GLOBAL MARKETS Asian stocks and U.S. equity futures sank on Thursday while bonds and the safe-haven U.S. dollar and Japanese yen were bid as mounting evidence of a U.S. slowdown fuelled worries for a global recession. WORLD OIL PRICES Oil fell on Thursday as weak U.S. economic data raised concerns over a potential global recession and demand reduction, but benchmark prices were headed for a weekly advance after OPEC+ announced further output cuts and U.S. oil stocks dropped. EMERGING MARKETS For the top emerging markets news, double click on AFRICA STOCKS For the latest news on African stocks, click on SOUTH AFRICA MARKETS
South African stocks fell on Wednesday after U.S. data showed a decline in job openings, while the rand weakened against the dollar.
KENYA MARKETS
The Kenyan shilling inched lower against the dollar on Wednesday, as manufacturers sought muted supplies of foreign exchange, traders said.
NIGERIA ECONOMY
Nigeria has secured $800 million from the World Bank to scale up its national social program ahead of the removal of its costly but popular subsidies on petrol in June, Finance Minister Zainab Ahmed said on Wednesday.
SUDAN POLITICS
The signing of an agreement to name a Sudanese civilian government and launch a new transition towards elections was delayed, a statement by the Sudan's Forces of Freedom and Change coalition said on Wednesday.
HEALTH COUGH SYRUP
Indian officials are in contact with foreign authorities and have held meetings in Africa to ensure its drug exports do not suffer, the government said on Wednesday, after Indian-made cough syrups were linked to deaths in Gambia and Uzbekistan.
NIGERIA CARBON
Nigeria's sovereign wealth fund and Vitol VITOLV.UL have launched a joint venture to invest in a range of carbon avoidance and removal projects, the fund said on Wednesday.
IVORY COAST DEBT
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has agreed to lend Ivory Coast about $3.5 billion, the government spokesperson and the financial agency said on Wednesday, three weeks after both parties agreed on a new IMF loan programme of at least $2.6 billion.
KENYA ECONOMY
Kenyan private sector business activity contracted in March, albeit at slower pace than a month earlier, hurt by rising prices, a weakening shilling and a lack of access to dollars, a survey showed on Wednesday.
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