Story of the Day
Vedanta Resources has requested the Lusaka High Court to nullify the appointment of Acting Official Receiver Celine Nair as Provisional Liquidator of the wettest mine in Zambia, Konkola Copper Mines (KCM), according press releases out of Zambia. The action from Vedanta comes less than 48 hours after Zambia’s President had announced at the ongoing Cape Town Mining Indaba 2022 that the country had agreed to end legal action against billionaire Anil Agarwal’s Vedanta Resources Ltd. seeking to revive mining output in the southern African country, according to Bloomberg. Read more
Local Business and Finance Sponsored By Liquid Intelligent Technologies
Petroleum price pressures persisted in the month of April offsetting private sector activity despite the Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) headlining 50.5 from 49.6 previous month. According the Markit Economics April release on Zambia, the PMI reading reflects a marginal improvement in business conditions as output and orders rose slightly. 50 remains the benchmark for expansion (>50) and contraction (<50). Read more: The Business Telegraph
The value and volume of mobile money transactions increased by 67.3 percent from January to March this year compared to the same period last year, Bank of Zambia (BoZ) has said. Responding to a press query, BoZ assistant director – communications Besnart Mwanza said K50.4 billion was transacted through the three mobile money platforms – MTN Zambia, Airtel Networks Zambia Plc and Zamtel in the first quarter compared to K30.1 billion during the same period last year. Read more: Zambia Daily Mail
Development Bank of Zambia (DBZ) board chairperson Noel Nkoma says he has decided to resign from the Energy Regulation Board of Zambia (ERB) to focus on reviving DBZ. Nkoma announced his resignation on social media, adding that the responsibilities bestowed on him of reviving DBZ were enormous and required total commitment and focus. Read more: News Diggers
Barrick Gold is searching for copper projects in both Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as the gold-mining giant looks to expand in one of the world’s most-important industrial metals. CEO Mark Bristow said he met with Hichilema on Monday and came away with a positive impression. “He is a breath of fresh air,” he said. “Zambia is a good story.” Read more: Business Live
News from Cape Town Mining Indaba Sponsored by HLB Zambia
It is estimated that the artisanal and small-scale mining sector represents the primary source of employment for almost 45 million people across the world, and the livelihoods of another 134 to 269 million people depend on the supporting industries of the ASM sector. In Rwanda, artisanal miners contribute approximately 2.5% of GDP and in Uganda, it is estimated that inclusion of ASM in the formal economy would mean the country’s GDP would increase by 5%. College graduates in Ghana find it easier to find work in ASM than any other job in the capital Accra. Read more
Keynote Address by President Cyril Ramaphosa at the 2022 Investing in African Mining Indaba, Cape Town International Convention Centre. Read more
The buzz word at the 2022 edition of Cape Town South Africa’s Mining Indaba is Beneficiation. Beneficiation, or value-added processing, involves the transformation of a primary material (produced by mining and extraction processes) to a more finished product, which has a higher export sales value. All the three heads of state that have spoken at the event have echoed its importance for their countries when it comes to reaping more benefits from mining. Read more
International Business and Finance Sponsored By Agricultural and Commercial Society of Zambia
Stock futures were higher in early morning trading Wednesday ahead of a key inflation reading. Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 79 points, or 0.25%. S&P 500 futures were 0.34% higher and Nasdaq 100 futures gained 0.71%. The moves come after the Dow fell for a fourth consecutive day Tuesday in a volatile trading session alternating between gains and losses. The S&P 500 ticked up 0.25% and the Nasdaq Composite gained about 1%. Read more: CNBC
Toyota says it will suspend operations at more production lines at its factories in Japan this month due to the coronavirus lockdown in Shanghai. The firm says the production halt will come into effect on Monday and stay in place until of end of next week. It is the latest big car maker to announce that it is being impacted by the Covid-19 measures in China. Meanwhile, Tesla has reportedly halted most production at its Shanghai plant due to problems with sourcing parts. Read more: BBC News
The African Securities Exchanges Association (ASEA) recently signed an agreement with UAE-based tech firm DirectFN, for the design and implementation of a software system that can facilitate cross-border stock trading. Business Insider Africa understands that the contract is part of an implementation phase for the African Exchanges Linkage Project (AELP). The ambitious project was conceived by ASEA in collaboration with the African Development Bank (AfDB). The main aim is to integrate seven African stock markets, whilst promoting cross-border stock trading and ensuring liquidity in African bourses. Among the seven bourses the project aims to integrate are some of the continent’s largest and best-performing stock exchanges. Read more: Business Insider
Some manufacturers associations and business councils within the East African Community (EAC) want the external tariffs on imported finished products to be increased to 35%. According to the stakeholders, it has become imperative to increase the fourth band of the Common External Tariff (CET) of the EAC’s Customs Union Protocol. They argued that doing this would discourage dumping and help protect local manufacturers. amid economic hardship. Read more: Business Insider
Capital Markets Report
In 88 trades recorded yesterday, 65,311 shares were transacted resulting in a turnover of K231,803. Share price gains were recorded in Zambia Sugar of K0.60 and in CEC Africa on the quoted tier of K0.01. Share price losses were recorded of K0.09 in Pamodzi and in Zanaco of K0.01. Trading activity was also recorded in Copperbelt Energy Corporation, Investrust, Chilanga Cement, National Breweries, Standard Chartered Zambia, ZCCM and ZAMEFA. The LuSE All Share Index (LASI) closed at 6,807.99 points, 0.56% up from its previous close of 6,769.74 points. The market closed on a capitalization of K70,565,507,416 including Shoprite Holdings and K35,782,821,976 excluding Shoprite Holdings.
