NAIROBI, May 31 (Reuters) – The following company announcements, scheduled economic indicators, debt and currency market moves and political events may affect African markets on Friday.

EVENTS:

*Kenya and Uganda’s statistics offices are due to release their respective consumer inflation data for May. *Democratic Republic of Congo’s central bank holds its first monetary policy committee meeting for the year.

GLOBAL MARKETS

Asian stocks rose on Friday and were poised for the fourth month of gains, while the dollar drifted lower, keeping the yen steady as investors await inflation readings from Europe and the U.S. that will likely dictate the path of interest rates globally.

WORLD OIL PRICES

Oil prices fell early on Friday as investors responded to comments from U.S. Fed officials who said it was too soon to start considering rate cuts, and following a surprise build in U.S. gasoline stocks that weighed on the market.

SOUTH AFRICA MARKETS

South Africa’s currency, stocks and bonds fell on Thursday amid political uncertainty after election projections showed the African National Congress (ANC) was set to lose its parliamentary majority for the first time in 30 years.

AFRICA CURRENCIES

Kenya’s shilling and Zambia’s kwacha are expected to gain ground against the dollar and Ghana’s cedi will weaken, while Nigeria’s naira and Uganda’s shilling are forecast to hold steady in the next week to Thursday, traders said.

NIGERIA WORLD BANK LOAN

Nigeria has secured a $500 million World Bank loan for its electricity sector to boost power distribution, after last month’s hike in tariffs for top consumers in Africa’s most populous nation.

KENYA MARKETS

Kenya’s shilling strengthened on Thursday, lifted by dollar inflows from tea exporters, traders said.

KENYA WORLD BANK LOAN

The World Bank on Thursday approved the first of three budget support packages for Kenya worth $1.2 billion, to help the East African country address short-term fiscal pressures and accelerate green policies.

WEST AFRICA POLITICS

Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, on his first official visit to Mali on Thursday, said he raised the question of remaining in regional bloc ECOWAS with his Malian counterpart, who was “not totally inflexible” on the matter.

IVORY COAST COCOA

Ivory Coast’s cocoa regulator has told exporters that a discount for the grading of beans from the mid-crop will not be offered for deferred contracts, according to a letter from the Coffee and Cocoa Council (CCC) dated May 24.

((Compiled by Nairobi Newsroom))