Africa Economics Update Regional vulnerabilities rising, but differentiation is needed Clouds have gathered over the outlook for sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) over the past few months due to growing concerns over widening twin budget and current account deficits and the effects of a slowdown... 19th March 2014 · 1 min read
Africa Economic Outlook Losing some shine Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) grew at its second slowest pace since 2000 last year and, though we expect a modest acceleration this year, growth is likely to remain below the rates seen over the past... 6th March 2014 · 1 min read
Africa Economics Update EM currency turmoil spreads to Africa The recent turbulence in EM currency markets has spread to some of Africa’s major economies, with the Ghanaian cedi and Nigerian naira slumping to all-time lows against the US$ this month. The South... 21st February 2014 · 1 min read
Africa Economics Update Time to revisit Africa’s growth story? Signs that the recent turbulence in EM markets is spreading to sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) have caused some to question the region’s upbeat growth story. But while some vulnerabilities are building and a... 20th February 2014 · 1 min read
Africa Economics Update Zambia’s fiscal position a major concern Zambia’s fiscal position has deteriorated markedly over the past few years despite the tailwind of high copper prices, which have boosted revenues. A relatively low burden of public debt means that a... 12th February 2014 · 1 min read
Africa Chart Pack South Africa tightens policy, others may soon follow suit The South African Reserve Bank responded to the turmoil in EM currency markets by unexpectedly hiking interest rates this month. Rates were raised by 50bp to 5.50% and, looking ahead, we think policy... 31st January 2014 · 1 min read
Africa Economics Update A look ahead to the South African elections The key political event in sub-Saharan Africa this year is the elections for the presidency and national assembly in South Africa. Although it seems likely that Jacob Zuma will be re-elected as... 16th January 2014 · 1 min read
Africa Economics Update Inflation unlikely to be a major threat in 2014 Inflation across sub-Saharan Africa is likely to remain broadly stable in 2014. Admittedly, the region is more susceptible than other EM regions to food price shocks related to drought. But in the... 9th January 2014 · 1 min read
Africa Economics Update Remittance inflows could take the edge off current account concerns Concerns have been raised about the impact of less accommodative global monetary policy on capital flows to sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), but one factor that often gets overlooked is that of overseas... 17th December 2013 · 1 min read
Africa Economics Update Rand set to weaken further next year The key development in African financial markets over the course of 2013 has been the slump in the South African rand, which has depreciated by more than 20% against the US dollar. But while most of... 12th December 2013 · 1 min read
Africa Economics Focus African consumer boom has much further to run Sub-Saharan Africa's (SSA's) consumer market has quadrupled in size since 2000, and is now worth over US$650bn. While some of the tailwinds that have supported consumption over the past decade are... 11th December 2013 · 1 min read
Africa Chart Pack Central banks turn more hawkish Interest rates were kept on hold in South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya and Ghana this month, but the more interesting aspect of the announcements was the notably hawkish tone struck by policymakers. In... 28th November 2013 · 1 min read
Africa Economics Update Weak South African economy not a major threat to rest of region The ongoing weakness of the South African economy has raised questions over the potential impact on the rest of sub-Saharan Africa. In this Watch, we argue that, due to a variety of factors, trade... 12th November 2013 · 1 min read
Africa Economics Update Natural resource boom will bring its own challenges The production of natural resources will be a key driver of growth in Ghana, Mozambique and Tanzania over the coming years, but it is also likely to bring a number of challenges. In Ghana, oil... 25th October 2013 · 1 min read
Africa Economics Update Fiscal tightening to weigh on near-term growth in Zambia The fiscal tightening entailed in Zambia's budget for 2014 means that economic growth is likely to slow over the next year or so. Nonetheless, despite the overall cut in expenditure, public investment... 18th October 2013 · 1 min read
Africa Economic Outlook Positive outlook but challenges lie ahead Sub-Saharan Africa is likely to remain one of the world’s fastest-growing regions over the next few years. Domestic demand will remain the key driver of growth. And while several external headwinds... 10th October 2013 · 1 min read