrowers: An interview with Stewart Wakeman
Stewart Wakeman, Deputy General Manager, Structure Finance Division, Europe, Mizuho Bank discusses the challenges that African borrowers face and the countries/sectors that are likely to be most exciting during 2016.
29 Feb 2016
External Macro Challenges to Africa: An interview with Konrad Reuss
Konrad Reuss, Managing Director, Standard & Poor's Ratings Services discusses the external macro challenges that Africa faced in 2015 and the challenges this will present to borrowers and issuers in 2016.
24 Feb 2016
South Africa on the cusp of a critical budget
The South African budget will be revealed by Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan. In it, many hope there will be measures outlining how the country will overcome a combination of threats if it is to avoid being downgraded to ‘junk’ by the main ratings agencies.
24 Feb 2016
Standard Bank looks for African loans
Standard Bank is on the hunt for loans for some of its entities. With African Eurobonds proving unpopular amid economic conditions in the region, loans could stage a comeback.
15 Feb 2016
Flight to safety drives down yields on Nigerian bonds
Nigeria has seen yields on its bonds jump amid concerns over the state of the country’s economy, especially on local currency government issuances. Interestingly, new local currency bonds seem to be bucking this trend by offering lower yields than before.
15 Feb 2016
Nigeria shelves Eurobond, Chinese loan on the cards
Nigeria is looking to borrow heavily on both the domestic and international debt markets to fund its budget deficit this year. However rumours that it will forgo Eurobonds for foreign loans seem unlikely considering how much the country wants to raise.
12 Feb 2016
Zambia issues yet more treasury bills
Zambia has steep budget deficits to cover resulting from low copper prices. It has financed these locally and externally, increasing borrowing costs for the country. It is still issuing debt, but falling popularity amongst investors despite high yields has reduced the size of issuances recently.
9 Feb 2016
South Africa raises benchmark rate, but will it halt the bond rout?
The country’s central bank has raised interest rates to stem rising inflation. The move has been long overdue, with investors having considered pricing in an interest rate hike into markets earlier in the month. The bank’s action may also have the potential to halt the rout in the country’s bond market.
1 Feb 2016
Nigeria to debut sovereign sukuk in May
African sukuk issuances have been rare in the past. Recently, some countries in the region including Nigeria have considered sukuk offerings to broaden their access capital, but appetite may be low with the region under pressure fiscally from low oil prices.
29 Jan 2016