African Markets - Factors to watch on March 6

NAIROBI, March 6 (Reuters) - The following company announcements, scheduled economic indicators, debt and currency market moves and political events may affect African markets on Monday. - - - - - GLOBAL MARKETS Asian shares edged up on Monday while bond markets held their breath ahead of an update on the U.S. rate outlook from the world's most powerful central banker, and a jobs report that could decide if the next hike needs to be super-sized. WORLD OIL PRICES Oil prices opened lower on Monday after China set a lower-than-expected target for economic growth this year at around 5%, and as investors cautiously awaited U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's testimony this week. EMERGING MARKETS For the top emerging markets news, double click on AFRICA STOCKS For the latest news on South African stocks, click on SOUTH AFRICA MARKETS South Africa's rand firmed on Friday, helped by strong Chinese data and a positive PMI return that showed South Africa's private sector activity recovering from a downturn. NIGERIA ELECTION Six opposition-led Nigerian states on Friday night withdrew a Supreme Court petition to invalidate the result of last weekend's presidential vote, which they had argued violated electoral rules, court papers showed. NIGERIA CASH Nigeria's Supreme Court on Friday ordered the central bank to extend until Dec. 31 the use of old banknotes, whose withdrawal from circulation became an election issue after it caused cash shortages, widespread hardship and anger. NIGERIA OIL PIPELINE An explosion on a Nigerian oil pipeline owned by Shell killed at least 12 people on Friday, authorities at the scene said, while members of the affected community in Emohua said they feared many more had died in the blast. KENYA MARKETS Kenya's shilling dropped against the dollar on Friday on the back of scattered foreign-currency demand from several sectors particularly manufacturing, traders said. KENYA PMI Kenya's private sector activity contracted in February, weighed down by a steep weakening of the shilling, inflationary pressure on consumer spending and growing tax burdens for firms, a survey showed on Friday. KENYA ELECTRICITY Power was restored to parts of Kenya after a nationwide blackout lasting several hours which was thought to have been caused by a fault on a transmission line, electricity distributor Kenya Power said on Saturday. SOUTH SUDAN POLITICS South Sudan President Salva Kiir has sacked two top security ministers, violating the terms of a peace agreement with opposition party leader First Vice President Riek Machar. GHANA DEBT A panel of investors on Friday determined that a credit event had occurred with respect to Ghana, triggering payments of default insurance known as credit default swaps. MOZAMBIQUE BONDS A London judge ordered Mozambique on Friday to allow access to documents held in state offices or risk derailing a blockbuster London lawsuit against Credit Suisse , shipbuilder Privinvest and others over the $2 billion "tuna bond" case. ZIMBABWE INFLATION Zimbabwe will from now on measure inflation using a weighted average of items priced in Zimbabwean dollars and U.S. dollars, the government said on Friday. For the latest precious metals report click on For the latest base metals report click on For the latest crude oil report click on