<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="547" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/IQMT7SFA2RNQLAQHUEOA2VEMMQ-820x547.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-423556" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/IQMT7SFA2RNQLAQHUEOA2VEMMQ-820x547.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/IQMT7SFA2RNQLAQHUEOA2VEMMQ-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/IQMT7SFA2RNQLAQHUEOA2VEMMQ-135x90.jpg 135w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/IQMT7SFA2RNQLAQHUEOA2VEMMQ-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/IQMT7SFA2RNQLAQHUEOA2VEMMQ-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/IQMT7SFA2RNQLAQHUEOA2VEMMQ-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Illustration photo shows a two-rand coin above a South African flag April 12, 2017. REUTERS/Thomas White/Illustration</figcaption></figure>



JOHANNESBURG, July 22 (Reuters)&nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;The South African rand was stable in early trade on Monday as investors await inflation data later this week for hints on the country&#8217;s future interest rate path.



At 0745 GMT, the rand traded at its Friday close of 18.2925 against the dollar.



&#8220;With no data out today look for consolidation and ranges to persist,&#8221; said Rand Merchant Bank analysts in a research note.



At home, investors will focus on June inflation figures expected on Wednesday, which may give clues on the future interest rate path of Africa&#8217;s most industrialised economy.



On Sunday, U.S. President Joe Biden ended his reelection bid and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to replace him as the Democratic candidate in the November election against Republican Donald Trump.



&#8220;Harris&#8217;s emergence as the likely Democratic candidate could introduce uncertainty, affecting market sentiment,&#8221; said Andre Cilliers, currency strategist at TreasuryONE.



The risk-sensitive rand often takes its cues from global drivers such as U.S. political developments in addition to domestic factors.



On the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, the blue-chip Top-40 index traded around 0.2% stronger in early trade.



South Africa&#8217;s benchmark 2030 government bond was slightly weaker in early deals, with the yield gaining 1 basis point to 9.66%.



(Reporting by Tannur Anders; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)

Illustration photo of South African rand

South African rand stable, inflation data in focus

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2048" height="1332" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/CH74466FLFPLDMIKLENAOZO5UY-scaled.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-423884" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/CH74466FLFPLDMIKLENAOZO5UY-scaled.jpg 2048w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/CH74466FLFPLDMIKLENAOZO5UY-300x195.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/CH74466FLFPLDMIKLENAOZO5UY-820x533.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/CH74466FLFPLDMIKLENAOZO5UY-138x90.jpg 138w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/CH74466FLFPLDMIKLENAOZO5UY-768x500.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/CH74466FLFPLDMIKLENAOZO5UY-1536x999.jpg 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">FILE PHOTO: U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris speaks in Munich, Germany February 18, 2023. REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay//File Photo</figcaption></figure>



Washington and the world are still reeling from President Joe Biden’s surprise announcement on Sunday that he is ending his teetering re-election campaign.



But Biden’s swift endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris to replace him at the top of the Democratic ticket is energizing Democrats and breathing new life into their campaign to defeat former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance.



The “Biden for President” campaign committee has officially been renamed the Harris for President committee, maintaining the Biden team’s infrastructure, staff and — crucially — its $98 million in cash reserves.



Democrats excited about a new ticket have donated tens of millions of dollars online to the Harris for President campaign.



Now, speculation swirls about who the former California senator could choose for a potential running mate, if she becomes the party’s nominee. Several Democratic governors are early favorites, with strategists eyeing Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, Roy Cooper of North Carolina and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear.



Republicans are meanwhile scrambling to retool a Trump campaign that was built to defeat Joe Biden into one capable of defeating a very different candidate.



Both parties want to know what happened to make it possible for a would-be assassin to shoot at Trump while he was on stage at a rally in Butler Pa. on July 13. Trump survived the attempt, but one of his supporters in the audience was killed.



This is a developing story&#8230;

FILE PHOTO: Vice President Kamala Harris

Democrats rally behind Kamala Harris after Biden drops out; running-mate speculation swirls

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="612" height="408" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/istockphoto-1076949610-612x612-1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-400697" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/istockphoto-1076949610-612x612-1.jpg 612w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/istockphoto-1076949610-612x612-1-300x200.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 612px) 100vw, 612px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Double exposure of coin stack with city background and world map, financial graph, world map and global network business concept idea, element by NASA.</figcaption></figure>



JOHANNESBURG, July 22 (Reuters)&nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;The following scheduled economic events, company announcement, equity and currency market moves may affect South African markets on Monday.



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



South Africa&#8217;s Johannesburg Stock Exchange will release data on foreigners&#8217; buying and selling of bonds and stocks during the previous week.



South Africa&#8217;s government hold will its weekly auction for Treasury bills.



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



Anglo American Platinum will releases its first-half year results.



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



South Africa&#8217;s rand weakened against the dollar on Friday, weighed down by risk-off sentiment as a worldwide cyber outage cut across sectors and worried investors.



On the stock market, the Top-40 .JTOPI index closed about 0.6% lower.



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



Asian shares slid anew on Monday, getting little lift from a surprise rate cut by China&#8217;s central bank, while Wall Street futures firmed in the wake of President Joe Biden&#8217;s decision to bow out of the election race.



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



S&amp;P 500 e-mini futures were up slightly late on Sunday after U.S. President Joe Biden ended his reelection bid and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to replace him as the Democratic candidate against Republican Donald Trump.



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



Gold prices firmed on Monday as the dollar eased following U.S. President Joe Biden&#8217;s decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race, with investors turning to bullion as a hedge against an uncertain political and market outlook.



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



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



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fin-24">FIN 24</h2>



&#8211; SA economy 2.0: Godongwana is optimistic and ready to do battle



(Compiled by Tannur Anders)

istockphoto-1076949610-612×612-1

South African Markets – Factors to watch on July 22

<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, July 22 (Reuters) &#8211; The following company announcements, scheduled economic indicators, debt and currency market moves and political events may affect African markets on Monday.



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



Asian shares slid anew on Monday, getting little lift from a surprise rate cut by China&#8217;s central bank, while Wall Street futures firmed in the wake of President Joe Biden&#8217;s decision to bow out of the election race.



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



Oil prices rose in early trade on Monday as investors keep a lookout for signs of a rate-cut cycle expected to begin as soon as September.



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



South Africa&#8217;s rand weakened against the dollar on Friday, weighed down by risk-off sentiment as a worldwide cyber outage cut across sectors and worried investors.



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



Nigeria&#8217;s Dangote refinery is in talks with Libya to secure crude for the 650,000 barrels per day (bpd) plant and will also seek Angolan oil, a senior executive said, as it seeks to overcome problems with domestic supplies.



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



Nigeria fined Meta Platforms $220 million, its competition watchdog said on Friday, after investigations showed data-sharing on social platforms violated local consumer, data protection and privacy laws.



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



Kenya&#8217;s shilling was stable on Friday but faced pressure from interbank foreign currency demand amid thin supply, traders said.



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



Kenyan President William Ruto on Friday mostly named holdovers from the cabinet he sacked last week to a new government meant to respond to the grievances of young protesters.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-democratic-republic-of-congo-mining">DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO MINING</h2>



The governor of Democratic Republic of Congo&#8217;s South Kivu province has suspended all mining activities in the restive region and ordered companies and operators to leave mining sites, he said on Friday.



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



Angola&#8217;s central bank kept its main interest rate at 19.5% on Friday, citing a potential slowdown in inflation and an improvement in the supply of essential goods in the near term.



((Compiled by Nairobi Newsroom))

World map with charts and graphs as symbols of global finance

African Markets – Factors to watch on July 22

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2048" height="1424" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/CQH2GCFS7VKHNNUO4RF6ABAM54-scaled.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-417906" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/CQH2GCFS7VKHNNUO4RF6ABAM54-scaled.jpg 2048w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/CQH2GCFS7VKHNNUO4RF6ABAM54-300x209.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/CQH2GCFS7VKHNNUO4RF6ABAM54-820x570.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/CQH2GCFS7VKHNNUO4RF6ABAM54-129x90.jpg 129w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/CQH2GCFS7VKHNNUO4RF6ABAM54-768x534.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/CQH2GCFS7VKHNNUO4RF6ABAM54-1536x1068.jpg 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Joe Biden speaks as he attends the signing into law of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022, which will level the playing field for American exporters and importers, including farmers, and reduce costs for American consumers by lowering the cost of ocean shipping, at the White House in Washington, U.S., June 16, 2022. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein</figcaption></figure>



President&nbsp;Joe Biden&nbsp;on Sunday&nbsp;dropped out&nbsp;of the&nbsp;2024 presidential race&nbsp;and endorsed Vice President&nbsp;Kamala Harris&nbsp;as the Democratic Party’s nominee, bowing to weeks of growing pressure by his own party members to quit his re-election bid against former President&nbsp;Donald Trump.



“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President,” Biden wrote in a post on the social media site X.



“And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term,” Biden wrote.



“I will speak to the Nation later this week in more detail about my decision,” wrote Biden, whose bombshell decision came after a sharp spike in recent days in the number of congressional Democrats publicly calling for him to step aside for another nominee.



Biden in a subsequent tweet wrote that his “very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President.”



“And it’s been the best decision I’ve made. Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump,” Biden wrote.



“Let’s do this.”



Harris in a statement said, “I am honored to have the President’s endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination.”



Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in a joint statement from the Democratic power couple, said, “We are honored to join the President in endorsing Vice President Harris and will do whatever we can to support her.”



Biden, who has been isolated at his Rehoboth, Delaware, beach home after being diagnosed with Covid-19, and Harris spoke on Sunday before he announced he would drop out of the election race.



NBC News reported that Biden at 1:45 p.m. ET Sunday told his senior campaign team that he had changed his mind about remaining in the contest.



On Sunday evening, on a campaign staff call, Biden campaign co-chair Jen O’Malley Dillon called for staff to rally behind their new candidate and said that their jobs would safely transfer to the Harris campaign, three sources familiar with the call told NBC News.



She also acknowledged the emotional weight of the moment: “It is ok to grieve, it is ok to be unsure but also be optimistic about our path forward.”



Trump in a phone interview with NBC News said of Biden’s decision, “He should never have been there in the first place.”



“He should have stayed in his basement,” said Trump, who was formally nominated as the Republican Party’s candidate last week, days after narrowly avoiding being killed in an assassination attempt at a Pennsylvania campaign rally on July 13.



Democratic National Committee Jamie Harrison in a statement said, “In the coming days, the Party will undertake a transparent and orderly process to move forward as a united Democratic Party with a candidate who can defeat Donald Trump in November.”



“This process will be governed by established rules and procedures of the Party. Our delegates are prepared to take seriously their responsibility in swiftly delivering a candidate to the American people,” Harrison said.



Biden’s move echoes the decision by another Democratic incumbent, President Lyndon Johnson, to drop out of the 1968 election as he faced turmoil over the Vietnam War, low approval ratings, and a surprisingly strong performance by Sen. Eugene McCarthy in the New Hampshire primary.



Biden’s campaign for weeks had insisted he would remain in the race, despite growing concern since his disastrous debate with Trump in late June that he was too old and frail to compete against the former president and serve a full second term if re-elected.



As of Sunday, nearly 40 Democratic members of Congress had urged Biden to drop out. Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, who recently switched his political affiliation from Democrat to independent, earlier Sunday publicly said Biden should quit the race.



Rep. Nancy Pelosi, the California Democrat who previously served as speaker of the House of Representatives, in a tweet Sunday wrote, “President Joe Biden is a patriotic American who has always put our country first.”



“His legacy of vision, values and leadership make him one of the most consequential Presidents in American history,” Pelosi wrote. “With love and gratitude to President Biden for always believing in the promise of America and giving people the opportunity to reach their fulfillment. God blessed America with Joe Biden’s greatness and goodness.



Biden’s decision to drop out blows open the presidential race less than four months before Election Day.



It also poses extraordinary questions and challenges for the Democratic party, which now must scramble to assemble a new presidential ticket.



The next candidate will need to compete against the Republican ticket of Trump and Sen. JD Vance, win over donors, delegates and other allies who were loyal to the incumbent — all while convincing voters of their own worthiness for the nation’s highest office.



Biden’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.



Biden started to hemorrhage support from his own party and allies after his June 27 debate against Trump.



While he is only three years older than Trump, Biden looked and sounded significantly worse on the debate stage. He displayed a stiff posture and sometimes vacant-looking gaze, and he frequently gave answers that were raspy, unclear and ineffective.



In both substance and appearance, Biden contrasted sharply with Trump, who looked and sounded the same as he has in recent years.



The debate instantly set off a crisis among Democrats. Even before it ended, party operatives were raising doubts about whether Biden could effectively campaign against Trump.



High-profile Democratic donors and backers openly urged Biden to drop out, with some vowing to&nbsp;withhold campaign contributions&nbsp;in the meantime.



Biden and his aides spent weeks trying to stanch the bleeding.



In his first post-debate interview, Biden said he was convinced that he is the best person to take on Trump, adding that he could only be persuaded to step down “if the Lord Almighty comes out and tells me that.”



But as his resolute posture failed to quell the&nbsp;unrest in his party, Biden suggested he could be moved to withdraw in other ways.



In a BET interview that aired Wednesday during the Republican National Convention, Biden said he might reconsider his decision to stay in the race “if I had some&nbsp;medical condition that emerged.”



On the same day that interview was set for broadcast, Biden&nbsp;tested positive for Covid. He canceled a scheduled appearance in Las Vegas and returned his beach house in Delaware.



Biden is already the oldest person ever to serve in the White House.



He would have been 86 at the end of a second term. He had&nbsp;weathered questions&nbsp;about his physical and mental fitness even during his 2020 run.



Those concerns grew in the 2024 cycle, but they were aggressively batted down by Biden’s campaign and White House aides, and the president’s relative lack of press conferences and interviews may have shielded scrutiny about his acuity.

U.S. President Joe Biden signs into law the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022

Biden drops out of 2024 presidential election, endorses Kamala Harris as Democratic nominee

Why Tesla And Other EV Makers Are Betting Big On Gigacasting

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2048" height="1311" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/FKG5KKTJ3ZIJ3FXZRX4R573AVI-scaled.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-509343" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/FKG5KKTJ3ZIJ3FXZRX4R573AVI-scaled.jpg 2048w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/FKG5KKTJ3ZIJ3FXZRX4R573AVI-300x192.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/FKG5KKTJ3ZIJ3FXZRX4R573AVI-820x525.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/FKG5KKTJ3ZIJ3FXZRX4R573AVI-141x90.jpg 141w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/FKG5KKTJ3ZIJ3FXZRX4R573AVI-768x492.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/FKG5KKTJ3ZIJ3FXZRX4R573AVI-1536x983.jpg 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">FILE PHOTO: Kenya&#8217;s President William Ruto addresses delegates after signing the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Amendment Bill 2024, backed by the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO), at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre in Nairobi, Kenya July 9, 2024. REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya/File Photo</figcaption></figure>



NAIROBI, July 19 (Reuters) &#8211; Kenyan President William Ruto on Friday mostly named holdovers from the cabinet he sacked last week to a new government meant to respond to the grievances of young protesters.



In a televised address, Ruto announced 11 appointments &#8211; six from the previous cabinet&nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;with others to follow soon.



The mass firing last week was a concession to demands from youth-led protests that had already forced him to withdraw $2.7 billion in proposed tax hikes amid the biggest crisis of his two-year presidency.



The protests have resulted in more than 50 deaths since mid-June, and many demonstrators are now calling for Ruto to resign. Large protests took place again this week despite the president&#8217;s concessions.



Ruto re-appointed the ministers of interior, defence, environment and lands and changed the portfolios of two other ministers.



The appointee to be education minister, Julius Migos Ogamba, was the running mate of the outgoing education minister, Ezekiel Machogu, when Machogu stood unsuccessfully for governor of Kisii County in 2022, local media reports showed.



The nominees to be ministers of health, information, agriculture, water and education did not appear to have political backgrounds.



&#8220;I will be issuing next week a clear roadmap on the assignment that the new cabinet is going to have, with clear timelines and deliverables,&#8221; Ruto said.



The protests have left Ruto caught between pressure from lenders to pay down high debts and a public reeling from high living costs. The government has proposed austerity measures to narrow the deficit caused by shelving the proposed tax raises.



Kenyan media outlets had earlier reported that some members of the political opposition were likely to be named to Ruto&#8217;s new cabinet.



Activists behind the protests, which have no official leader and reject the entire political class as corrupt, have opposed the idea of a unity government.



They said a deal between rival coalitions would only perpetuate a tradition in Kenyan politics of leaders co-opting the opposition with jobs and perks while the population sees no benefits.



(Reporting by Aaron Ross, George Obulutsa, Humphrey Malalo in Nairobi, Tannur Anders in JohannesburgWriting by Aaron Ross Editing by Bate Felix)

Kenya’s President William Ruto signs the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Amendment Bill 2024, in Nairobi

Kenya’s Ruto retains former ministers in new cabinet appointments

Which U.S. Cities Are Sinking And How Much It Will Cost To Stop Them?

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2048" height="1365" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/GettyImages-1166297288-scaled.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-397450" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/GettyImages-1166297288-scaled.jpeg 2048w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/GettyImages-1166297288-300x200.jpeg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/GettyImages-1166297288-820x547.jpeg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/GettyImages-1166297288-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/GettyImages-1166297288-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">HARARE, ZIMBABWE &#8211; SEPTEMBER 06. Zimbabwe&#8217;s president Emmerson Mnangagwa holds a press conference at State House:on September 6, 2019 in Harare, Zimbabwe. The current President of Zimbabwe, Emmerson Managagwa, cut short his visit to the World Economic Forum in Cape Town, South Africa on hearing of the death of former President Robert Mugabe. (Photo by Tafadzwa Ufumeli/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>



HARARE,July 19 (Reuters)&nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;The United States wants to see key reforms before rejoining debt resolution talks between Zimbabwe and multilateral lenders from which Washington withdrew following the African country&#8217;s disputed 2023 election.



The new U.S ambassador to Zimbabwe, Pamela Tremont, on Thursday hinted that there are prospects for Washington to rejoin the debt talks.



&#8220;We are looking forward to new democracy and governance indicators that will give us the sense of where the government is, that is its democracy and governance pathway so that we return to the table and continue these talks,&#8221; Tremont told Reuters.



Tremont said the U.S pulled out of the debt talks led by the African Development Bank (AfDB) president Akinwumi Adesina in January because last year&#8217;s election that gave President Emmerson Mnangagwa a second term was not free and fair.



&#8220;We were an active participant in those talks but we had to put a pause on that after the elections that we did not find free and fair,&#8221; she said.



Zimbabwe is owing over $17 billion in debt and arrears to several multilateral funders, including the World Bank, AFDB and 17 Paris Club members.



It has been locked out of international financial markets for more than two decades but sees the debt resolution talks as a step towards clearing the arrears.



Before resuming debt resolution talks last year, Zimbabwe had committed to key governance and electoral reforms that included running a clean election.



The August elections were widely criticized by observers like SADC and EU observer missions which said the process fell short of international standards.



Zimbabwe&#8217;s main opposition leader Nelson Chamisa, who came second to Mnangagwa, described the election as a gigantic fraud.



Deputy Finance Minister Kuda Mnangagwa said the U.S was still welcome to rejoin the debt talks.



&#8220;We remain committed to the talks and re-engagement to foster strong economic ties with those who are willing to work with us,&#8221; Mnangagwa told Reuters.



The U.S remains a key party to the debt talks as it wields influence in the International Monetary Fund and World Bank.



&#8220;We think the AfDB process is really useful to discuss the reforms that the International Financial Institutions need for Zimbabwe to access the concessionery loans it wants,&#8221; Tremont said.



(Reporting by Nyasha Chingono; Editing by Nelson Banya and Angus MacSwan)

President Mnangagwa Holds Press Conference After The Death Of Robert Mugabe

US wants reforms before it returns to key Zimbabwe debt talks: Ambassador

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2048" height="1365" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/GettyImages-924883576-1-scaled.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-422955" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/GettyImages-924883576-1-scaled.jpg 2048w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/GettyImages-924883576-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/GettyImages-924883576-1-820x547.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/GettyImages-924883576-1-135x90.jpg 135w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/GettyImages-924883576-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/GettyImages-924883576-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Uganda shillings. Uganda. (Photo by: Godong/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>



KAMPALA, July 19 (Reuters) &#8211; The Ugandan shilling inched lower on Friday on the back of elevated demand for hard currency from players in the interbank market, traders said.



At 0906 GMT commercial banks quoted the shilling at 3,690/3,700, compared to Thursday&#8217;s close of 3,685/3,695.



(Reporting by Elias Biryabarema; Editing by Hereward Holland)

GettyImages-924883576-1

Ugandan shilling inches lower on interbank FX demand

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="929" height="523" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/108008818-1721376380367-gettyimages-2162122113-europapress_6090171_spain_national_team_plane_arriving_durin.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-509305" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/108008818-1721376380367-gettyimages-2162122113-europapress_6090171_spain_national_team_plane_arriving_durin.jpeg 929w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/108008818-1721376380367-gettyimages-2162122113-europapress_6090171_spain_national_team_plane_arriving_durin-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/108008818-1721376380367-gettyimages-2162122113-europapress_6090171_spain_national_team_plane_arriving_durin-820x462.jpeg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/108008818-1721376380367-gettyimages-2162122113-europapress_6090171_spain_national_team_plane_arriving_durin-160x90.jpeg 160w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/108008818-1721376380367-gettyimages-2162122113-europapress_6090171_spain_national_team_plane_arriving_durin-768x432.jpeg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 929px) 100vw, 929px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Spain National Team plane arriving at Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas airport on July 15, 2024, in Madrid, Spain. Europa Press Sports | Europa Press | Getty Images</figcaption></figure>



July 19 (Reuters) &#8211; A global tech outage that appeared to be related to issues at global cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike and Microsoft was affecting operations in various sectors on Friday including airports, airlines, media and banks.



Below is a list of disruptions that have been reported:



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-airlines-airports">AIRLINES, AIRPORTS</h2>



&#8211; Berlin airport has halted all flights until 10 a.m. (0800 GMT) due to a technical fault, the operator said.



&#8211; Spanish airport operator Aena reported a computer systems &#8220;incident&#8221; at all Spanish airports which may cause flight delays.



&#8211; Amsterdam&#8217;s airport Schiphol, one of the major air transport hubs in Europe, said it was affected by a global cyber outage, and advised travellers to contact their airlines.



&#8211; Top Dutch airline KLM said it could not handle flights on Friday and that it suspended most of its operations. Air France, KLM&#8217;s parent company, said that its operations were disrupted.



&#8211; Turkish Airlines is experiencing problems with ticketing, check-in, and booking due to a global technical issue in its information systems, it said in a post on X.



&#8211; Major U.S. carriers including American Airlines, Delta Airlines and United Airlines issued ground stops on Friday morning citing communication issues.



&#8211; A SAS spokesperson said the Scandinavian airline was expecting delays.



&#8211; Australia&#8217;s national airline Qantas and Sydney airport said planes were delayed but still flying.



&#8211; Passengers at Britain&#8217;s Edinburgh Airport were unable to use automated boarding pass scanners on Friday, and monitors at security displayed a message saying &#8220;server offline&#8221;, a Reuters witness reported.



&#8211; Hong Kong-based airline Cathay Pacific&nbsp;0293.HK&nbsp;said in a note to customers that self-service check in facilities at Hong Kong International Airport were unavailable due to &#8220;unexpected technical issues&#8221;. It advised customers to arrive early or check in online before coming to the airport.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-financials">FINANCIALS</h2>



&#8211; Australia&#8217;s largest bank, Commonwealth Bank, said some customers had been unable to transfer money due to the service outage.



&#8211; Several major oil and gas trading desks in London and Singapore were struggling to execute trades due to a cyber outage on Friday, six industry sources told Reuters.



&#8211; Macquarie Capital was unable to provide liquidity for unexpired warrants on HKEX due to technical problems.



&#8211; South Africa&#8217;s Capitec said card payments, ATM and app services were fully restored following significant nationwide disruptions linked to CrowdStrike.



&#8211; LSEG Group&#8217;s Workspace news and data platform suffered an outage on Friday that affected user access worldwide, causing disruption across financial markets.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-media">MEDIA</h2>



&#8211; Sky News, one of Britain&#8217;s major television news channels, was off air on Friday.



&#8211; Australia&#8217;s state broadcaster ABC said it was experiencing a &#8220;major network outage&#8221;, without giving a reason.



&#8211; Regular programming at Sky News Australia was disrupted.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-emergency-services-healthcare">EMERGENCY SERVICES, HEALTHCARE</h2>



&#8211; A health booking system used by doctors in England is offline, medical officials said on X on Friday.



&#8211; Several hospitals in the Netherlands had to scale down their operations because of the power outage, Dutch press agency ANP reported.



&#8211; Victorian state police in Australia said some internal systems had been hit by the outage but emergency services were operating normally.



&#8211; Copenhagen&#8217;s fire department said on X it was experiencing problems receiving automatically transmitted fire alarms following the outage, and urged people to call 112 in case of a fire.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-other">OTHER</h2>



&#8211; A spokesperson for New Zealand&#8217;s parliament said its computer systems had also been affected.



(Reporting by Reuters bureaus; Compiled by Anna Pruchnicka, Andrey Sychev; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise)

108008818-1721376380367-gettyimages-2162122113-europapress_6090171_spain_national_team_plane_arriving_durin

Global tech outage delays flights and disrupts services around the world

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="547" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/GettyImages-1161864863-820x547.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-505639" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/GettyImages-1161864863-820x547.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/GettyImages-1161864863-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/GettyImages-1161864863-135x90.jpg 135w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/GettyImages-1161864863-768x513.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/GettyImages-1161864863-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/GettyImages-1161864863-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A South African one rand coin sits on South African rand banknotes in this arranged photograph in Pretoria, South Africa, on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2019. The rand ended a tumultuous week on a positive note, gaining against the dollar for a second day and heading for its first weekly advance in four as technical indicators suggested recent declines are overdone. Photographer: Waldo Swiegers/Bloomberg via Getty Images</figcaption></figure>



JOHANNESBURG, July 19 (Reuters)&nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;South Africa&#8217;s rand slipped against the dollar on Friday, as risk sentiment soured after Donald Trump accepted the nomination as the U.S. Republican presidential candidate.



At 0801 GMT, the rand traded at 18.3525 against the dollar, 0.6% weaker than its previous close.



The dollar index was last trading up 0.18% against a basket of currencies, pushed higher by the possibility of a Trump presidency.



&#8220;The rand is weaker&#8230; this morning, which aligns with weaker EM (emerging market) currencies as risk sentiment sours,&#8221; said Andre Cilliers, currency strategist at TreasuryONE.



&#8220;The stronger dollar and fears of a broader trade war between the US and China are weighing on market sentiment.&#8221;



On the stock market, the Top-40 index was 0.8% lower.



South Africa&#8217;s benchmark 2030 government bond was weaker in early deals, with the yield up 3 basis points at 9.625%.



(Reporting by Bhargav Acharya and Hereward Holland; Editing by Arun Koyyur)

South African Rand Rebound Snaps Streak of Weekly Losses

South African rand slips as risk appetite wanes

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="612" height="408" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/istockphoto-1076949610-612x612-1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-400697" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/istockphoto-1076949610-612x612-1.jpg 612w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/istockphoto-1076949610-612x612-1-300x200.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 612px) 100vw, 612px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Double exposure of coin stack with city background and world map, financial graph, world map and global network business concept idea, element by NASA.</figcaption></figure>



JOHANNESBURG, July 19 (Reuters)&nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;The following scheduled economic event, company announcements, equity and currency market moves may affect South African markets on Friday.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-economic-event">ECONOMIC EVENT</h2>



Weekly inflation-linked bond auction



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



Global cyber outage grounds flights, hits media, financial, telecoms



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



South Africa&#8217;s rand was stable on Thursday after the South African Reserve Bank kept its main interest rate unchanged for the seventh meeting in a row.



On the stock market, the Top-40 index was slightly stronger at 0.15%.



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



Asian shares are set to end the week on a sour note, as uncertainty across major economies added to headwinds for investors even as the global rate easing cycle gets under way.



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



U.S. stocks tumbled on Thursday, reversing early gains as investors continued to rotate away from high-priced megacap growth stocks and second-quarter earnings season gathered steam.



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



Gold prices fell on Friday, but were on track for a fourth straight weekly gain as expectations that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates in September lifted bullion&#8217;s appeal.



&#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; Mixed reaction to Cyril Ramaphosa’s opening of parliament speech



&#8211; Healthcare costs pushing more than half of SA’s TB patients into poverty



(Compiled by Bhargav Acharya)

South African Markets – Factors to watch on July 19

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1280" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/thumbnail_IMG_3884-1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-508988" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/thumbnail_IMG_3884-1.jpg 1920w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/thumbnail_IMG_3884-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/thumbnail_IMG_3884-1-820x547.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/thumbnail_IMG_3884-1-135x90.jpg 135w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/thumbnail_IMG_3884-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/thumbnail_IMG_3884-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Bill Blackie, CEO of Business &amp; Commercial Banking, Standard Bank Group</figcaption></figure>



More needs to be done to stimulate the growth of small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMEs), as well as boost intra-African trade, for the continent’s huge potential to be unlocked, Bill Blackie, CEO of Business and Commercial Banking at Standard Bank told over 200 delegates at the inaugural Standard Bank Business and Commercial Banking Conference which took place in Cape Town on 11 and 12 July. 



“We see significant opportunities in East Africa in particular,” Blackie said, where growth rates of 5% are predicted for this year. “We believe all the 20 African countries in which the Group has a presence in West, Southern and East Africa have the potential to grow further.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-afro-optimism">Afro-optimism</h2>



One of the reasons underpinning his optimism is the rapid growth rate predicted for Africa’s population, as well as the fact that Africa has the highest percentage of young people that will bring with it robust and inclusive growth. “However, for us to take advantage of this youth dividend, we need to develop the skills of Africa’s young people,” he added.



Sharing a similarly positive view of the future, Adrian Basson, CEO of Hungry Lion, said Africa’s population is set to quadruple from one billion today to four billion in 2100. “If you ran a fast-food business in Japan, would you want to be operating in a country where the population is set to decline from 120 million to 80 million in the next few decades or would you rather see your customer base grow, as in Africa?” Even though Africans may not have as much discretionary spending, the growth trajectory is in the continent’s favour, he said, especially as most of the population’s growth will be among the working class.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-greater-regional-integration">Greater regional integration</h2>



On the topic of regional integration, more should be done to spur intra-African trade, which despite the establishment of the African Continental Free Trade Area in 2019, only accounts for 15% of overall trade in Africa, Standard Bank CEO Sim Tshabalala said. “We need to develop a pan-African payment system which will facilitate the movement of goods. It does not make sense to be paying in dollars when businesses can be paying in local currency.”



A firm believer in “action at the speed of thought,” Basson said small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) need to translate their ideas into action more quickly and remove obstacles to innovate. This nimbleness is reflected in the increasing levels of urbanisation among the continent’s population and the shift in demographics in favour of younger people.



As testament to the power of youth, Kenya has recently seen a vibrant youth movement rise and its parliament back-tracking because of the opposition of young voters to a controversial bill which sought to hike taxes, asserted Patrick Mwhierhe, Regional Chief Executive East Africa at the Standard Bank Group. “Young people took to social media to protest, and their voices were heard,” he said. “They were effectively telling government they do not want to be given a job. They just want the government to get out of their way by creating an enabling environment for them to create their own jobs.” This clearly indicates the embodiment of the spirit of a generation poised to redefine the economic future of their nation.



Basson said the next 76 years will be an exciting time to be doing business in Africa. “By 2100, 40% of the world’s population will be African,” he said, “most of whom will be of working age.” This contrasted sharply with other regions like Europe, the US and Asia whose populations by 2100 will be ageing. “There’s no reason why Africa can’t become the economic engine for the rest of the world just as China did,” he said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-energy-and-infrastructure">Energy and infrastructure</h2>



Another reason to be optimistic about Africa’s future is its untapped energy potential, Blackie said, which includes both fossil fuels and renewable energy, such as solar, wind and hydro energy. “We aim to invest R250 billion in renewable energy projects in Africa over the next few years,” he stated. “Without energy, economic growth is not possible, which is why we are focusing on energy and sustainability for growth.”



In addition to removing trade barriers and investing in energy projects, Blackie said Standard Bank was encouraged by the higher levels of infrastructure spending in Africa. “Every country I have visited on the continent recently is spending money on improving infrastructure, be it on improving roads, ports, or airports. This is another fundamental lever for growth.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-local-procurement-and-sme-growth">Local procurement and SME growth</h2>



Africa should focus on getting a greater slice of the global economic pie and conquer its biggest challenge: creating jobs, Basson said. “Rather than figuring out how to move goods across borders, businesses should source local suppliers,” he stated. “In Zambia, 97% of our supplies are locally procured.”



For African economies to grow, SMEs need to flourish, said Simone Cooper, Head of Business and Commercial Banking at Standard Bank. “In the face of significant challenges, SMEs continue to be the backbone of most African economies, accounting for 60% of jobs in sub-Saharan Africa and playing a crucial role in community upliftment.”



Blackie concurred. “As a bank, we act as an intermediator to help finance businesses, but entrepreneurs are what drive economic growth,” he said. “It’s the entrepreneurs who see the gaps, connect the dots and venture where others fear to tread, so that opportunities can be unlocked and converted into tangible possibilities.”

thumbnail_IMG_3884-1

Focus on small-business growth to unlock Africa’s potential

<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, July 19 (Reuters) &#8211; Kenya&#8217;s shilling was stable on Friday but faced pressure from interbank foreign currency demand amid thin supply, traders said.



At 0717 GMT, commercial banks quoted the shilling at 131.00/132.00 per dollar, the same as Thursday&#8217;s close.



&#8220;We haven&#8217;t received demands from oil marketers. It&#8217;s mostly from the interbank space,&#8221; said one trader at a commercial bank.



(Reporting by Hereward Holland; Editing by Bate Felix)

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, pressured by interbank FX demand

<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>



July 19 (Reuters) &#8211; The following company announcements, scheduled economic indicators, debt and currency market moves and political events may affect African markets on Friday.



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



Asian shares are set to end the week on a sour note, as uncertainty across the geopolitical landscape and in major economies added to headwinds for investors even as the global rate easing cycle gets under way.



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



Oil prices fell on Friday, setting up for a second weekly decline, as mixed economic signals weighed on investor sentiment and boosted the dollar.



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



South Africa&#8217;s rand was stable on Thursday after the South African Reserve Bank kept its main interest rate unchanged for the seventh meeting in a row.



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



Kenya&#8217;s government on Thursday ratcheted up its appeal for weeks of protests to stop and police tried to ban demonstrations in the heart of the capital Nairobi only to be overruled in court.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sudan-politics">SUDAN POLITICS</h2>



The United States will give an extra $203 million to help millions of civilians affected by the war in Sudan, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said on Thursday, calling on other nations to step up their aid.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rwanda-election">RWANDA ELECTION</h2>



Rwanda&#8217;s President Paul Kagame has been re-elected with 99.18% of the vote, the National Electoral Commission said on Thursday, extending his near quarter-century in office.



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



A major cocoa producing region in Ghana, the world&#8217;s second largest cocoa grower, is 81% infected with swollen shoot disease, according to the International Cocoa Organisation (ICCO).



((Compiled by Nairobi Newsroom))

African Markets – Factors to watch on July 19

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="820" height="615" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ZHFRG3BTB5JXRNXZVXU4QXPJNI-1-820x615.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-509253" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ZHFRG3BTB5JXRNXZVXU4QXPJNI-1-820x615.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ZHFRG3BTB5JXRNXZVXU4QXPJNI-1-300x225.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ZHFRG3BTB5JXRNXZVXU4QXPJNI-1-120x90.jpg 120w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ZHFRG3BTB5JXRNXZVXU4QXPJNI-1-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ZHFRG3BTB5JXRNXZVXU4QXPJNI-1-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ZHFRG3BTB5JXRNXZVXU4QXPJNI-1.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A member of the Nigeria Labour Congress dances in front of the domestic airport which has been shut down as Nigeria&#8217;s main labour unions called for an indefinite strike from Monday after failing to agree to a new minimum wage with the government, in Lagos, Nigeria. June 3, 2024.REUTERS/Seun Sanni/File Photo</figcaption></figure>



ABUJA, July 18 (Reuters)&nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;Nigeria&#8217;s main labour unions agreed on a new minimum wage of 70,000 naira ($44) a month on Thursday after talks with the government, ending months of deadlock and the threat of strikes.



Africa&#8217;s most populous nation is grappling with the worst cost of living crisis in a generation, stoking fears of Kenyan-style protests that have rocked that country for nearly a month.



Nigeria&#8217;s two biggest union federations, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), have argued that soaring prices and a weakening currency caused by reforms instituted by President Bola Tinubu were hitting workers hard.



Soaring inflation has eroded incomes and hurt millions of Nigerians who are struggling to meet their basic needs.



The new wage announced by Minister of Information Mohammed Idris and union leaders, is more than double the 30,000 naira a month that was agreed in 2019.



&#8220;We are taking this new 70,000 naira minimum wage with mixed feelings because of the situation of the economy. We have to move ahead despite the situation otherwise the negotiation can linger,&#8221; NLC President Joe Ajaero told reporters.



He said the next minimum wage would be reviewed in three years instead of the customary five years.



The unions suspended a strike in early June to give negotiations a chance but warned that failure to reach an agreement could prompt members to call for new action.



Idris said Tinubu would send the proposal, which includes a provision to review the wage every three years, to parliament immediately for passage into law. Tinubu has said he will not roll back unpopular reforms, including electricity and gasoline price hikes.



On Wednesday, Tinubu asked lawmakers to approve $4 billion in additional spending to plug shortfalls in this year&#8217;s budget, with around half of it going to fund &#8220;further recurrent expenditure requirements.&#8221;



The government plans to invest in infrastructure and renewable energy, such as compressed natural gas (CNG) plants and busses to help lower transportation costs, Idris said.



($1 = 1,580.0000 naira)



(Writing by Elisha Bala-Gbogbo; Editing by Alison Williams, Susan Fenton, Philippa Fletcher)

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Kenyan shilling stable, pressured by interbank FX demand

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Nigeria’s unions, government agree new wage deal, averting strike

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South African rand stable, inflation data in focus

Democrats rally behind Kamala Harris after Biden drops out; running-mate speculation swirls

South African Markets – Factors to watch on July 22

African Markets – Factors to watch on July 22

Biden drops out of 2024 presidential election, endorses Kamala Harris as Democratic nominee

Why Tesla And Other EV Makers Are Betting Big On Gigacasting

Kenya’s Ruto retains former ministers in new cabinet appointments

Which U.S. Cities Are Sinking And How Much It Will Cost To Stop Them?

US wants reforms before it returns to key Zimbabwe debt talks: Ambassador

Ugandan shilling inches lower on interbank FX demand

Global tech outage delays flights and disrupts services around the world

South African rand slips as risk appetite wanes

South African Markets – Factors to watch on July 19

Focus on small-business growth to unlock Africa’s potential

Kenyan shilling stable, pressured by interbank FX demand

African Markets – Factors to watch on July 19

Nigeria’s unions, government agree new wage deal, averting strike

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