African Alpha: Blog
The African Alpha is a blog dedicated to opening up discussion on African related news and topics of interest. Viewers have the opportunity to comment on the articles and discussions below.
Welcome to My Taxi - Let´s Do Business With My Cell Phone
AllAfrica.com | Aug 31, 2010In cities across Africa, being an entrepreneur requires no office, business card or investors. All it takes is a cell phone, according to Adele Botha, a researcher at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in South Africa.More than a convenience, cell phones have become a means of livelihood and information for people in rural communities across Africa. NGOs and researchers are studying their effects on rural communities.Mobile phones have made deep strides into the African market in recent years, and are becoming important tools...know more
South Africa Bonds´ `Perfect Storm´ Lures Record Foreign Buying
Bloomberg | Sept 1, 2010 International investors are buying more South African bonds than at any time in the past 15 years, lured by slowing inflation, a stronger rand and higher interest rates than in developed markets.Net foreign purchases of local-currency government debt swelled to almost 67 billion rand ($9.2 billion) so far in 2010, more than in any full year since the so-called financial rand was abolished in 1995, according to data from JSE Ltd., the company that runs the country’s stock and bond exchanges.The purchases sent yields on...know more
Adcock, Merck & Co Expand African Distribution Deal
Reuters Africa | Sept 1, 2010 U.S. drugmaker Merck & Co and South African peer Adcock Ingram have expanded their cross-distribution deal to sub-Saharan Africa, raising both companies´ presence on the fast-growing continent.In June, Adcock and Merck signed a similar five-year deal for the South African market.The tie-up marks the latest push by big pharmaceutical companies into emerging markets where they see much of their future revenue growth as sales stall in developed markets."We expect sales from emerging markets to be a key contributor to our future performance," said Marc...know more
HSBC in Talks to Buy Control of Old Mutual´s Nedbank
Bloomberg | Aug 23, 2010HSBC Holdings Plc, Europe’s largest bank, is in talks to buy a controlling stake in Old Mutual Plc’s Nedbank Group Ltd. that’s valued at about $7 billion to benefit from growing business ties between Asia and Africa.HSBC may acquire as much as 70 percent of the Johannesburg- based bank, London-based Old Mutual said today. HSBC and Old Mutual are in exclusive talks and have eight weeks to reach an agreement for Nedbank, which has a market value of 71.5 billion rand ($9.8 billion).HSBC said last month...know more
The Final Frontier
Barron´s Cover | August 2, 2010 Investors will lose a huge opportunity if they avoid vibrant and changing Africa. Fast growth in a continent of misconceptions.What images does Africa conjure in the mind of the average Westerner? Probably skinny children in dire poverty, corrupt dictators and, thanks to Hollywood, blood diamonds. Africa doesn´t get much attention in the West beyond that. During South Africa´s successful World Cup this summer, for example, many news reports focused on vuvuzelas and few on the capable management of the event itselfChina Raising the...know more
The dragon in Africa: An overview of China´s presence on the continent
International Business Times | July 31, 2010China, an emerging global superpower which will likely become the world's biggest economy within fifteen years, has planted itself deeply into the vast continent of Africa -- a land of huge untapped natural resources and incredible growth potential.It would seem to be an ideal marriage -- China possesses immense intellectual capital and an inexhaustible appetite for commodities to keep its economic engines running, while much of Africa remains poor and in dire need of external assistance.“Africa has an abundance of resources and is regarded...know more