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Zambia Business Survey – An Analysis of Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises
September 24, 2010--Past analysis of Zambia’s business environment has shown that private sector competitiveness has been hampered by focusing on large formal-sector enterprises.
While studies have yielded important insights, it is important to note that 80 percent of private sector business in Zambia is conducted by enterprises with fewer than 50 employees. Most of these firms are small informal operations, with less than five employees.
These firms constitute the bulk of private sector employment in Zambia, employing 73 percent of total labor. However, little is known about how these firms perform and the constraints under which they operate, rendering it difficult for policy makers, businesses and donors to design policies, services and programs to help improve their performance.
view the Zambia Business Survey
Source: World Bank
Bonds end week firmer
September 23, 2010-- South African bonds were firmer heading into the long weekend in late trade on Thursday
Markets will be closed on Friday for the Heritage Day public holiday.
By 15:50 the benchmark R157 bond was at 7.190% from 7.195% at its close on Wednesday, while the R207 was bid at 7.810% and offered at 7.795% from 7.840% at its previous close. The R186 was bid at 7.900% and offered at 7.845% after closing at 7.885%
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Source: FIN24
JSE slightly down on world stocks
September 24, 2010--The JSE ended marginally weaker on Thursday, in line with lower global stocks as investors sifted through economic news that gave mixed signals. Gold stocks, especially AngoGold (ANG) and Harmony (HAR), performed remarkably well, a trader said.
Local investors squared their positions ahead of a public holiday on Friday, the trader said.
By 17:00 local time the JSE all share index was down 0.03%, with resources falling 0.17% and platinum miners shedding 0.58%. But gold miners rose 0.83%. Banks added 0.22%, industrials were up 0.07% and financials gave up 0.04%.
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Source: FIN24
Samda report: nationalisation is proper
September 24, 2010--A new report commissioned by the SA Mining Development Association (SAMDA) released Thursday has come out in support of mine nationalisation and called for a drastic overhaul of the country's mining sector.
A Black Economic Empowerment consultancy KIO Advisory Services conducted the report.
The report said the overhaul would place the sector in a better position to drive economic growth and development.
The overhaul should include the development of a new vision and plan for the sector and the establishment of new institutions, the report said.
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Source: FIN24
'Suicide' to peg rand to dollar
September 24, 2010--Pegging the rand to the dollar would be "national suicide", Minister in the Presidency Trevor Manuel said at the ANC's national general council (NGC) in Durban on Friday.
"To ask that you peg against a volatile currency like the dollar is to commit national suicide," Manuel said at a briefing on the NGC's commission on the economy.
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Source: FIN24
Bonds take strain on foreign sales
September 17, 2010-- The wind was taken out of the sails of South African bonds on Friday as they continued to lose ground on the back of foreign selling.
Bonds lost up to 20 basis points in late trade, with a trader saying bonds were weaker after 'massive offshore selling' yesterday. It follows foreigners selling up to two billion rand worth of South African bonds on Thursday.
By 16:00 the benchmark R157 bond was at 7.370% from 7.240% at its close on Thursday, while the R207 was bid at 8.030% and offered at 8.015% from 7.865% at its previous close. The R186 was bid at 8.095% and offered at 8.050% after closing at 7.885%.
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Source: FIN24
JSE ends down on US data, bank fears
September 17, 2010--The JSE reversed all the day's gains and closed lower on Friday, after disappointing US consumer confidence data and concerns over the stability of the banking system in the Eurozone dampened sentiment on the local bourse.
Gold stocks fell the hardest despite the strong gold price, which hit yet another record high on Friday.
By 17:00 local time the JSE all share index was down 0.18%, with gold miners falling 2.12%. But platinum miners added 0.10% and resources gained 1.02%. Banks made 0.12% gains, while industrials shed 0.28% and financials slid 0.52%.
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Source: FIN24
New dividends tax ruffles feathers
September 17, 2010-- The implementation of South Africa's new dividends tax, which is set to replace the out-dated secondary tax on companies in 2011, has not come without controversy.
It has emerged that corporate taxpayers could be caught off guard when the amended tax legislation comes into force in January 2011 because the Taxation Laws Amendment Bills of 2010, recently presented to cabinet by Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, have unexpectedly removed the secondary tax on companies (STC) liquidation exemption.
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Source: FIN24
Cosatu charters new growth path for economy
September 14, 2010--Government should tax the "super rich" and play a more "aggressive role" in the economy, the Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) suggested in its new growth path for South Africa.
Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi said on Tuesday South Africa was in crisis, and a new growth path was needed to rescue
the country's "dysfunctional" economy.
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Source: FIN24
EU-Africa meeting to secure energy for Africa by 2020
September 14, 2010--- African ministers and EU representatives kicked off a new energy partnership Tuesday, with the aim to secure renewable energy supplies for Africa by 2020.
"Today is the starting point for the Africa-EU cooperation programme on renewable energies," Austrian Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger, who hosted the Vienna meeting, said at the opening.
"Our goal is clear -- to provide by 2020 access to modern energy supplies for some 100 million people in Africa, to improve cross-border interconnectivity in the electricity supply and to improve energy efficiency," he said.
view Africa-Europe Energy Partnership (AEEP)
Source: EUbusiness