May 23 (Reuters) – The following company announcements, scheduled economic indicators, debt and currency market moves and political events may affect African markets on Thursday.

EVENTS:

Democratic Republic of Congo’s central bank is expected to hold its first monetary policy committee meeting for the year.

U.S. President Joe Biden hosts Kenyan President William Ruto for state visit to mark 60th anniversary of U.S.-Kenya diplomatic relations.

Chad’s newly elected president, junta leader Mahamat Idriss Deby, will be sworn in at a ceremony in the capital N’Djamena.

GLOBAL MARKETS

Several key Asian share benchmarks fell on Thursday as markets digested the implications of policymakers in major economies preferring to take patient approach to monetary easing amid sticky inflation.

[MKTS/GLOB]

WORLD OIL PRICES

Oil prices eased for a fourth straight day on Thursday on worries that U.S. borrowing costs could be hiked again if inflation surged, a move that could hurt oil demand.

[O/R]

AFRICA STOCKS

SOUTH AFRICA MARKETS

The South African rand fell against the dollar on Wednesday as traders awaited Federal Reserve meeting minutes for hints on the interest rate path of the world’s biggest economy.

KENYA MARKETS

The Kenyan shilling weakened slightly against the dollar on Wednesday, LSEG data showed.

KCB GROUP RESULTS

Kenya’s KCB Group’s KCB.NR pretax profit for the first quarter of this year jumped 53%, helped by higher interest income, it said on Wednesday.

USA AFRICA

U.S. President Joe Biden said he plans to make an official visit to Africa in February after the U.S. presidential election, an announcement that presumed he will defeat Donald Trump.

CONGO APPLE

International lawyers representing the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo said on Wednesday they had new evidence gathered from whistleblowers, which deepened concerns that Apple AAPL.O could be sourcing minerals from conflict areas in eastern Congo.

MOZAMBIQUE OIL

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) has bought Galp’s GALP.LS 10% stake in the Area 4 concession of the multi-billion-dollar natural gas project in Mozambique’s Rovuma basin, its fourth international foray into gas.

CONGO POLITICS

The Democratic Republic of Congo’s national assembly elected Vital Kamerhe, whose home was violently attacked on Sunday, as speaker in a delayed vote, a key step towards installing a government five months after a presidential election.

USA KENYA

U.S. President Joe Biden is expected to designate Kenya as a major non-NATO ally during a three-day state visit by Kenyan President William Ruto this week, a source familiar with the plans said.

RWANDA IMF

The International Monetary Fund said on Wednesday it was releasing a combined $164.6 million in funds to Rwanda after its executive board concluded reviews of the country’s support programmes.

AFRICA DROUGHT

The U.N. World Food Programme (WFP) needs $400 million to feed millions of people in Southern Africa following a drought that plunged parts of the region into hunger, the programme said on Wednesday.

((Compiled by Nairobi Newsroom))