NAIROBI, Oct 18 (Reuters) – The following company announcements, scheduled economic indicators, debt and currency market moves and political events may affect African markets on Friday.

GLOBAL MARKETS

China stocks rose on Friday as the central bank officially launched a swap facility aimed at boosting the equity market, although shares elsewhere in Asia were mixed in the wake of data confirming a slowdown in the world’s second-largest economy.

WORLD OIL PRICES

Crude oil futures steadied on Friday after strong U.S. retail sales data, but Chinese economic indicators remained mixed and prices were headed for their biggest weekly loss in more than a month on concerns about demand.

SOUTH AFRICA MARKETS

South Africa’s rand slipped against a stronger dollar on Thursday, after data showed U.S. retail sales rose more than expected, signalling a resilient U.S. economy.

AFRICA CURRENCIES

The Kenyan and Ugandan currencies are expected to be stable against the dollar in the next week to Thursday, while Nigeria’s, Ghana’s and Zambia’s could be under pressure, traders said.

NIGERIA ECONOMY

Nigeria is beginning to reap the benefits of significant policy reforms following a near fiscal crisis in 2020, but must stay the course, the World Bank said on Thursday.

KENYA MARKETS

The Kenyan shilling was steady against the dollar on Thursday as diaspora dollar inflows matched importer demand, one trader said.

KENYA POLITICS

Kenya’s senate voted to dismiss Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua from office by impeachment on five out of 11 charges levelled against him on Thursday, in an unprecedented move that risks pushing the country towards a political crisis.

TANZANIA ECONOMY

The International Monetary Fund reached a staff-level agreement with Tanzania on a review that will make about $265.8 million available to the African country, the IMF said in a statement on Thursday.

((Compiled by Nairobi Newsroom))