SA in last chance saloon - Moody's; debt soars; world funds Congo revival; Zim protests; US equities soar

Loading player...
South Africa is fighting to preserve its last remaining investment-grade credit rating and avert a forced selloff of billions of rand of its debt after Moody’s Investors Services gave it just over three months to get its finances in order, says Bloomberg.

When Nelson Mandela came to power in 1994, he faced the challenge of uniting a nation divided by apartheid and healing an economy shattered by sanctions and mismanagement. A quarter of a century later, his one-time protege Cyril Ramaphosa faces perhaps even bigger obstacles, including a dismally low economic growth rate of 2%, says Bloomberg.

“Zuma and his allies erased about 20 years of progress,” Claude Baissac, the head of Eunomix Business and Economics, which advises on political risk, is reported as saying.

The World Bank could provide as much as $5bn to Democratic Republic of Congo over the next five years if its new government commits to raising more revenue, fighting corruption and opening up its economy.

Zimbabwe police have given public sector workers permission to march for better pay on Wednesday in what is widely seen as a test of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s willingness to tolerate dissent, reports Reuters.

US stocks climbed to records while Treasuries tumbled as trade optimism fuelled demand for risk assets, says Reuters. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 140 points at the open on Monday to claim its first all-time high since July. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
4 Nov 2019 12PM English South Africa Investing · Business News

Other recent episodes

Director's Cut: BEE is breaking South Africa - Gerhard Papenfus v Gwede Mantashe

In this candid and hard-hitting interview, Alec Hogg speaks to Gerhard Papenfus, CEO of the National Employers’ Association of South Africa, about his open letter condemning Black Economic Empowerment. Papenfus argues that BEE has distorted markets, damaged entrepreneurship, and entrenched elitism rather than broad-based upliftment. He challenges prevailing political narratives,…
20 Jan 5AM 37 min

Jabulani Khumalo - Zuma is “trying to build his own military wing”

In his latest interview with BizNews, MKP Founder Jabulani Khumalo warns that former President Jacob Zuma could be trying to build his own military wing. He spoke to Chris Steyn about a leaked letter purportedly written by Zuma to the Russian Defence Minister in which he stated that the 18…
20 Jan 10AM 10 min