Research Report: Standard Chartered Bank Botswana Limited (STDBT)

Financial and Strategic SWOT Analysis Review: This comprehensive SWOT profile of Standard Chartered Bank Botswana Limited provides you an in-depth strategic analysis of the company's businesses and operations. The profile has been compiled by GlobalData to bring to you a clear and an unbiased view of the company's key strengths and weaknesses and the potential opportunities and threats. The profile helps you formulate strategies that augment your business by enabling you to understand your partners, customers and competitors better.

Botswana Stock Market Commentary – Week Ending April 6, 2012

Globalbizconcierge: The week’s trading was bullish with volumes pushing to 1.5m to realize a BWP 39.3m market turnover despite a shorter trading week. Turnover was boosted by a block trade of 1.1m units of BetaBetta (-1.4%, BWP 35.37) valued at BWP 37.5m. Financial stock Barclays (+0.9%, BWP 7.10) was the week’s top trader on the domestic board followed by FNBB (flat, BWP 2.75). The domestic index closed 0.3% firmer at 7,058.8 on notable gains in RPC Data (+11.1%, BWP 0.30) and Chobe (+4.5%, BWP 2.30).

Alexander Forbes brings Financial Planning Consultants to Botswana

Alexander Forbes brings Financial Planning Consultants to Botswana

IFSC goes into partnerships with 13 international firms

Sunday Standard: “We want to ensure that the private sector plays a leading role in the investment promotion of our financial centre,” IFSC Acting CEO, Letsebe Sejoe, said.

Botswana Diamonds makes progress in Bots, Zim and Cameroon projects

Sunday Standard: “Sampling operations have commenced on our Mobilong licence in Cameroon. Two 100-150 tonne samples are being gathered from areas of potentially diamond-bearing conglomerate identified in earlier exploration,” the company said.

GMK Noril'skiy nikel' OAO : OJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel selects contractors for modernization of power generation facilities

4-Traders: MMC Norilsk Nickel, a company incorporated under the laws of the Russian Federation, is the largest diversified mining and metals company in Russia, the world's largest producer of nickel and palladium and one of the world's largest producers of platinum, rhodium, copper and cobalt. In addition to this, MMC Norilsk Nickel produces a large number of other by-products, including gold, silver, tellurium, selenium, iridium and ruthenium.

The key production units of the Company's group in Russia are at the Polar and Kola Peninsulas. MMC Norilsk Nickel international assets include operations in Finland, Australia, Botswana and South Africa.

MMC Norilsk Nickel's shares are traded at MICEX-RTS. ADR's on the Company's shares are traded on the other the counter market in the US and at the London and Berlin stock exchanges.

Diamonds.net - Leveraging South Africa’s Diamonds

Diamonds.net:
Industry leaders estimate that the number of cutters employed in South Africa has fallen to about 900, down from last year’s count of about 1,200. Ernie Blom, president of the Diamond Dealers Club, which represents the local industry at the World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB), reasoned that the workforce has dwindled due to a combination of insufficient training, an aging skilled labor force, and competition from other centers in the region, particularly Botswana.
These are all valid. However, Blom and others stress that fewer goods are being supplied to sustain the local factories. This scenario became most evident when De Beers Diamond Trading Company (DTC) announced in December 2011 that it is cutting the number of its South African sightholders from 14 to 10, effective from next month’s April sight. In addition, De Beers is expected to supply fewer goods to those successful sightholders as the company continues to shift its focus toward Botswana (see Editorial “Moving DTC” published on March 16, 2012).

Petra's Dippenaar Upbeat for Small Diamond Demand

Diamonds.net: Dippenaar stressed that these goods were significantly cheaper a few years ago and that there is still “room for growth,” as scores of new Chinese consumers enter the market. “Diamonds are a late cycle product and China’s urbanization is bringing more and more diamond customers to the market,” he explained. “This hasn’t even happened in a big way yet, but they will start by buying moderately priced goods and create a larger market for smaller stones.”

Firestone Diamonds PLC : - Interim Results

4-Traders: Tim Wilkes, CEO of Firestone Diamonds, commented: "The higher than expected cash outflows in H1 2012 are mainly due to the general weakness in the diamond priceexperienced from July 2011 combined with technical challenges experienced at both the Liqhobong and BK11 plants. With the restructuring that has been undertaken, the Company is now focused on increasing Liqhobong's revenue per carat production in 2012 and in developing the Main Treatment Plant in order to reach our target of producing over 1 million carats per annum by 2015, whilst achieving the required run rate by Q4 2014".

Bots forms diamond firm

Southern Times: “The diamond market is changing to the extent that not only the traditional markets of the US, Europe and Japan have to be watched but also the developing markets of China and India. In addition, there are also new private-sector company participants.

STANBIC TURNS 20

The Voice: "“Stanbic Bank is very proud of its association with Botswana. It has been a very exciting 20 years for the Bank in this market, and we are satisfied with our growth in this period. We have developed into a mature and profitable entity, and it is our hope that the Bank will continue to make a positive impact in the lives of our clients,” attested the Stanbic Bank Managing Director Leina Gabaraane."

Choosing Your Forex Broker - Five Things To Consider

 Blog Tim EA Fx: "If you decide to trade forex, you will have plethora of brokers to choose from. This very fact leads to the confusion. Choosing the best broker is a little tricky. It is a fierce market. Different brokers will come up with variety of ideas to attract more and more traders. You should not choose the broker based on the attractive schemes but on the basis of the few fundamental factors which are very important. If you combine those with any schemes, it will be the icing on the cake."

RAVOS retrenches staff

RAVOS retrenches staff: "Effectively the staff compliment has surpassed the student population since there will be no intake this year," he said. He said the downsizing could have ended in February but management said that they did not have capital to cover staff benefits. He said they gave them an extension, and the process should be complete in March. The staff will be given benefits that they are legally entitled to and two months' salaries.

Tata Shuns Coal for Clean-Energy Projects in Chase for Growth

Tata Power Co. (TPWR) bid for its first overseas wind and solar farms in South Africa with Pretoria-based Exxaro Resources Ltd. (EXX) this week in a renewable-energy tender whose results will be known by May, said Tata Power Executive Director S. Padmanabhan. He declined to say how much capacity their joint venture Cennergi is seeking, citing auction rules.
Tata Group, which owns Corus Group and Jaguar Land Rover, is focusing on new clean-energy investments as coal-powered projects face fuel shortages in India and environmental hurdles in the U.S. and Europe, he said. South Africa, where average power prices almost tripled in four years, is a “prime market for development” because of its size and abundant clean-energy resources, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance.
“Why would anyone want to invest at this stage in a coal project?” Padmanabhan said in an interview in Mumbai yesterday. “Investment has stopped.”
South Africa’s auction of 3,725 megawatts of renewable- energy capacity drew Suzlon Energy Ltd., (SUEL) India’s largest wind- turbine maker, in an earlier round. Suzlon Chairman Tulsi Tanti said in November the company may build a factory there if Africa’s largest economy generates enough demand.
Tata Group accounts for almost 5 percent of India’s gross domestic product and has built a global business spanning steel, cars and drinks by acquiring Corus, Jaguar Land Rover and Tetley Group Plc. Its overseas clean-energy investments include stakes in two geothermal projects in Australia and Indonesia with Sydney-based Origin Energy Ltd. (ORG)

Chinese tussle over P1.5bn tender

According to PPADB Tender No: PR 10/1/3/8-V, the Ministry of Minerals Energy and Water Resources had approved Sinohydro/CMC JV as the preferred bidder and Consolidated as the reserve bidder on the tender for the construction of the North-South Carrier 2 Water Transfer Project through an Engineering Procurement Contract (EPC).
Major Sinohydro projects Dikgathong dam: P1.13-billion
Lotsane dam: P41m
Kang/Hukuntsi: P536 million
SSKA Airport construction: P550m
Major Consolidated Co projectsKolobeng river bridge: Manyana. P13, 887,847.92.
Sekoma-Kokotsha road: P146,94, 617.67
Mahalapye road:  P186,534,881.82.
Mopipi/Rakops road: P98,102,025.00
Mosopa River Crossing: P17,450,393.73.

Alliance Media wins airport advertising tender

Alliance Media wins airport advertising tender: Alliance Media Botswana, Botswana's largest billboard company has been awarded the contract for the exclusive indoor and outdoor advertising concession at Botswana's newly built Sir Seretse Khama International Airport.

The Alliance Media Botswana team at the newly constructed airport
The award followed a rigid tender process where the company was successful over both Primedia and Continental media, as well as other local players. Alliance Media had previously held the advertising concession in the old terminal building and their strong historic performance to the Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana contributed to the award. Alliance Media is widely known as Africa's largest airport advertising company, and holds the advertising concession to over 50 airports on the continent.

State incorporates new diamond trading firm

Government has formed a new private diamond trading company that will purchase, market and sell the 10 to 15 percent portion of Debswana production that the state is entitled to through the new marketing agreement signed with De Beers last year. Styled Okavango Diamond Trading Company, the new company is expected to independently auction an estimated $300 million (P2,250 million to $350 million (P2,625 million) worth of diamonds on the open market per annum from Debswana's average $3 billion-a-year supply. In his Committee of Supply speech to Parliament this week, the Minister of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources, Ponatshego Kedikilwe said his ministry had completed the incorporation of the private company, which is wholly owned by government.
 "The interim board of directors of the company has been appointed and the appointment of Chief Executive Officer will follow suit immediately as the potential candidate to set up the company has already been identified," Kedikilwe said.

Debswana announces board changes

Mmegi: "Debswana is 50-50 joint partnership between the Botswana government and De Beers. In the rotation arrangement, the permanent secretary to the president, Eric Molale who has been a Debswana director since 2003, has come back as chairman of the board with Nicky Oppenheimer as his deputy. Molale previously chaired the board in 2008-2009. The chairmanship of the board rotates every two years between the two shareholders.In other changes, Gareth Mostyn and Bruce Cleaver have been appointed as directors of the company by the shareholders. Mostyn was recently appointed the new De Beers chief financial officer. Cleaver is the director, strategy and new business at De Beers. Other members of the Debswana board include; S.H. Brennan, P.J.C. Mellier, L.K. Mohohlo, Dr. A.L. Molokomme, D.N. Moroka, B.B. Paya, S.M. Sekwakwa and L.R. Smart,"

Copper and nickel refining - Botswana's dilemma

Mmegi: "These so-called resource nationalists argued that the old model of African growth which has basically remained unchanged since the 19th century cannot work. This model is based on the country exporting unprocessed raw materials - from ivory to diamonds to gold, all being sent down to the coast and exported to Asia and Europe where they are further processed.
In this model, the jobs and much of the value added disappeared and while Botswana got government revenue and temporary growth and prosperity, it did not get a fundamental transformation of its economy. The problem has always been that economics and trade law stacked up against those who try to give investors a reason to process those resources here in Botswana.
It took nearly 20 years of pushing for De Beers to finally shift its policy and become an advocate of diamond beneficiation in Botswana. For years people like former cabinet minister David Magang and Permanent Secretary Dr Akolang Tombale fought hard and paid a heavy price professionally in order to create a diamond beneficiation industry in Botswana."

Botswana ranked Africa's preferred mining address

Mmegi: "The country was also highly ranked in terms of corruption, low trade barriers, political stability and low national security risks, as well as fair legal processes, low labour militancy and consistent mining policies.Respondents heaped praise on Botswana and its government, urging other African states to emulate its example. "Botswana encourages and assists project development; it is the jurisdiction other African countries should strive to copy," said one respondent, a president of an exploration company.Another Survey respondent, the managing director of an exploration company, was quoted as saying: "The Botswana Government wishes to improve the lifestyle of its people by optimising its mineral wealth; this is reflected in the policy environment."Surprisingly, the 2011 Survey ranked Botswana strongly in infrastructure, with the majority of respondents either saying existing infrastructure encouraged or was not a deterrent to mining investment.By comparison, higher percentages of respondents cited existing infrastructure as a mild deterrent to mineral investment in regional giant South Africa as well as in Namibia.
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Diamond exports drop 67% in January

Mmegi: "While industry analysts who spoke to BusinessWeek were reluctant to draw conclusions, they said the fact that Firestone's auctions were open meant it was directly exposed to fluctuations in buyers' demand. "De Beers, rather, has contracts binding buyers to supply from its mines and better protecting prices while Firestone's auctions are open," said one analyst. "Rough diamond buyers, who are the cutting and polishing firms, have sensitive financial arrangements and the downturn in Europe is impacting on their access to finance, which in turn lowers their participation in auctions such as those run by Firestone." For 2012, Firestone Diamonds' auctions will be determined by both market conditions in the rough diamond market and production levels at its Lesotho mine."

Letshego loan book hits P3 billion mark

Mmegi: "For the year, Letshego expects profit before tax to be 14 percent higher than the prior financial year, while profit after tax is expected to be 24 percent higher. "Impairment charges remain below two percent of average advances to customers," it said in a statement. "Debt to equity ratio is 34 percent at January 31 2012 with shareholders' funds over P2.3 billion." Letshego fell into troubled waters last year after government announced that it would stop deducting micro loan repayments from source, a development that was certain to impact heavily on the company's repayment recovery rate.
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The year ahead in southern Africa: Parties, politics and potential collapse

The Economist: Botswana, for long the region’s golden boy on account of its sound governance, political stability and healthy economy, also saw some unwonted unrest last year. Public-sector workers staged their first-ever nationwide strike in protest over the government’s pay-restraint policies. But the government refused to budge and the two-month dispute, backed by the main opposition parties, eventually fizzled out, allowing President Ian Khama (pictured, centre) to emerge with his hand strengthened. His main challenge now is to wean the economy off its dependency on its once rich but now fast depleting diamond resources—a task he has already begun.

Resource nationalism in Africa: Wish you were mine

The Economist: Ernst & Young recently suggested that southern African countries such as Botswana, Mozambique and Namibia were becoming increasingly attractive mining destinations at the expense of South Africa, which has slipped 18 places since 2008, to 67th out of 79 countries in the annual survey of mining-investment attractiveness compiled by the Frazer Institute, a Canadian think tank.

Turnstar withdraws cautionary as it completes Mlimani City transaction by The Telegraph Reporter 01-03-2012

Sunday Standard: "“The Board and management are excited about the Mlimani transaction, as it represents a tremendous opportunity, not only to strategically enhance shareholder value and strengthen our competitive market position but also represents a catalyst for the transformation of Turnstar into a Pan-African property champion,” he added.
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BEDIA/ IFSC merger slated to take off in April by Ngonidzashe Dzimiri 01-03-2012

Sunday Standard: “The new umbrella body will consolidate the mandates of BEDIA, IFSC and the Brand Botswana Management Organisation (BBMO) since the three entities are performing related activities of Investment Promotion and Branding,” said Pule.

BEDIA/ IFSC merger slated to take off in April by Ngonidzashe Dzimiri 01-03-2012

Sunday Standard: “The new umbrella body will consolidate the mandates of BEDIA, IFSC and the Brand Botswana Management Organisation (BBMO) since the three entities are performing related activities of Investment Promotion and Branding,” said Pule.

Bedia, BOBS make businesses more export ready

The Monitor: Their clients would access the international market without having to face tariffs related to standardisation, Nthekela noted. "We had a problem of our investors being charged at the border and they were often limited by tariffs related to standardisation," he said. "By this MoU, our clients will have easy access to international markets without being limited by international standards requirements."