<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2048" height="1261" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/OZ4B5K4TQZJQ3DGFJGTGZNTIYQ-scaled.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-425668" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/OZ4B5K4TQZJQ3DGFJGTGZNTIYQ-scaled.jpg 2048w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/OZ4B5K4TQZJQ3DGFJGTGZNTIYQ-300x185.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/OZ4B5K4TQZJQ3DGFJGTGZNTIYQ-820x505.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/OZ4B5K4TQZJQ3DGFJGTGZNTIYQ-146x90.jpg 146w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/OZ4B5K4TQZJQ3DGFJGTGZNTIYQ-768x473.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/OZ4B5K4TQZJQ3DGFJGTGZNTIYQ-1536x946.jpg 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">FILE PHOTO: A man walks beneath electricity pylons during frequent power outages from South African utility Eskom, caused by its ageing coal-fired plants, in Orlando, Soweto, South Africa, January 16, 2023. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko//File Photo</figcaption></figure>



PRETORIA, Aug 12 (Reuters)&nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;South Africa&#8217;s plan to expand its power grid, now the biggest bottleneck to replacing coal with renewables, has hit a snag: finding investors to lend the necessary $21 billion to a near-bankrupt state monopoly.



Since May&#8217;s election brought a coalition government to power, there has been a policy shift favouring renewables, after years of bureaucratic delays and contradictory messages about South Africa&#8217;s willingness to give up coal, which provides 80% of its power.



But as private providers &#8211; including Mainstream Renewable (owned by Aker Horizons&nbsp;AKH.OL), EDF Renewables&nbsp;EDF.PA&nbsp;and Acciona SA&nbsp;ANE.MC&nbsp;&#8211; prepare to transform the sector, many face another problem: how to get power from sunny and windy outposts to energy-hungry urban centres.



Six officials told Reuters over the past month they were considering options for financing some 14,000 kilometers (8,700 miles) of power lines and pylons, but hadn&#8217;t yet found a solution.



&#8220;Our quest to decarbonise &#8230; relies heavily on our ability to expand the grid,&#8221; new Energy Minister Kgosientso Ramokgopa told Reuters at his office in Pretoria late last month.



&#8220;But raising 390 billion rand ($21.30 billion), the state doesn&#8217;t have the balance sheet to roll out that size of capital investment.&#8221;



Meanwhile, donors offering a total of $11.6 billion mostly in loans to fund climate-related projects are reluctant to lend the needed cash to state power firm Eskom without sovereign guarantees, which the government cannot currently provide, two donor country sources and a South African source involved in the programme, told Reuters.



That is because of its high debt levels &#8211; Eskom owes over 400 billion rand, even after receiving billions in government debt relief. Broke municipalities also owe the utility 78 billion rand, which Ramokgopa calls an &#8220;existential threat&#8221;.



Representatives of the German and French partners in the donor-funded program did not respond to emailed questions, while British partners declined to officially comment.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-simply-no-way">&#8220;SIMPLY NO WAY&#8221;</h2>



Burning coal has rendered South Africa among the world&#8217;s top 15 greenhouse gas emitters &#8211; above Italy, France and Britain. It is seen as a test case for aid to developing countries to switch to green energy, alongside Vietnam and Indonesia.



But years of blackouts from aging power stations have also ravaged Africa&#8217;s most industrialised economy, and Eskom only ended them earlier this year by firing up its coal burners to full capacity, most likely increasing emissions.



A bidding process to bring in independent producers to generate power and sell it to Eskom last year failed owing to insufficient grid capacity, Rudi Dicks, head of project management at President Cyril Ramaphosa&#8217;s office, said.



The core issue is that the grid stems from the northeastern coal belt, but the sun beats down hardest on the semi-desert Northern Cape, while coastal Eastern Cape gets the best winds.



&#8220;You really need to reconfigure the entire grid &#8230; (but) they are chugging along building at less than 10% the pace that&#8217;s needed,&#8221; Crispian Oliver, head of the Presidential Climate Commission, told Reuters.



Eskom&#8217;s plan involves building 1,400 kilometres of transmission lines every year for at least 10 years. Last year, it managed 74 km (45 miles).



&#8220;There&#8217;s simply no way Treasury can put out (sufficient) &#8230; guarantees,&#8221; Oliver told Reuters, remarks echoed by Ramokgopa.



&#8220;The alternative is to &#8230; get the private sector to take on large portions of the risk,&#8221; Oliver said, via mezzanine finance.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-we-need-to-build-now">&#8220;WE NEED TO BUILD NOW&#8221;</h2>



A Treasury spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment, but the two donor sources said options included escrow accounts &#8211; in which a neutral third party holds the funds and releases them when both sides have met their obligations &#8211; and offtake agreements with private firms that would fund construction in exchange for future earnings.



The latter could unlock cash from the United States, which currently doesn&#8217;t fund transmission as it will not work with public institutions.



&#8220;Should a framework involving private entities be established, we would be open to exploring partnerships,&#8221; Emilia Adams, a U.S. embassy spokesperson, said.



Eskom CEO Dan Marokane told Reuters that to attract private companies into transmission, the regulator still needed to overhaul tariffs &#8220;because investors want to know with certainty what their return expectations can be&#8221;.



He hoped this would happen by year-end.



Dicks, meanwhile, said the Treasury had agreed in principle to fund some grid buildout on a case-by-case basis, and that work was underway to get private firms involved.



&#8220;But that&#8217;s 18 months away,&#8221; he said. &#8220;And we need to build right now&#8221;.



Officials had agreed to adopt engineering procurement and construction financing (EPC) and independent power transmission funding (IPT) methods, Dicks said, with the latter opening up the possibility of getting China, which last year signed a raft of energy deals with South Africa, involved.



A spokesperson for The State Grid Corporation of China could not be reached for comment.



($1 = 18.4847 rand)



(Reporting by Tim CocksAdditional reporting by Collen Howe in Beijing and Kopano Gumbi in Johannesburg; Editing by Sharon Singleton)

FILE PHOTO: South Africa’s Eskom to reduce power cuts but long-term outlook bleak

South Africa battles to fund vital grid upgrade for green energy

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="546" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/AMFIPVFR25OWJEGKNAXCTAXDRQ-820x546.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-517945" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/AMFIPVFR25OWJEGKNAXCTAXDRQ-820x546.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/AMFIPVFR25OWJEGKNAXCTAXDRQ-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/AMFIPVFR25OWJEGKNAXCTAXDRQ-135x90.jpg 135w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/AMFIPVFR25OWJEGKNAXCTAXDRQ-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/AMFIPVFR25OWJEGKNAXCTAXDRQ-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/AMFIPVFR25OWJEGKNAXCTAXDRQ-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Students attend a class at Super Climax Academy, a coaching institute training students to prepare for competitive examinations to secure government jobs, in Prayagraj, India, June 21, 2024. REUTERS/Sahiba Chawdhary</figcaption></figure>



ZURICH, Aug 12 (Reuters)&nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;Youth unemployment worldwide last year dipped to a 15-year-low and is likely to continue falling through 2025, although weaker growth means Asia has lagged this trend, the International Labour Organization said in a report published on Monday.



The ILO said 64.9 million people aged between 15 and 24 worldwide were unemployed last year, good for a rate of 13%, and it forecast that proportion would decrease further over the following two years to sit at 12.8% in 2024 and 2025.



The improvement in the market was driven by robust economic growth rates following the COVID-19 pandemic which has spurred demand for youth labour, the ILO said.



Youth unemployment rates in 2023 returned to their pre-pandemic rates or lower in most, but not all subregions.



For young people in the Arab States, East Asia, and South-East Asia and the Pacific, youth unemployment rates were higher last year than in 2019, the ILO said.



For the Arab States, this was a continuation of the pre-COVID-19 trend. But for the Asian subregions, it marked a change of direction from the stronger growth of the pre-COVID years.



The ILO also noted that the far lower average age of the population in Africa than in more developed nations has raised questions about economic sustainability there.



The imminent &#8220;youthquake&#8221; in Africa means job creation is becoming a critical issue for social justice and the future of the global economy, the organization said.



(Reporting by Dave Graham, Editing by Rachel More)

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<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="521" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/UJBRZT5PTNNC3BEOYHLK6E2UQQ-820x521.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-516610" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/UJBRZT5PTNNC3BEOYHLK6E2UQQ-820x521.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/UJBRZT5PTNNC3BEOYHLK6E2UQQ-300x191.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/UJBRZT5PTNNC3BEOYHLK6E2UQQ-142x90.jpg 142w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/UJBRZT5PTNNC3BEOYHLK6E2UQQ-768x488.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/UJBRZT5PTNNC3BEOYHLK6E2UQQ-1536x976.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/UJBRZT5PTNNC3BEOYHLK6E2UQQ-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">FILE PHOTO: Somalia&#8217;s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud speaks during an interview with Reuters, in his office in Mogadishu, Somalia February 20, 2024. REUTERS/Feisal Omar/File Photo</figcaption></figure>



MOGADISHU, Aug 8 (Reuters)&nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;Somalia&#8217;s cabinet approved a bill on Thursday that, if confirmed by parliament, will revert the country&#8217;s election system to universal suffrage for the first time in decades, ending a process of indirect voting, the government&#8217;s spokesperson said.



Amid widespread insecurity caused by an Islamist insurgency and weak state structures, in recent years lawmakers voted for the president, while clan heads and elders elected lawmakers in both the federal government and regional states.



The country had initially been scheduled to move to direct voting in 2020, but protracted squabbles among politicians and persisting insecurity across the country forced the government to retain the indirect ballot.



&#8220;The election rules will lead the country to one person one vote nationally,&#8221; government spokesperson Farhan Jimale said in a statement.



&#8220;(This) will give the citizens the power to vote and elect for the first time after 55 years. It is a historic day&#8221; he said.



The policy was announced last year by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who was elected by lawmakers for a five-year mandate in May 2022.



Its roll-out faces significant logistical and security challenges because of the lack of infrastructure and al Shabaab, an Islamist militant group, maintains control over large swathes of the country.



(Reporting by Abdi Sheikh; Writing by Hereward Holland; Editing by Toby Chopra)

FILE PHOTO: Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud speaks during an interview with Reuters, in his office in Mogadishu

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<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="521" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/RLVCCF47LVIWPJR4O2PPITYMVI-820x521.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-516586" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/RLVCCF47LVIWPJR4O2PPITYMVI-820x521.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/RLVCCF47LVIWPJR4O2PPITYMVI-300x191.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/RLVCCF47LVIWPJR4O2PPITYMVI-142x90.jpg 142w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/RLVCCF47LVIWPJR4O2PPITYMVI-768x488.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/RLVCCF47LVIWPJR4O2PPITYMVI-1536x976.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/RLVCCF47LVIWPJR4O2PPITYMVI.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A teller handles U.S. dollar banknotes and Kenya shilling banknotes inside the cashier&#8217;s booth at a forex exchange bureau in downtown Nairobi, Kenya, February 16, 2024. REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya/File Photo</figcaption></figure>



NAIROBI, Aug 8 (Reuters)&nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;Kenya&#8217;s currency is forecast to strengthen against the dollar in the next week to Thursday, while Ghana&#8217;s, Nigeria&#8217;s and Zambia&#8217;s are expected to be relatively stable, and Uganda&#8217;s could fall, traders said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-kenya">KENYA</h2>



Kenya&#8217;s shilling could gain ground, helped by remittances and offshore dollar inflows to buy government bonds.



Commercial banks quoted the shilling at 128.50/129.50 per dollar, compared with last Thursday&#8217;s closing rate of 129.00/130.00.



&#8220;It will remain fairly supported, with a bias to a stronger shilling. We might see some attraction on the upcoming infrastructure bond sale, it might attract some foreign investor flows,&#8221; one trader said.



Kenya&#8217;s central bank is selling infrastructure bonds worth a total of 50 billion shillings this month.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ghana">GHANA</h2>



Ghana&#8217;s cedi is seen trading relatively stable next week on matched demand and supply on the interbank market.



LSEG data showed the cedi trading at 15.54 to the dollar, from 15.48 at last Thursday&#8217;s close.



&#8220;We expect the cedi to remain stable at the current levels, barring any resurgence of aggressive bidders on the market,&#8221; said Selasi Kabo, a forex trader at Stanbic Bank Ghana.



&#8220;The local unit traded relatively stable against the dollar in the past week, with very little activity between market makers,&#8221; said Sedem Dornoo, a senior trader from Absa Bank Ghana.



&#8220;Up ahead, we could see some pressure on the cedi in the next few weeks given upcoming coupon payments on the restructured bonds, as coupon recipients may look to purchase hard currency,&#8221; he added.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nigeria">NIGERIA</h2>



Nigeria&#8217;s naira is expected to trade around current levels after the central bank intervened in the market this week to ease pressure on the currency.



LSEG data showed the naira was quoted at 1,580 to the dollar on the official market on Thursday, compared with around 1,625 a week ago. The unit sold at about 1,620 in street trading on Thursday.



On Wednesday the central bank sold $876 million at 1,495 naira to the dollar at its first retail auction to end users. The naira was quoted at 1,628 to the dollar before the auction result was announced.



&#8220;The sale of dollars directly to retail end users at a below market rate will see the recent pressure on the naira cool off,&#8221; one trader said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-zambia">ZAMBIA</h2>



Zambia&#8217;s kwacha is expected to hold steady in the coming week on improved dollar inflows and reduced demand for hard currency.



The currency of Africa&#8217;s second-largest copper producer traded at 26.05 to the dollar on Thursday, from 25.95 at the close of business a week ago.



&#8220;The local unit is likely to remain stable with a bias to post minor gains on improved market liquidity amid a slowdown in importer (dollar) appetite,&#8221; Zambia National Commercial Bank said in a note.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-uganda">UGANDA</h2>



Uganda&#8217;s shilling is seen trading with a moderately weakening tone on the back of an interest rate cut by the central bank.



Commercial banks quoted the shilling at 3,725/3,735 to the U.S. dollar, compared to last Thursday&#8217;s close of 3,730/3,740.



&#8220;There will be a bit of a negative sentiment from the rate decision that will negatively weigh on the shilling, but I don&#8217;t anticipate a significant movement,&#8221; one trader said.



On Wednesday the Bank of Uganda cut its benchmark lending rate by 25 basis points, saying a recovery in the shilling had led to an improvement in the inflation outlook.



(Reporting by George Obulutsa, Christian Akorlie, Elisha Bala-Gbogbo, Elias Biryabarema and Chris MfulaEditing by Alexander Winning)

RLVCCF47LVIWPJR4O2PPITYMVI

Kenya’s currency seen strengthening, Ghana’s steady

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="429" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/https___cloudfront-us-east-2.images.arcpublishing.com_reuters_APRKGTRBQVIBVAXDNA2LHTJGC4-820x429.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-516568" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/https___cloudfront-us-east-2.images.arcpublishing.com_reuters_APRKGTRBQVIBVAXDNA2LHTJGC4-820x429.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/https___cloudfront-us-east-2.images.arcpublishing.com_reuters_APRKGTRBQVIBVAXDNA2LHTJGC4-300x157.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/https___cloudfront-us-east-2.images.arcpublishing.com_reuters_APRKGTRBQVIBVAXDNA2LHTJGC4-160x84.jpg 160w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/https___cloudfront-us-east-2.images.arcpublishing.com_reuters_APRKGTRBQVIBVAXDNA2LHTJGC4-768x402.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/https___cloudfront-us-east-2.images.arcpublishing.com_reuters_APRKGTRBQVIBVAXDNA2LHTJGC4-1536x804.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/https___cloudfront-us-east-2.images.arcpublishing.com_reuters_APRKGTRBQVIBVAXDNA2LHTJGC4.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo: via Reuters</figcaption></figure>



NAIROBI, Aug 8 (Reuters)&nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;Police fired tear gas to clear pockets of anti-government demonstrators from the centre of Kenya&#8217;s capital Nairobi on Thursday, as their protest movement sought to capitalise on earlier concessions and compel President William Ruto to resign.



The &#8220;Nane Nane&#8221; march, meaning &#8220;eight eight&#8221; in reference to the date, follows weeks of similar pro-reform protests that saw Ruto scrap planned tax hikes and overhaul his cabinet.



The youth-led nationwide protests began peacefully in June before turning violent, and more than 50 people have been killed.



Shops were shut and streets left deserted after riot police set up road blocks and threw tear gas canisters to disperse handfuls of protesters across Nairobi&#8217;s financial district. Police fired tear gas at one group of a dozen protesters chanting &#8220;Ruto must go&#8221;, a Reuters journalist reported.



A lone rag-picker was seen gathering up some of the canisters, occasionally wincing as some still appeared to be hot.



At least three journalists were wounded when police fired tear gas canisters close to them, the International Press Association of East Africa, which represents hundreds of journalists in the region, said on X.



In what has been the biggest crisis of his two years in office, Ruto bowed to pressure and shelved the new taxes in June after some demonstrators briefly stormed parliament.



Ruto fired his entire cabinet apart from the foreign minister last month, a victory for activists and protesters who had demanded sweeping changes.



Ruto then named opposition members to his cabinet, but activists criticised the move as a corrupt deal and reiterated demands that he resign. They called for far-reaching reforms to tackle corruption and for regional county and national governments to improve service delivery.



Ruto has said the new cabinet reflects national unity and will address the demands of the protest movement. He has promised to investigate alleged abuses by the police during demonstrations but has broadly defended their conduct.



Ruto&#8217;s reconstituted cabinet was sworn in on Thursday.



&#8220;Where Kenya is today, while competition is healthy and good, there is a moment where the interest of a nation is greater than the interest of a political formation,&#8221; he said in a speech after the ministers were sworn in.



The protests have no official leaders and have been mostly organised online.



Ruto has stepped up criticism of them after initially praising demonstrators for being peaceful.



&#8220;We are a proudly democratic country, based on the firm foundation of the rule of law. There is no room for anarchy, chaos and violence,&#8221; Ruto said in Embu County on Wednesday.



The Kenyan police asked people to avoid crowded areas ahead of Thursday&#8217;s protests and said it was deploying adequate personnel across the country.



(Reporting by Bhargav Acharya, Humphrey Malalo, Nelson Aruya and Jeff Kahinju, Editing by Hereward Holland, William Maclean)

https___cloudfront-us-east-2.images.arcpublishing.com_reuters_APRKGTRBQVIBVAXDNA2LHTJGC4

Kenya police use tear gas to clear pockets of protesters in Nairobi

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="728" height="485" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/CORIUWLHAJI4LNBBJBT32ZAVTI.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-422769" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/CORIUWLHAJI4LNBBJBT32ZAVTI.jpg 728w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/CORIUWLHAJI4LNBBJBT32ZAVTI-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/CORIUWLHAJI4LNBBJBT32ZAVTI-135x90.jpg 135w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 728px) 100vw, 728px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Kenya Central Bank Governor Patrick Njoroge displays Kenyan shilling bank notes during a news conference at the Central Bank in Nairobi, Kenya, June 3, 2019. REUTERS/Baz Ratner</figcaption></figure>



NAIROBI, Aug 8 (Reuters) &#8211; Kenya&#8217;s shilling was stable on Thursday, with dollar inflows from remittances and non-governmental organisations meeting importer demand.



At 0810 GMT, commercial banks quoted the shilling at 128.50/129.50 per dollar, the same level it closed at on Wednesday.



(Reporting by George Obulutsa, Editing by Bhargav Acharya)

Kenya Central Bank Governor Patrick Njoroge displays the newly designed Kenyan shilling bank notes during a news conference at the Central Bank in Nairobi

Kenyan shilling stable; remittances help meet importer demand

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2048" height="1439" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/LA24V6GG4VKUROZCEGVVO63DKQ-scaled.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-424954" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/LA24V6GG4VKUROZCEGVVO63DKQ-scaled.jpg 2048w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/LA24V6GG4VKUROZCEGVVO63DKQ-300x211.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/LA24V6GG4VKUROZCEGVVO63DKQ-820x576.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/LA24V6GG4VKUROZCEGVVO63DKQ-128x90.jpg 128w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/LA24V6GG4VKUROZCEGVVO63DKQ-768x540.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/LA24V6GG4VKUROZCEGVVO63DKQ-1536x1079.jpg 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A street money changer counts South African Rands in Harare, Zimbabwe, file. REUTERS/Philimon Bulawayo/File Photo</figcaption></figure>



JOHANNESBURG, Aug 8 (Reuters)&nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;South Africa&#8217;s rand was stable in early trade on Thursday, as markets traded cautiously ahead of U.S. jobless claims data that could be a major driver globally.



At 0805 GMT, the rand traded at 18.41 against the dollar, the same level it closed at on Wednesday.



South African assets including the rand plunged on Monday, caught up in a global sell-off linked to U.S. recession worries. They have staged a recovery since, but analysts caution that sentiment is still fragile.



&#8220;Investors are currently highly sensitive to any negative news that could hint at a (U.S.) recession,&#8221; said Andre Cilliers, currency strategist at TreasuryONE.



&#8220;Currency and commodity markets are keeping within recent ranges ahead of today&#8217;s U.S. jobless claims number with traders in cautious mode,&#8221; he added.



At 1100 GMT Statistics South Africa will publish June manufacturing output figures ZAMAN, ZAMFG. Analysts polled by Reuters predict a 0.9% contraction in year-on-year terms and a 1.3% expansion month-on-month.



On the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, the blue-chip Top-40 index traded about 0.5% weaker in early trade.



South Africa&#8217;s benchmark 2030 government bond was also weaker in early deals, with the yield up 3.5 basis points to 9.415%.



(Reporting by Tannur Anders; Editing by Alexander Winning)

FILE PHOTO: A street money changer counts South African Rands in Harare

South African rand flat, global focus on US jobless claims

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="573" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/6C4MZYOVDRPGPIB65MJOQGNVLA-820x573.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-516475" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/6C4MZYOVDRPGPIB65MJOQGNVLA-820x573.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/6C4MZYOVDRPGPIB65MJOQGNVLA-300x209.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/6C4MZYOVDRPGPIB65MJOQGNVLA-129x90.jpg 129w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/6C4MZYOVDRPGPIB65MJOQGNVLA-768x536.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/6C4MZYOVDRPGPIB65MJOQGNVLA-1536x1072.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/6C4MZYOVDRPGPIB65MJOQGNVLA-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">FILE PHOTO: Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed speaks in parliament during a session to approve the country&#8217;s 2024/25 budget, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, July 4, 2024. REUTERS/Tiksa Negeri/File Photo</figcaption></figure>



ADDIS ABABA, Aug 8 (Reuters)&nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;Ethiopia&#8217;s securities exchange is expected to start operations in October, its chief executive was quoted as saying by state-affiliated media on Thursday.



The establishment of a bourse is part of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed&#8217;s push to open up the country &#8211; which is heavily controlled by the state &#8211; to greater private investment.



All human resource and technological requirements for the bourse will be in place by October, the bourse&#8217;s CEO Tilahun Esmael Kassahun was quoted as saying by Fana Broadcasting.



Abiy said in February that the government was discussing the&nbsp;sale of 10% of state-owned&nbsp;telecoms company Ethio Telecom via the stock exchange.



Ethio Telecom held a monopoly before a consortium led by Kenya&#8217;s Safaricom won the country&#8217;s first private telecoms licence and started commercial operations in 2022.



Ethiopia&#8217;s economy is still grappling with the legacy of being a command economy for decades, but Abiy&#8217;s push since 2018 towards more private sector involvement has been notable for being more ambitious than previous attempts at opening up.



In late July,&nbsp;Ethiopia floated its currency&nbsp;ahead of securing International Monetary Fund support, a step that needed to happen before a long-delayed debt restructuring could begin.



(Writing by George Obulutsa; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)

FILE PHOTO: Ethiopia’s Parliament approves 2024/25 fiscal year budget

Ethiopia’s securities exchange to start operations in October – media

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="612" height="408" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/istockphoto-1076949610-612x612-1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-501467" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/istockphoto-1076949610-612x612-1.jpg 612w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/istockphoto-1076949610-612x612-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/istockphoto-1076949610-612x612-1-135x90.jpg 135w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 612px) 100vw, 612px" /></figure>



JOHANNESBURG, Aug 8 (Reuters)&nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;The following scheduled economic event, company announcements, equity and currency market moves may affect South African markets on Thursday.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-economic-events">ECONOMIC EVENTS</h2>



South Africa&#8217;s manufacturing output for June will be released ZAMFG, ZAMAN.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-companies">COMPANIES</h2>



Dutch technology investor Prosus and its South African parent group Naspers said on Thursday that Basil Sgourdos will retire as chief financial officer of both firms effective on Nov. 30.



Astral Foods said on Thursday that its CEO Chris Schutte will retire on Jan. 30, 2025, having led the company for 16 years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-south-african-markets">SOUTH AFRICAN MARKETS</h2>



The South African rand gained on Wednesday as a rebound in global stock markets boosted risk sentiment and investors awaited U.S. labour market data later this week for hints on the future interest rate path of the world&#8217;s biggest economy.



On the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, the blue-chip Top-40 index last traded up about 1.2%. South Africa&#8217;s benchmark 2030 government bond was unchanged, with the yield at 9.375%.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-global-markets">GLOBAL MARKETS</h2>



Asian stock markets bounced between gains and losses on Thursday, while the yen and U.S. bonds attempted to rebound, as global investors struggled to find their footing in a wild week for markets.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wall-street">WALL STREET</h2>



U.S. stocks ended lower on Wednesday, with the Nasdaq falling 1% as technology shares declined and weak demand in a 10-year Treasury auction stoked investor jitters in choppy trade..N



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gold">GOLD</h2>



Prices of safe-haven gold edged higher on Thursday, supported by Middle East tensions and optimism surrounding U.S. rate cuts, while traders awaited economic data for clues on the Federal Reserve&#8217;s policy trajectory.



&#8211; &#8211; &#8211; &#8211;



Some of the main stories out in the South African press:



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-business-day">BUSINESS DAY</h2>



&#8211; World Bank urges SA to overhaul its trade



&#8211; Big foreign inflows into SA bonds



(Compiled by Tannur Anders)

istockphoto-1076949610-612×612-1

South African Markets – Factors to watch on Aug 8

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="612" height="357" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/istockphoto-1030878162-612x612-1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-400669" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/istockphoto-1030878162-612x612-1.jpg 612w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/istockphoto-1030878162-612x612-1-300x175.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 612px) 100vw, 612px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">World map with charts and graphs as symbols of global finance</figcaption></figure>



NAIROBI, Aug 8 (Reuters) &#8211; The following company announcements, scheduled economic indicators, debt and currency market moves and political events may affect African markets on Thursday.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-global-markets">GLOBAL MARKETS</h2>



Tech shares led a selloff in stock markets around Asia, while the yen and U.S. bonds rebounded, as global investors struggled to find their footing in a wild week for markets.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-world-oil-prices">WORLD OIL PRICES</h2>



Oil prices edged higher on Thursday for the third straight session after government data showed a steep draw in U.S. crude stockpiles, rebounding from multi-month lows touched this week.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-south-africa-markets">SOUTH AFRICA MARKETS</h2>



The South African rand gained on Wednesday as a rebound in global stock markets boosted risk sentiment and investors awaited U.S. labour market data later this week for hints on the future interest rate path of the world&#8217;s biggest economy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nigeria-markets">NIGERIA MARKETS</h2>



Nigeria&#8217;s central bank said on Wednesday it has sold $876.26 million at 1,495 naira to the dollar at its first retail auction for end users, firmer than where the currency is trading at on the official market.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-kenya-markets">KENYA MARKETS</h2>



Kenya&#8217;s shilling was stable against the U.S. dollar on Wednesday, LSEG data showed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-uganda-central-bank-rate">UGANDA CENTRAL BANK RATE</h2>



Uganda&#8217;s central bank reduced its key lending rate by 25 basis points to 10.00% &lt;UGCBIR=ECI> on Wednesday, saying a recovery in the shilling currency had led to an improvement in the inflation outlook.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-kenya-central-bank">KENYA CENTRAL BANK</h2>



Kenya&#8217;s central bank governor said on Wednesday that the country&#8217;s shilling currency had remained stable in the face of protests sparked by a plan to hike taxes and should shrug off recent credit rating downgrades.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-south-sudan-petroleum">SOUTH SUDAN PETROLEUM</h2>



Malaysian state energy firm Petroliam Nasional (Petronas) said it will withdraw from South Sudan as it tailors its investment strategy to business conditions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ethiopia-forex">ETHIOPIA FOREX</h2>



Ethiopia&#8217;s central bank said the weighted average exchange rate at a special foreign exchange auction on Wednesday was 107.9 birr per U.S. dollar. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-comoros-politics">COMOROS POLITICS</h2>



Comoros President Azali Assoumani has granted sweeping new powers to his son, Nour El Fath, allowing him to intervene at all stages of government decision making, after putting him in charge of coordinating government affairs last month.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-angola-petroleum">ANGOLA PETROLEUM</h2>



Angola&#8217;s Etu Energias plans to hold an initial public offering in 2026, its chief executive said on Wednesday, weeks after it finalised a $400 million deal to buy Galp Energia&#8217;s Angolan offshore stakes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-zambia-mining">ZAMBIA MINING</h2>



Zambia&#8217;s proposed minerals regulation law could deter investment and deliver a &#8220;fatal blow&#8221; to its goal of raising annual copper output to 3 million metric tons, two mining bodies said on Wednesday.



((Compiled by Nairobi Newsroom))

World map with charts and graphs as symbols of global finance

African Markets – Factors to watch on Aug 8

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="461" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/107184396-16747379042023-01-26t120649z_723665645_rc27yy9kye44_rtrmadp_0_thailand-economy-820x461.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-516437" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/107184396-16747379042023-01-26t120649z_723665645_rc27yy9kye44_rtrmadp_0_thailand-economy-820x461.jpeg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/107184396-16747379042023-01-26t120649z_723665645_rc27yy9kye44_rtrmadp_0_thailand-economy-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/107184396-16747379042023-01-26t120649z_723665645_rc27yy9kye44_rtrmadp_0_thailand-economy-160x90.jpeg 160w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/107184396-16747379042023-01-26t120649z_723665645_rc27yy9kye44_rtrmadp_0_thailand-economy-768x432.jpeg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/107184396-16747379042023-01-26t120649z_723665645_rc27yy9kye44_rtrmadp_0_thailand-economy-1536x864.jpeg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/107184396-16747379042023-01-26t120649z_723665645_rc27yy9kye44_rtrmadp_0_thailand-economy.jpeg 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A bank employee count China’s renminbi (RMB) or yuan notes next to U.S. dollar notes at a Kasikornbank in Bangkok, Thailand, January 26, 2023. Athit Perawongmetha | Reuters</figcaption></figure>



BEIJING — Chinese companies seeking growth from exports face a new challenge: a strengthening yuan.



The “offshore” yuan traded in Hong Kong surged Monday against the U.S. dollar to its strongest level for 2024 — below 7.1 — before weakening slightly to around 7.18 as of Wednesday afternoon, according to Wind Information.



The sharp moves came amid a global stock market sell-off as investors reassessed their outlook for the U.S. economy and potential interest rate cuts. High rates have bolstered the U.S. dollar and related assets.



A strong greenback has also helped keep the Chinese yuan weak, which in turn kept Chinese exports competitively priced abroad. After steadily weakening in the first half of the year, the offshore yuan has strengthened against the U.S. dollar over the last month.



Many trade companies, especially smaller ones, have “currently adopted a strategy of ‘preferring not to take orders rather than take loss-making orders,’” Winnie Wang, president of the Shenzhen Cross-Border E-Commerce Association, said Tuesday in Chinese, according to a CNBC translation.



She noted the case of one such company, which made 20 million yuan ($2.8 million) in revenue during the yuan’s weakening during the first half of the year, allowing it to raise employee salaries. But she said the company did not win a single order in July because the stronger yuan forced it to repeatedly raise its prices.



Ryan Zhao, director at an export-focused company called Jiangsu Green Willow Textile, said Tuesday that recent fluctuations in foreign exchange will cut into about 2% of profits on accounts receivable this month.



“We are concerned that a prolonged appreciation of the yuan will lead to price increases by Chinese suppliers, which will affect the export businesses,” he said in Chinese, according to a CNBC translation. He said the company’s way of dealing with exchange rate fluctuations is to negotiate a middle exchange rate with the customer.



China reported slower-than-expected growth in U.S. dollar-denominated exports for July on Wednesday, while imports surprised with a better-than-expected increase.



Exports have stood out as a bright spot as China’s economic growth slows. Many local companies from automakers to e-commerce players have accelerated overseas expansion plans to capture opportunities for faster growth abroad.



That also means Chinese companies are now more exposed to currency fluctuation risks. China’s foreign exchange regulator has in the last two years published guides on how businesses can mitigate such risks.



“Apart from geopolitical reasons, Chinese companies are increasingly focused on hedging currency risk because they are localizing operations globally – which makes their operations more complex than they used to be,” said Chris Pereira, president and CEO of consulting firm iMpact.



“In addition to hedging against traditional USD/RMB fluctuations, Chinese cross-border e-commerce companies are increasingly also hedging against the Euro, British Pound, and Japanese Yen,” he said Tuesday. Cross-border e-commerce refers to online shopping platforms selling products between different countries.



Pereira said many of his clients work with fintech companies such as Airwallex and LianLian Pay. “Larger Chinese cross-border e-commerce companies generally work with banks to secure forward contracts or options, allowing them to lock in exchange rates for future transactions,” he said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-changing-expectations"><a></a>Changing expectations</h2>



Global businesses and investors have increased their focus on currency risk in recent days. Many institutional investors on Monday started to unwind a popular ”carry trade” in the Japanese yen, which had played an attractive role in global asset allocation until the Bank of Japan raised interest rates last month to their highest since 2008.



The Chinese yuan has held a similarly attractive role due to low interest rates in China. But several analysts expected that could change.



“A large amount of foreign currency is awaiting settlement” against the yuan, Zhou Ji, macro FX analyst at Nanhua Futures, said in Chinese translated by CNBC.



Zhou noted lack of willingness to settle earlier in the year due to widespread expectations that the yuan would weaken against the U.S. dollar, a view partly supported by the People’s Bank of China’s latest interest rate cuts.



Fast-fashion giant Shein and PDD Holdings’ Temu are two of the most well-known examples of Chinese cross-border e-commerce companies. Many small businesses — which may have their own factories in China — have entered the industry to sell on TikTok, Amazon.com or platforms run by Alibaba.



Chinese policymakers have also encouraged the development of cross-border e-commerce by supporting special economic zones and overseas warehouse construction.



Official data claim explosive growth in the industry, with more than 120,000 cross-border e-commerce entities in China as of June.



Such online international commerce grew by 10.5% year-on-year in the first half of the year to account for nearly 5.8% of total trade, according to CNBC calculations of official data. That’s up slightly from a share of about 5.7% in the first quarter. A breakdown by exports and imports for the first half of the year was not immediately available.



Wang from the Shenzhen Cross-Border E-Commerce Association pointed out that large Chinese companies have tended to negotiate deals with business partners to mitigate currency risks.



For many smaller businesses, their expansion overseas has been part of an effort to move capital outside China, making them less affected by the latest currency moves, said Chris Sun, founder and CEO of BrandPal, an AI-based marketing company focused on short video monetization. The company claims its backers include Plug and Play Tech Center.



He said the companies, many newly registered in the last year or two, have focused on spending yuan within China while making U.S. dollars via overseas sales.

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home

South Africa battles to fund vital grid upgrade for green energy

Global youth unemployment in decline and seen falling further, report finds

America Is In A ‘Plain Vanilla Recession’: Danielle DiMartino Booth | The Bottom Line

How ChatGPT Made OpenAI One Of The Most Valuable AI Startups

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Why Mexico Beats The U.S. In Avocado Production

Could hydrogen planes revolutionize the aviation industry?

Somalia’s cabinet approves bill for universal suffrage

Here’s how much athletes at the Paris Olympics earn for winning medals

Kenya’s currency seen strengthening, Ghana’s steady

Kenya police use tear gas to clear pockets of protesters in Nairobi

Kenyan shilling stable; remittances help meet importer demand

South African rand flat, global focus on US jobless claims

Ethiopia’s securities exchange to start operations in October – media

South African Markets – Factors to watch on Aug 8

African Markets – Factors to watch on Aug 8

China’s exporters enjoyed the benefits of a weak yuan. Now that’s changing and cutting into profits

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