NAIROBI, Oct 17 (Reuters) – The following company announcements, scheduled economic indicators, debt and currency market moves and political events may affect African markets on Thursday.

EVENTS:

*Kenya’s Senate is due to vote on whether to remove Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua from office.

GLOBAL MARKETS

Asian shares gave back early gains on Thursday as a housing policy briefing in China underwhelmed investors, while the dollar stood near 2-1/2 month highs on the prospect of a Donald Trump presidency.

WORLD OIL PRICES

Oil prices rose in early Asian trade on Thursday, paring sharp losses over the past two sessions, after industry data showed an unexpected drop in U.S. crude stockpiles last week.

SOUTH AFRICA MARKETS

South Africa’s rand held onto its gains on Wednesday, as domestic retail sales rose in August, indicating an improvement in consumer sentiment.

NIGERIA PETROLEUM

Nigeria’s oil regulator has rejected Shell’s proposed $1.3 billion sale of its onshore oilfields to Renaissance group because the buyer is not qualified to manage the assets, Lagos-based ThisDay newspaper reported on Wednesday.

KENYA MARKETS

The Kenyan shilling was unmoved against the dollar on Wednesday, data from the London Stock Exchange Group showed.

KENYA DEBT

Kenya is in discussions with the United Arab Emirates for a $1.5 billion commercial loan with an 8.25% interest rate and a seven-year tenor, Finance Minister John Mbadi said on Wednesday.

KENYA POLITICS

Kenya’s senate began impeachment hearings against Kenya’s deputy president on Wednesday, hours after a court said the proceedings were constitutional, clearing the way for a vote on his dismissal this week.

ETHIOPIA TELECOMS

State-owned Ethio Telecom has set a share price of 300 birr ($2.54) for the 100 million shares it plans to sell via the company’s mobile payment service prior to a stock market listing, the company’s CEO Frehiwot Tamiru said on Wednesday.

UGANDA COFFEE

The value of Uganda’s coffee exports surged 53.8% in September, compared to the same period a year ago, on the back of a rise in global prices, the state regulator said.

SENEGAL ECONOMY

The International Monetary Fund on Wednesday said a staff team had visited Senegal to start assessing the implications of data revisions resulting from a government audit of past and current IMF-supported programs.

GABON EUROBONDS

Gabon’s Eurobonds were trading near their highest levels since April after a research note sparked optimism over the government’s commitment and ability to repay a maturity due next year, investors told Reuters.

MOZAMBIQUE ELECTION

Mozambique’s ruling party Frelimo was leading provisional election results in all 11 provinces on Wednesday, while opposition parties cried fraud and one called for a strike.

((Compiled by Nairobi Newsroom))