News & Analysis: Financial markets
COVID-19 Africa Watch talks to Megan McDonald of Standard Bank about the ongoing economic impacts of the pandemic, recent market developments, and the priorities for a robust recovery.
“Ratings action from Fitch on Egypt’s Commercial International Bank (CIB) shows that the country’s banking sector is poised for recovery, analysts say.”
“In terms of geography, money managers who specialize in frontier assets are almost united in favoring Africa, saying the region will benefit the most from rising raw material prices.”
“International credit-rating agencies perennially assign overinflated risks to Africa, irrespective of its improving macroeconomic fundamentals or the global economic environment. These ‘perception premiums’ are one of the region’s biggest development challenges.”
“A partnership signed today between IFC and Djibouti-based East Africa Bank (EAB) will help EAB better mitigate financial risks which have been amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic and improve its sustainability.”
COVID-19 Africa Watch talks to Senior Director of the Africa Investment Forum, Chinelo Anohu, about how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the AIF’s approach and the overall investment landscape across the continent.
“Many DFIs focused on supporting their existing clients through the crisis rather than finding new clients. Investing has been more challenging, but concerns that their balance sheets would take a hit didn’t materialize, nor did the type of demand they expected for liquidity support.”
“Yellen called on richer countries to step up both economic and public health assistance to poorer nations reeling from COVID-19. She noted as many as 150 million people across the world risk falling into extreme poverty as a result of the crisis.”
COVID-19 Africa Watch talks to Dr. Frank Aswani about ways to bolster Africa’s social investment ecosystem to help the continent’s economic recovery from the pandemic.
“Capital expenditure has been on the decline for years, but COVID-19 sent investment in machinery, factories and the tools of industry into a tailspin.”
A hub for information, analysis, and the global response to COVID-19’s impact on Africa