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Mozambique drops interest rate for 6th time in 2024

Published

5 days ago

November 29, 2024

As inflation remains low in southern African Mozambique, its central bank has lowered its main interest rate by 75 basis points, the sixth straight drop.

Mozambique’s MIMO interest rate dropped from 13.50% to 12.75%. Since July, Mozambique’s inflation rate has stayed below 3%; in October, it was 2.68% annually.

In a statement, the Bank of Mozambique stated that, despite concerns about post-election demonstrations and their effect on the cost of goods and services, its most recent monetary policy decision was consistent with maintaining inflation in the single digits over the medium run.

With a moderate inflation forecast, the policy rate was lowered for the sixth straight time.

Despite concerns about post-election demonstrations and their effect on the cost of goods and services, policymakers said the decision was compatible with keeping inflation in the single digits in the medium run.

Although headline inflation increased slightly to 2.68% in October from 2.45% in July, it has stayed below 3% since then. Banco de Moçambique is the source.

Related Topics:Featured Interest rate Mozambique

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Hackers stole $17 million from Uganda National Bank— Report

Published

6 days ago

November 28, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

The state-owned New Vision newspaper has reported that offshore hackers had stolen 62 billion Ugandan shillings ($16.8 million) from Uganda’s central bank.

Earlier this month, the hackers, who went by the name “Waste,” allegedly gained access to the Bank of Uganda’s IT systems and moved the money illegally.

According to New Vision, which cited anonymous bank sources, the Southeast Asian hacker collective moved a portion of the pilfered funds to Japan.

A request for comment on the issue from Reuters was not immediately answered by Bank of Uganda. A request for a response from the Ugandan police was likewise not answered.

More than half of the funds had been successfully retrieved by the central bank from the hackers, according to New Vision. It stated that President Yoweri Museveni had ordered a probe into the cyberattack.

Separately, the Daily Monitor, Uganda’s largest independent daily, stated that insider collaboration could have played a role in the crime.

In Uganda, there have been several instances of cyber thefts from banks and other financial service providers, including telecom companies. However, according to police authorities, several banks are reluctant to openly admit such events for fear of upsetting their clientele.

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Finance ministry denies Angola is discussing an IMF deal

Published

7 days ago

November 27, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

Angola’s foreign sovereign bonds fell after its finance minister announced on Tuesday that it was not in negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on a new financial assistance package.

The oil exporter from southern Africa claimed to have requested “a note aimed at updating its technical view on the options for responding to risk scenarios” from the IMF.

“There are currently no negotiations with the Fund on a possible financial assistance program,” the finance ministry said in a statement.

A representative for the IMF stated that although it had not received any requests for a program, it continued to have “very close engagement with Angola authorities” about technical support and policy guidance.

In 2025, the government of Angola expects a budget deficit of 1.65% of GDP, which is a little greater than it is this year.

In October, Vera Daves de Sousa, the finance minister, told Reuters that Angola was considering internally whether to apply for an IMF funding package since the government was under pressure from the risk of falling oil prices.

Angola’s dollar bonds dropped as much as 1.3 cents, with the 2048 maturity bidding at 82.41 cents on the dollar, despite Brent crude prices being slightly higher at $73.44 per barrel at 1500 GMT.