Browsing: Nairobi Stock Exchange

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Kenya’s stock rebounds after election jitters

Africa

NSE market update: On Wednesday, Sep 7, investors proved their confidence in Kenya’s new president William Ruto as the Nairobi Stock Exchange (NSE) shot through the roof to record the highest single day raise in over four and a half years.

Local media confirmed the NSE market gained Sh102.6 billion describing the leap as ‘the biggest single-day jump in four-and-a-half years.’ This jump comes in the wake of settling election dust that saw the NSE stumble, fall and now, rise up again.

Sector pundits and political analysts agree that this huge gain is a clear signal of investor’s confidence in the fifth president of Kenya.

In fact, the last time the NSE scored a similar single-day gain was way back in 2018 when there was an almost mirror effect of the political situation. Back then, the NSE market had all but collapsed during the election turmoil but as soon as …

Recession to hit Africa hard, as fragile economies feel the COVID-19 heat

East African Trends: Living through the Covid-19 Era

Investing

The East African economies were looking forward to 2020 with a lot of optimism. While there were issues with inflation and money circulation in Kenya, projections still showed the country would comfortably manage a growth range of above 5 percent. All the other eastern African countries were projected to do even much better with Rwanda leading in terms of growth averaging 7 percent. Then, Coronavirus happened. This has reversed the projections with fear that the region with the highest growth rate in Africa will stagnate. This has already been felt with stock markets across the region registering massive capital loss and foreign investors shying away from the market. The region is also looking at ways of sustaining their economies amid lockdowns in Uganda and Rwanda, partial lockdown in Kenya and a non-restrained movement approach in Tanzania.

The International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) latest World Economic Outlook projections for 2020 pegs Kenya

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East African Trends: Trade, Investments, Forex and Policies –2020

East African Trends: Trade, Investments, Forex and Policies –2020

Regional Markets

The first quarter of 2020 has had mixed results for the economies of East Africa. The weather, a key determinant of inflation rates, has been good. Forex rates have remained stable in the region as a balance between dollar demands and diaspora remittance has been easily reached. Eastern Africa is one of the regions in Africa with the highest growth rate and this has remained so in the first two months of the year, with Ethiopia and Rwanda still in the driver’s seat. In terms of foreign direct investments, Kenya and Ethiopia are still the leading pack, with Kenya receiving investments in ICT and manufacturing while Tanzania is receiving investments in mining. Rwanda is a leading conference destination and Uganda is receiving investments in renewable energy as well as in oil and gas.

Kenya and Rwanda are still leading in developing policies that promote trade and investments, while Ethiopia is…

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