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Morning Africa |
www.rich.co.ke Register and its all Free.
If you are tracking the NSE Do it via RICHLIVE and use Mozilla Firefox as your Browser. 0930-1500 KENYA TIME Normal Board - The Whole shebang Prompt Board Next day settlement Expert Board All you need re an Individual stock.
The Latest Daily PodCast can be found here http://www.rich.co.ke/rctools/richpod.php
I do thank Eleni Giokos for this Interview carried today on #CNBC
Kenya Africa Markets http://bit.ly/cXyMoK
Macro Thoughts
1.2980 Euro Dollar. Gold 1225. Sugar might have based out. Stay Long Africa Equities 2010. Safaricom 6.60 Objective.
Home Thoughts
We had a dreamy and beautifully exquisite weekend in the Amboseli. The Driver Hashim did not take the Namanga Turn off but took the Emali one and the road was as smooth [as a Babys Bottom] as I have ever witnessed in my lifetime. As we entered the Park, we gave way to a Big Bull Elephant and it must have been all of 50 feet in front of us. Suddenly there are Roars and we realise the Elephant has nearly stood on 2 Sleeping Male Lions. We would have missed the Lions otherwise. We stayed at the Serena and all of us thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We saw a herd that must have been more than a 100. As You drive to the Serena, there is a deserted Lodge. Monkeys are everywhere, it is a little spooky.
The Curious thing was I recalled waking in the Middle of the Night some 35 Years ago. I was on the Train from Mombasa going to Nairobi and I still have Emali printed on my Mind. Late at Night the noises of a Train Station.
Wild White Flowers The Road from Emali to Amboseli http://www.twitpic.com/1k9l0k
Somewhere The Nairobi Mombasa Road http://www.twitpic.com/1kajie
The Driver told me these Two Lions were Honeymooners http://www.twitpic.com/1jyw7z
Can you see the Girl Friend in the back ground. She had just gotten short shrift. |
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Will the Real Avatar Please Stand Up by Woody Allen New Yorker Misc. |
I suppose gods in human form may well have dropped in on this blue marble from time to time, but I strongly doubt that one has ever tooled around Rodeo Drive in a T-bird with the aplomb and good looks of Warren Beatty. Reading “Star,” the new biography by Peter Biskind, one can’t help but be blown away by the actor’s overwhelming accomplishments. Think of the movies, the grosses, the reviews, the Oscars, the endless nominations springing from this quadruple-threat voracious reader and marketing maven, who is nimble at the Steinway, savvy in the ways of politics, and a full-time Adonis, with accolades accruing from divers ones who believe he belongs not just up on the silver screen but in the Oval Office. |
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Hunt for bomber who targeted the heart of New York The Independent Misc. |
The most audacious terrorist attack on New York since September 11th may have been foiled by "amateurish" bomb-making equipment and a quick-witted t-shirt salesman who alerted police to a car which had been filled with explosives and parked a couple blocks from Times Square, the city's busiest tourist district, on Saturday night.
.A group calling itself the Pakistani Taliban group released a video last night claiming responsibility for the potentially-devastating but ultimately failed attack, which saw a Nissan SUV packed with propane tanks, petrol, and fireworks, and left a few blocks north of the always-bustling square.
Though smoke began pouring out of the vehicle at around 6.30pm, the bomb failed to detonate, and security teams successfully disarmed it after clearing tens of thousands of tourists and revellers from the surrounding streets. In a tape released on a militant website, the Taliban group nonetheless hailed: "a jaw-breaking blow to Satan's USA."
Conclusions
Its all very asymettric.
Aly-Khan Satchu www.rich.co.ke |
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Greece Gets $146 Billion Rescue on EU, IMF Austerity Package Bloomberg World Of Finance |
Euro-region ministers agreed to a 110 billion-euro ($146 billion) rescue package for Greece to prevent a default and stop the worst crisis in the currency’s 11-year history from spreading through the rest of the bloc.
The first payment will be made before Greece’s next bond redemption on May 19, said Jean-Claude Juncker after chairing a meeting of euro-region finance ministers in Brussels yesterday. The 16-nation bloc will pay 80 billion euros at a rate of around 5 percent and the International Monetary Fund contributes the rest. Greece agreed to budget measures worth 13 percent of gross domestic product.
Conclusions
The Show Me the Money Moment. |
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Bets Versus Euro at Record as Traders See Past Greece Bloomberg World Currencies |
Hedge funds and other large speculators raised net wagers on a euro drop by 25 percent to 89,013 contracts in the week ended April 27, Commodity Futures Trading Commission data shows. The euro dropped to $1.3233 at 11:08 a.m. in Singapore after falling to a one-year low of $1.3115 on April 28 as Standard & Poor’s lowered Greece’s debt to junk and cut Portugal and Spain.
While Greece accepted a bailout from the European Union and International Monetary Fund valued at 110 billion euros ($146 billion) to prevent default, futures-market bets show traders expect any gains to be short-lived. The euro has depreciated 7.6 percent this year, including last week’s 0.7 percent loss, as concern the sovereign debt crisis will slow Europe’s economy reduced confidence in a region whose $13.6 trillion gross domestic product is exceeded only by the U.S.
“Greece is a Lehman Brothers for the sovereign world.”
The extra yield investors demand to hold Greek debt over German bunds surged to 826 basis points on April 28 after Standard & Poor’s cut its rating to junk. It shrank to 594 points April 30.
Conclusions
1.2980 |
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Currency Markets at a Glance World Currencies |
Euro 1.3238 - I continue to look for 1.2980 Pound 1.5254 Dollar Index 82.15. Higher Beta Aussie 0.9249 - 0.93 remains the Pivot Real 1.7387 Rand 7.3803
Conclusions
I cannot see the Euro holding onto any Relief Rally Gains. |
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Louis Vuitton Tops Hermes, Gucci as Most Valuable Luxury Brand Bloomberg Retail & Manufacturing |
Louis Vuitton, the French fashion brand known for its monogrammed luggage, topped Millward Brown Optimor’s 2010 BrandZ ranking of the most valuable luxury labels for the fifth straight year.
The brand, owned by Paris-based LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA, has a value of $19.8 billion, up 2 percent on 2009, ranking it 29th worldwide across all industries, according to the study released today. That’s more than the combined value of rival labels Hermes and Gucci, which placed second and third in the luxury standings and ranked 86th and 97th overall.
LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA Bloomberg http://bit.ly/9Kgwhn
Price86.840 52-Wk High (04/13/10)92.360 52-Wk Low (07/08/09)52.750 1-Yr Return55.227 Earnings3.710 Price/Earnings23.407
Conclusions
There is Plenty of Growth coming from the East. |
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Commodity Markets at a Glance WSJ Commodities |
Gold settled at a four-month high Friday, clocking in a 2.3% gain in a week marked by rising concerns about a spreading sovereign debt crisis in Europe and as investors sought out gold and other metals as a hedge against currency weakness.Gold for June delivery, the most active contract, added $11.90, or 1%, to settle at $1,180.70 an ounce on Comex - a stone's throw from an early December high around $1,220 an ounce for a most-active contract.As a reflection of investors eagerness to load up on gold and other metals, physical holdings in exchange-traded funds backed by gold hit records this week, analysts at Barclays Capital said. Gold prices gained 6% in April.
"The big thing today is that gold held above the $1,160 level," which it had tried to pierce in recent days and failed, said Matt Zeman, a trader at LaSalle Futures Group in Chicago. "We did see it break through. It looks very bullish to me and looks like it's going to keep working its way higher. We may see going to $1,200 in the next couple of sessions." |
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Brazil Trades A-Rated as Growth Makes Debt Safer Bloomberg Emerging Markets |
The cost to protect Brazil bonds, ranked BBB- by Standard & Poor’s, from default for five years fell seven basis points this month to 123 basis points, or 1.23 percentage points, according to data compiled by CMA DataVision. In Europe, where Greece’s spreading debt crisis led to downgrades this week, swaps on Portugal almost doubled this month to 2.9 points, even though its debt is rated A-, three levels higher than Brazil.
“If you look at the European economies, they’re clearly credits in decline and this is a credit on the rise,” Sebastian Briozzo, an S&P analyst, said in a phone interview from Boston.
Brazil’s credit-default swaps are less expensive than Bahrain, which is rated A, or four levels higher, as well as South Africa, two steps higher, and Russia, one level. Brazilian swaps point to a ratings increase of as many as two levels, according to Donato Guarino, an analyst with Barclays Plc in New York.
At 1.23 points, it costs $123,000 to protect $10 million of Brazilian debt against default for five years. That compares with a cost of $432,000 on March 2, 2009, when the global credit crisis eroded demand for emerging-market assets.
The extra yield investors demand to own Brazilian dollar bonds instead of U.S. Treasuries narrowed two basis points to 1.88 percentage points at 3:51 p.m. in New York, according to JPMorgan Chase & Co. That gap is down from 3.55 percentage points a year ago. The average spread for emerging-market dollar debt shrank two basis points to 2.58 points. A basis point is 0.01 percentage point.
The nation’s foreign reserves have climbed 26 percent to a record $247 billion over the past two years as the central bank bought dollars to slow the real’s rally.
Conclusions
There appears to be a great deal of left Over and Historical Pricing in the Sovereign Credit Markets and thiis is an example. |
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The People's Bank of China announced Sunday it was increasing commercial banks' reserve requirement ratio by 0.5 percentage point China |
The Chinese central bank's move over the weekend to raise banks' reserve requirements was designed to remove excess liquidity, as hot money pours into the country, due in part to hopes of the yuan's appreciation.
But while Chinese banking and property shares declined Monday as the monetary-policy tightening weighed on investor sentiment, the increase may actually be mildly positive for Chinese banks, some analysts said.
The People's Bank of China announced Sunday it was increasing commercial banks' reserve requirement ratio by 0.5 percentage point, taking the RRR of large banks to 17% and that of small- and medium-sized banks to 15%.
The increase, which goes into effect May 10, is the PBOC's third such hike this year and is estimated to drain out about 300 billion yuan ($43.9 billion) in liquidity from the Chinese banking system. |
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Africa Boom Lures Investors as Growth Set to Double Bloomberg Africa |
Sub-Saharan Africa’s economy will probably expand 4.7 percent this year, double the pace of 2009, according to the International Monetary Fund. Commodity exporters, including Angola, which vies with Nigeria as the continent’s largest oil producer, and Botswana, the world’s biggest diamond supplier, will lead the growth.
Capital flows into Africa rose 16 percent in 2008 to a record $62 billion even as foreign direct investment that year fell 20 percent worldwide, according to the World Economic Forum
China needs Africa as much as Africa needs China.
Agricultural loans are another area of growth on the continent, where farming employs 65 percent of the labor force and accounts for 32 percent of gross domestic product, according to the World Bank. Agriculture is being spurred by foreign investment, such as Indian food processing company Karuturi Global Ltd.’s leasing of 300,000 hectares in Ethiopia to produce food for export.
Conclusions
I am on the BBC World Service tomorrow discussing this Very Point.
I believe it is Africa is the last Convergence Trade in the c21st. |
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Ecobank Transnational First-Quarter Profit Rose 5.1% Bloomberg Africa |
Ecobank Transnational Inc., the Lome, Togo-based company which operates banks in 27 African countries, said first-quarter profit rose 5.1 percent as it earned more from loans and fees. Net income in 2009 fell 42 percent to $64.6 million, Ecobank said in a separate statement published in the Times today. It proposed a dividend of 0.3 cents per share, from 0.2 cents per share in 2008.
Ecobank Transnational Inc share price data Bloomberg http://bit.ly/94hTU7
Price19.050 52-Wk High (04/13/10)20.500 52-Wk Low (05/07/09)8.040 1-Yr Return114.323 Earnings0.014 Price/Earnings9.055
Conclusions
It had gotten very cheap last Year. |
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Somali fighters seize coastal town AlJazeera Africa |
Heavily armed fighters from Somalia's Hizbul Islam group have seized a town used by pirates in the country's north, residents said. The fighters faced no resistance as they moved into the town of Haradheere early on Sunday, pledging to take over more towns in the region.
Sheikh Mohamed Osman Arus, a spokesman for the group, told the Reuters news agency: "Our Mujahidin fighters are in Haradheere now, they will cross into the other towns in the region."
Pirates in Haradheere, however, said Hizbul Islam, which has vowed to topple the UN-backed government, sent agents to the coastal town to demand a portion of their business a few days ago, but the pirates refused.
"They came into the town, they want to have their own pirates in here and oust us," Hassan, a pirate who was fleeing the town, told Reuters.
"Some of their agents came to us two days ago and asked us to work with them and pay. We rejected this and they entered today," he said. |
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South Africa Beyond the Soccer Stadium WSJ Africa |
The more than 300,000 visitors expected here next month for the World Cup will be looking for some place to celebrate victory, ease the sting of defeat, or just calm down after the frenzy. One answer lies a short drive from Cape Town: a coastline populated by whales, seals and penguins and, farther on, three-century-old farms that offer up memorable characters and some of the country's finest vineyards. |
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ACK rejects 'No' campaign rallies The Nation Law & Politics |
ACK Archbishop Eliud Wabukala on Sunday said the launch of the ‘No’ campaign at Uhuru Park next weekend was likely to open doors for an emotional rather than a “sober” approach to the referendum debate.
He spoke as Cabinet ministers and MPs in the Yes and No camps campaigned vigorously in various regions at the weekend.
Conclusions
It is a curious Debate. Full of Smokes and Mirrors. |
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Scangroup buys major stake in Ogilvy East African N.S.E Equities - Commercial & Services |
In a move that is likely to reshape the advertising and media business in Africa, Scangroup is set to buy Ogilvy East Africa.
This will see Scangroup buy out huge chunks of Ogilvy & Mather’s continental business, of which Kenya is the biggest market. Scangroup is an associate company of the global communication agency network WPP and one of sub-Sahara Africa’s largest communications groups.According to insiders, this deal is valued at $6.1 million (Ksh460 million) and it will be partly in cash ($1 million) and the rest in Scangroup shares listed on the Nairobi Stock Exchange.It will dilute existing shareholders by 5.95 per cent and increase WPP’s holding in Scangroup to 27.5 per cent.With WPP’s 27.5 per cent stake just a whisker behind Mr Thakrar’s 28.53 per cent holding. |
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Biggest Ever African Tea Auction Held in Mombasa Last Week Bloomberg Commodities |
The Mombasa Auctions held their biggest ever tea sale this week, offering 10.54 million kilograms (23.2 million pounds) of the leaves, Africa Tea Brokers Ltd. said in an e-mailed statement today.
Tea prices rose 1.6 percent to average of $2.61 a kilogram at the sale in the Kenyan coastal town of Mombasa, where tea from a number of African countries sell their output.
Yesterday the Kenya Tea Board said that production in the first quarter of the year was the highest in five years. Kenya is the world’s biggest black tea exporter.
Conclusions
Prices rose on that Supply and that tells you how Firm Prices are.
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Kenya's inflation rate slows to 3.7 pct April Reuters Kenyan Economy |
Kenya's year-on-year inflation rate slowed to 3.7 percent in April from 4.0 percent a month earlier, thanks again to slower food price rises, official data showed on Monday.
The inflation rate in east Africa's biggest economy is the lowest since October 2005 when it was also 3.7 percent, although the two measures were calculated using different methodologies and are not directly comparable.
The headline rate is also well below the central bank's 5 percent medium-term target, increasing the likelihood there could be further interest rate cuts in the coming months.
Conclusions
Optimal. |
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N.S.E Today |
The NSE20 closed down 16.06 points at 4217.18. The NASI was down 0.41 points to close at 89.72. Market Cap was 1.044726 Trillion versus 1.049504 Trillion. Equity Turnover was subdued at under 200m.
This Pull back has been orderly and shallow and I expect a move higher towards 4482 resistance on the NSE20 with a strengthening Bellweather Safaricom as it begins to breach 6.10 its 12 month high.
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N.S.E Equities - Agricultural |
Tea Production has hit a 5 Year High as per the Tea Board and prices remain at a multi Year High Structure. Full Year Reports due will confirm that these are excellent times to be a Tea Farmer. Sasini trades on a Forward Implied PE of less than 5, Williamson Tea trades on a Forward of about 4 and Kakuzi on a Trailing PE of less than 5.00. I expect a dynamic Price adjustment around the Full Year Results oiled by some supernormal Dividend Pay Outs.
Sasini Tea firmed 3.11% to close at 14.90 and traded a 14.50-15.50 range and 276,900 shares. Rea Vipingo closed at 19.60 on 5,000 shares. Kakuzi traded +4% at 78.00.
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N.S.E Equities - Commercial & Services |
Safaricom
shares volume 6.674m avg price 5.84 Closing Price 5.80 Unchanged high price 5.90 low price 5.80 last price 5.85
Conclusions
We have been at this level since 20th April and the price is well supported here with a Bias to test 6.10 12 month Highs ahead of Full Year results. Safaricom was the most active Counter at the Bourse.
ScanGroup announced Friday a share swap with Ogilvy and this followed through into the Market today. ScanGroup rallied 5.5028% to close at 28.75 and traded a 27.00-30.25 range and 143,000 shares worth 4.142m. 30.25 is a 52 week high.
Nation was marked down 2.78% to close at 140.00 and traded a 139.00-144.00 range and 57,700 shares worth 8.108m. Standard traded 1,900 shares at 41.00 -1.2%.
Kenya Airways firmed 0.88% to close at 57.00 and traded a 56.50-58.00 range and 106,200 shares worth 6.065m. There was an Overhang of Supply which is nearing Exhaustion now.
Access Kenya closed 7.1% lower at 18.30 and traded a 17.75-19.80 range and 210,700 shares worth 3.863m.
CMC Holdings closed lower at 13.15 and traded 37,100 shares. CARGEN traded 100 shares at 38.00 +2.01%.
TPS Serena shaved off 50 cents to close at 63.50 and traded 4,400 shares.
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N.S.E Equities - Finance & Investment |
KCB was the 2nd most active Counter and edged 1.09% easier to close at 22.75. KCB traded a 22.75-23.25 range and 1.510m shares worth 34.726m. KCB has announced a Material Rights Issue [and 1st Quarter 2010 results +10% ahead] but are yet to detail the Degree of Discount. 24.00 has proven long term resistance through this Year and Last. Equity Bank traded 4th at the Bourse. Equity Bank shaved off 0.25% to close at 18.50 and traded an 18.30-18.65 range and 664,500 shares worth 12.295m. The 1st Quarter 2010 Earnings Report confirmed an Inflexion and a return to much steeper Growth Trajectory which will point the price towards 20.00.
HFCK [which is apparently Prey to Equity Bank's Predator] reported 1st Quarter 2010 earnings +52.55% after the Bell. HFCK'S price was trimmed 3.195% today to close at 22.75. HFCK traded a 22.25-23.50 range and 107,400 shares worth 2.443m.
COOP Bank eased 0.42% to close at 11.80 and traded a 11.70-12.00 range and 713,300 shares worth 8.45m. Barclays Bank rallied 0.87% to close at 58.00 and traded a 59.00 high and 100,400 shares. StanChart closed down 3 shillings at 196.00 on 2,900 shares.
Centum firmed 0.28% to close at 17.90 and traded a 17.70-18.10 range and 162,300 shares.
Kenya Re closed a further 5 cents lighter at 13.20 and traded a 12.80-13.35 range and 430,800 shares. Kenya Re reported Full Year 2009 behind 2008 last week, higher Claims Pay Out Ratios on its Books and this has led it to lose some ground since the Results were announced. Jubilee closed down 2 shillings at 178.00 and traded 1,300 shares. PanAfric did not trade.
The MidCaps ex HFCK were very lightly traded. CFC StanBic eased 0.5% to close at 49.75 and traded 15,500 shares. DTB eased 0.58% to close at 85.00 and traded 6,700 shares. NBK dipped 1.14% to close at 43.25 and traded 6,600 shares only. NIC retreated 75 cents to close at 38.00 and traded 14,000 shares.
Olympia Capital is at 9.40.
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N.S.E Equities - Industrial & Allied |
Mumias Sugar traded 3rd overall. Mumias Sugar eased 0.38% to close at 13.00 and traded a 12.95-13.30 range with 1.969m shares worth 25.689m. Mumias announced Friday that Sugar Cane Crushed would be +15% at the Year End. This will lend support to the price to 13.60 [10 Implied Forward PE] and probably towards 16.30 which equates to a forward of 12.00.
Unga closed 7.72% firmer at 11.85 and traded 24,900 shares.
Bamburi closed at 185.00 [Its recent clearing Price] -2.12% and traded 59,400 shares worth 10.997m. ARM was unchanged at 115.00 and traded 4,300 shares. Portland was unchanged at 120.00.
KENOLKOBIL firmed 0.6% to close at 84.50 and traded 51,400 shares worth 4.345m. Demand outweighs Supply pointing the Price towards 90.00. Total firmed 0.83% to close at 30.25 and traded 41,600 shares. Retail Fuel Prices are being increased this week.
KENGEN eased 0.32% to close at 15.75 and traded 114,200 shares. KPLC was unchanged at 180.00 and traded 14,800 shares. Cables closed lower at 21.50 and traded 40,000 shares.
Crown Berger retreated 2.63% to close at 37.00 and traded 12,300 shares. Crown Berger reported Full Year EPS more than 200% ahead of the Previous Year last week. Crown Berger has returned 140.92% over 12 months.
EABL closed a shilling lighter at 169.00 and traded 22,800 shares.
BOC Kenya closed +1.46% at 139.00 and traded 1,500 shares. Carbacid traded 4,500 shares at 145.00 unchanged.
Eveready slipped 3.09% to close at 4.70 and traded 19,200 shares. Sameer eased 5 cents to close at 9.60 and traded 83,600 shares.
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