Domestic
The Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR) has called on government to continue with the diversification programme in the agriculture sector in order to stabilise the price of mealie meal in the country, and realise a favourable reduction in the commodity. Read more: The Independent Observer
President Edgar Lungu has called on the informal and formal sectors to fully participate in the country’s economic growth. Read more: Lusaka Times
SWAN Insurance, a Mauritian company that bought off a majority stake in Diamond Insurance, has been launched in Zambia. Read more: Zambian Observer
Zambia’s high expenditure on petroleum products was the major contributor to the country’s overall trade deficit of around US$325 million last year from the surplus of US$18.3 million in 2017. Read more: Zambia Daily Mail
International
Goldman Sachs announced that it has partnered with Investec in a bid to expand financial services in one of the world’s fastest growing economies. Read more: Business Chief
Barclays, Citigroup, Royal Bank of Scotland, JPMorgan and Japan’s MUFG have been fined more than €1 billion by the EU’s competition watchdog for rigging the multitrillion-dollar foreign exchange market after the last financial crash. Read more: Financial Times
Huawei’s chipmaking arm said it had turned its “Plan Bs into Plan As overnight” a day after the Trump administration raised the prospect of a US ban on export of parts and components to the Chinese telecoms group. Read more: Financial Times
Boeing has completed development of a software update for its 737 Max plane which was grounded following two fatal crashes within five months. Read more: BBC News
As trade tensions with the U.S. intensified, China sold off its Treasury holdings at the fastest pace in about two years during March. Read more: CNBC
Munich-based startup Lilium unveiled its five-seater electric air taxi prototype on Thursday. Read more: CNN