insert_link Business / Economics Sri Lanka cuts key interest rates, seeks China deal Sri Lanka's central bank cut interest rates Tuesday as the prime minister visited China seeking a debt restructuring deal crucial to maintaining an IMF bailout. Transport minister and government spokesman Bandula Gunawardana said Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena was in Beijing, the island's biggest bilateral creditor. "We are in the final stages of restructuring our foreign debt and the prime minister is in China for this purpose," Gunawardana told […] todayMarch 26, 2024 28
insert_link Business / Economics Morning Biznews update – 22 March 2024 With South Africa’s annual consumer price inflation increasing to 5.6% in February, exceeding economists' expectations, and rising closer to the top of the central bank's 3% to 6% target range, all hopes of an interest rate cut before the Monetary Policy Committee meeting in July have fallen. A number of economists are in fact now looking at September as the first opportunity for any easing of the country’s 8.25% repurchase rate. […] todayMarch 22, 2024 8
insert_link Videos IMF urges vigilance on monetary policy https://youtu.be/UG1rZkT_FsQ The IMF is urging vigilance on monetary policy globally and says the job is not yet done when it comes to keeping inflation in check despite some weakening in key economies, a spokesperson for the Fund said Thursday (February 22) in Washington, DC. “Broadly speaking, because inflation has been coming down, but it's not yet at target or close enough to target our line, or our view remains the […] todayFebruary 23, 2024 17
insert_link Business / Economics What does an unchanged Repo rate mean to a GIPF member? By Amos Kambonde, Manager: Marketing services at the Government Institutions Pension Fund. Recently, consumers received positive news with the announcement of an unchanged repo rate alongside an unchanged in fuel prices across Namibia. While these developments may seem distant from the average person's daily concerns, they hold significant implications, particularly for members of the Government Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF). Let's delve into what these announcements mean for […] todayFebruary 20, 2024 18
insert_link Business / Economics Market Watch – 13 February 2024 Michelle speaks to Oxford Economics economist Theo Klein about how inflation in our neighbouring countries affects us too. https://iono.fm/e/1405946 todayFebruary 14, 2024 22
insert_link Business / Economics Local analyst examines economic outlook amid rate cut predictions South Africa's Standard Bank chief economist Goolam Ballim expects four 25 basis point cuts in 2024 starting in the second quarter, and taking the repo rate to 7.25% by year-end. He forecasts economic growth to rebound moderately in 2024 to 1.2%. We asked local Research Analyst at IJG Research, Angelique Bock if she agrees with him. todayFebruary 13, 2024 19
insert_link Business / Economics Bank of Namibia expected to cut repo rate by 25bps as inflation cooling By Josef Kefas Sheehama At its first Monetary Policy Committee meeting of 2024, on the 14 February 2024, the Bank of Namibia is expected to cut its Repo Rate by 25 basis points. All of Namibian’s banks now expect the Bank of Namibia to cut its Repo Rate target by 0.25 basis points on the 14 February 2024, which would bring its key lending rate to 7.50%. This […] todayFebruary 13, 2024 41
insert_link Africa African countries are struggling with high debt, demands to spend more and collapsing currencies: the policy fixes that could help By Jonathan Munemo, Salisbury University Highly indebted African countries are facing stark trade-offs between servicing expensive debt, supporting high and growing development needs, and stabilising domestic currencies. Government debt has risen in at least 40 African countries over the past decade. As a result, some are experiencing a bad combination of high debt, elevated development spending needs amid budget shortfalls, and unfavourable exchange rate pressures. These issues have become […] todayFebruary 1, 2024 6
insert_link World U.S. interest rates holding steady as central bank waits for consistent inflation The U.S. Federal Reserve decided to keep interest rates unchanged in their meetings this week– although the committee is hinting that they are likely to cut rates overall this year by 0.75%. Caroline Malone reports. todayFebruary 1, 2024 11