The following company announcements, scheduled economic indicators, debt and currency market moves and political events may affect African markets on Thursday.

– – – – – EVENTS: ZIMBABWE – The opposition MDC launches its election manifesto.

GLOBAL MARKETS Asian shares rose to a fresh 2-1/2-month high on Thursday, supported by sound economic fundamentals, while expectations the European Central Bank (ECB) could start to wind down its stimulus boosted the euro and global bond yields. MKTS/GLOB

WORLD OIL PRICES Oil prices rose on Thursday to shake off some of the previous session’s losses, supported by plunging exports by OPEC-member Venezuela.

SOUTH AFRICA MARKETS South Africa’s rand was firmer on Wednesday, shaking off the shock of economic growth contraction as some short covering saw a return of buying interest, while stocks were led higher by bourse-heavyweight Naspers.

NIGERIA MARKETS Nigerian stocks rose for the third day in a row on Wednesday, climbing 1.53 percent as investors bought shares of the relatively liquid banking sector as well as consumer goods and oil companies. TAX Nigeria’s government has recovered around 30 billion naira ($98 million) from individuals and companies through a tax amnesty scheme, the finance ministry said on Wednesday.

MARKETS The Kenyan shilling KES= held steady against the dollar on Wednesday due to remittances and investor inflows offsetting high shilling liquidity in the money markets, traders said.

PRIVATISATION Ethiopia’s decision to sell stakes in its lucrative telecoms monopoly and other assets could open one of the world’s largest untapped markets to huge potential investments by firms willing to work with a government still wary of private enterprise. ZIMPLATS Impala Platinum’s Zimbabwean subsidiary said on Wednesday it had agreed to give up nearly half of its mining land to the government and that in turn, it had received two mining leases valid for the life of its operations.