Africa Economics Update CEMAC: Recovery will not be sustained After a painful adjustment, growth in the Central African franc zone will pick up in 2018 and 2019. The region’s longer-term outlook, however, is poor. Indeed, tensions between Cameroon and its more... 28th June 2018 · 1 min read
Africa Chart Pack Weak performance in key economies Figures released over the past month confirmed that Africa’s larger economies have all struggled in 2018. South Africa, where GDP actually fell in Q1, was the worst performer. Elsewhere, figures from... 27th June 2018 · 1 min read
Africa Economics Weekly SARB under pressure, Nigerian budget signifies little Markets are getting ahead of themselves by pricing in rate hikes in South Africa. Policymakers have explicitly said that they will not react to currency moves until they see a lasting effect on... 22nd June 2018 · 1 min read
Africa Economics Update West Africa: Easing cycles will continue Inflation figures released today by Nigeria, Ghana, and Angola were all weak by recent standards. We think that policymakers will continue their easing cycles in late 2018 and early 2019. 13th June 2018 · 1 min read
Africa Economics Update Ethiopia: Springtime in Addis Ababa? Reforms announced by Ethiopia’s government could upend the country’s political and economic model. This may eventually boost growth, but a delicate period of liberalisation will increase the risk of... 7th June 2018 · 1 min read
Africa Economics Update E. African inflation: Still on track for rate cuts in 2018 Inflation in Kenya and Uganda will pick up over the coming months. The shift will be mostly due to base effects, and with inflation within target, policymakers in both countries will cut rates by 50bp... 31st May 2018 · 1 min read
Africa Economics Update Africa: A weak month for local markets Most African currencies weakened against the US dollar this month, but avoided the sharp falls seen elsewhere in the EM world. Zambian markets, however, struggled due to fears of hidden debts. 29th May 2018 · 1 min read
Africa Economics Update Pro-business reform in Africa: Angola stands out Hopes that President Cyril Ramaphosa will reform South Africa’s economy have grabbed the headlines. But reforms are also underway elsewhere; recent pro-business moves in Angola show the most potential... 25th May 2018 · 1 min read
Africa Economics Update Agriculture in Africa: An underappreciated opportunity Most African economies remain heavily-dependent on the agricultural sector. Indeed, weather-related disruptions often play a key role in determining swings in headline economic growth. The sector is... 18th May 2018 · 1 min read
Africa Chart Pack Higher oil prices a mixed blessing for Africa The recent rally in oil prices – Brent crude has climbed to a fresh four-year high of $77pb in recent days – will provide a welcome boost to the region’s major oil exporters, Angola and Nigeria. If... 9th May 2018 · 1 min read
Africa Economics Focus China & Africa: Setting the record straight Perceptions of the economic ties between China and Africa are often based on inaccurate assumptions. In this Focus we debunk three key myths. The China-Africa relationship is not as state-driven, as... 3rd May 2018 · 1 min read
Emerging Markets Economics Update EM manufacturing stabilises at the start of Q2 April’s PMIs suggest that, having slowed in Q1, growth in EM manufacturing steadied at the start of Q2. But the surveys brought further evidence that EM export growth may weaken in the coming months. 2nd May 2018 · 1 min read
Frontier Markets Wrap Public debt fears concentrated in smaller frontiers Public debt positions across the emerging world have come under scrutiny recently and the risks appear to be concentrated in frontier markets. In aggregate, the debt-to-GDP ratio of frontier... 30th April 2018 · 1 min read
Africa Economics Update Commodity prices: Africa’s winners and losers Commodities make up a large part of Africa’s exports but the degree of dependence and product diversification varies across the region. While the value of net exports of energy producers, including... 27th April 2018 · 1 min read
Africa Economics Update Africa: Mixed month for markets, but rand suffers The rand’s recent rally seems well and truly over; it weakened against the US dollar by even more than EM peers this month. We expect that the currency will continue to fall late this year. 27th April 2018 · 1 min read
Africa Chart Pack Winds of change reach Ethiopia Ethiopia’s ruling party appointed a new prime minister on 2nd April, stabilising a situation that had been in flux since the previous incumbent’s resignation in February. Abiy Ahmed inherits a divided... 20th April 2018 · 1 min read
