Zambia’s central bank will seek to raise K1.6 billion is a bond sale this Friday. This debt sale comes a fortnight after the copper producer successfully restructured its defaulted bonds with fresh instruments trading on the London Securities Exchange. More recently the Southern African nation got a nod from the three rating agencies namely Standards & Poor’s, Fitch and Moody’s that across the board upgraded the new bonds and rated the sovereign in positive light given the fiscal strides taken to restore fiscal fitness. Last Thursdays treasury bill auction saw a rally in yields between 100 – 150 basis points…
Author: The Editor
The central bank in Africa’s second largest copper hotspot Zambia sold K8.5 billion in 2,3 and 5 year bonds, in a private placement offering on 05 June 2024. The bonds This bond sale comes in the wake of the inclusion of government securities as the newest asset above cash in the computation of statutory reserves. The Bank of Zambia has recorded a series of under-subscriptions in government security sales (to date) as markets grapple with the aftermath of tight liquidity following the 9% hike in cash reserve requirement to 26% on 05 May. This sterilization measures mopped the markets of…
The week beginning June 16 will see Zambia, Africa’s second-largest copper producer, present a supplementary budget to Parliament on Tuesday, June 18, as authorities seek to mitigate the economic impact of a severe drought. Investors will be closely watching market reactions, particularly in currency markets, following Moody’s upgrade of Zambia’s long-term issuer rating to ‘Caa2’ from ‘Ca’ and the upgrade of both local and foreign currency long-term issuer ratings to ‘Caa3’. Here’s a detailed analysis: Drought Crisis and Agriculture Budget Disruption Zambia is grappling with a severe drought that has significantly reduced its power generation capacity and threatened food security…
Fitch international rating agency has upgraded Zambia’s short term issuer rating to ‘C’ from ‘RD’ while maintaining its long term issuer rating at ‘RD’. The improved assessment is supported by dollar bond restructure strides. Africa’s copper producer Zambia on June 04 earned a positive nod on its dollar bonds when its Eurobond holders voted in favor of the proposal to reissue fresh bonds maturing 2033 and 2053 respectively. The Southern Africa nation will see its defaulted stock of $3 billion worth of 2022 ($750 million), 2024 ($1.25 billion) and 2027 ($1 billion) morph into 2033 ($1.7 billion) and 2053 ($1.35…
Africa’s red metal hot spot Zambia has formally requested for budget support assistance of $388 million to plug a drought induced gap. Authorities in the Southern African nation earlier in the year announced a K23.4 billion (circa $940 million) funding gap need to cushion climate change effects impacting agriculture output, a threat to food security. Zambia faces the worst drought in 40 years that has eroded close to 56% of output representing 1.1 million hectarage of land leaving 7.5 million of citizenry susceptible to starvation in the 2023/24 agricuture year. In February, Republican President Hakainde Hichilema declared the drought situation…
Zambia’s Manufacturing Pulse Could Be in the Doldrums for Longer in 2024 Africa’s top copper producer, Zambia, may experience a prolonged contraction in its manufacturing sector this year as input inflation continues to rise. As indicated by the Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), manufacturing activity is heavily influenced by input prices, which are determined by currency and energy prices, liquidity, employment, and business confidence measures. Zambia has been burdened for an extended period by a lack of liquidity, currency depreciation, and increasing petroleum prices, which have kept its PMI below 50. (Readings below 50 signal contraction, while those above 50 indicate…
Power hurdles have continued to plague Zambia with the average household going 8-12 hours with no electricity. Dam levels at the Kariba have reached alarming lows. Over 56% of maize planted has been destroyed raising food security fears. The currency is trading north of K27.5 for a unit of dollar fueling cost of living worries. Both cost push and demand pull factors are at play. Business pulse continues to be in the doldrums on rising input prices. May inflation in Africa’s copper hotspot Zambia, has sprinted by a 0.9% quantum to 14.7% as energy and food prices widen on drought…
Liquidity issues continue to plague financial markets in Africa’s red metal hotspot, as the Bank of Zambia recorded another disappointing outcome in its latest bond sale. With K1.8 billion of assets on offer, the central bank managed to secure only K766 million in bids. This result was expected given the tight monetary conditions. Zambia is contending with structural challenges and drought while navigating its debt restructuring process which is a whisker from completion. READ ALSO: Currency Risks and Tight Liquidity Cast Shadow on Zambia’s Kwacha Bond Sale Ahead A volatile currency is influencing investor behavior, suggesting that yields may need…
Drought, tight liquidity, and Kwacha volatility are three critical issues keeping traders on edge in Zambia, Africa’s key red metal market. Recent treasury bill sales have been undersubscribed, with the latest absorbing only 30% of the K1.8 billion offered. As the Bank of Zambia aims to raise K1.6 billion in fixed income assets this Friday 24 May, the cash-strapped market could lead to significant undersubscription. Zambian authorities are urgently seeking funds to mitigate the drought’s impact on the 2024 agricultural budget, which requires K23.4 billion. Current market liquidity is hovering around K287 million. Despite raising its key interest rate by 100…
The week beginning 12 May in Africa’s red metal hotspot, Zambia, has the market jittery around potential monetary tightening as the Kwacha extends its losing streak in the 27’s coinciding with deepening drought woes. The Bank of Zambia will seek to sell K2.6 billion in treasury assets a day after the rate announcement. Zambia ended last week with news around a growth forecast haircut to 2.3% on deepening drought concerns. Here as some of the key expectations in the week. MONETARY TIGHTENING TO CURB NOTORIOUS FX RISKS BUT DROUGHTZambia’s central bank has commenced deliberations on its second rate decision meeting…