The interest rates on the dual-tranche January 2024 Treasury bond sale are expected to soar past the 18 percent mark as investors factor in the recent increase in the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) base rate and the government’s upward revision of the domestic borrowing target.Pre-auction analysis by three investment banks —Genghis Capital, Sterling Capital and AIB-AXYS Africa– projects bids falling between 18.3 percent and 18.9 percent for the bond offer, which comprises a new three-year bond and a third reopening of a five-year bond first sold in July.The interest rate on the three-year will be market-determined. On the five-year paper, the coupon in its original sale was 16.84 percent, but two subsequent re-openings in August and October saw rates go up to 17.95 percent and 17.99 percent, respectively.
**Cash-rich firms reap bumper gains from rising interest rates
Cash-rich listed firms are set for higher finance income in the near term due to elevated interest rates on offer on fixed deposits and government paper, potentially boosting their bottom line in a period when tough economic conditions have hurt corporate earnings.Analysis of listed firms shows multiple companies hold substantial amounts of cash in hand while also retaining low debt levels, pointing to a net gain from the higher interest rates in the market. Some of the companies with significant cash and cash equivalent holdings as per respective latest financial filings include TotalEnergies Marketing Kenya at Sh13.28 billion, Liberty Holdings at Sh10.87 billion, WPP Scangroup at Sh3.47 billion, and Nation Media Group at Sh3.7 billion.Others are Bamburi Cement at Sh3.85 billion, Williamson Tea Kenya at Sh1.02 billion, Sasini at Sh871 million and the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) at Sh531 million.
**Winners and losers from the shilling’s record fall
Expatriates, Kenyans with foreign currency-denominated salaries, exporters and recipients of diaspora remittances have marked a significant windfall from the weakening of the shilling against major world currencies. Exporters also start 2024 on the back of significant gains, with the weaker shilling having incentivised buyers of Kenyan goods to procure larger volumes.The tourism industry has also gained from a weaker shilling that has inspired additional spending by international visitors.Dividends for the industry are, however, limited to spending outside of air ticket purchases and hotel bookings which are already primarily set in hard currency.
**Private companies’ beneficial owners search fee at Sh600
Kenyans will pay Sh600 to search for beneficial owners of private companies in the latest effort by the government to increase revenue collection in a process, that has the potential to expose the wealth and stakes entrepreneurs hold in their businesses.Through a legal notice, the fee was introduced by Attorney-General Justin Muturi in October last year by amending the Companies (Beneficial Ownership Information) Regulations of 2020.
**Mauritian firm cleared to buy Kenya Bottling Company
The Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK) has approved the unconditional acquisition of the entire issued share capital of Kenya Bottling Company Limited by Mauritius-based Crown Beverages Limited.
In a Gazette Notice on Friday, the competition watchdog said the approval had been granted based on the finding that the transaction was unlikely to negatively impact competition in the non-alcoholic ready-to-drink beverages, nor elicit negative public interest concerns, the two key considerations during a merger analysis.Crown Beverages is an undertaking incorporated and registered in Mauritius and does not have subsidiaries or market presence in Kenya.It is however affiliated with PepsiCo, a Ugandan entity involved in the bottling of carbonated drinks.Kenya Bottling Company, on the other hand, is a locally incorporated undertaking that operates a bottling plant in Nairobi as an independent bottler for PepsiCo products within Kenya.
**Varsities got Sh241bn in six years in old funding model Hospitals report
Public universities were allocated Sh241.53 billion for student capitation for the six years that the State used the differentiated unit cost (DUC) model, which was phased out in July, 2023.
Official data shows allocations hit a high of Sh44 billion in the year ended June 2023, the last year of the DUC, compared to Sh33.3 billion allocated in the 2017/18 period— the first year of the formula.
Under DUC, institutions were allocated budgets based on the number of undergraduate students admitted and the types of courses they take.
**KRA to get Sh12.9bn more for administrative measures
The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) will receive an additional Sh12.9 billion in funding to help with tax administrative measures aimed at enhancing compliance and broadening the tax base, a new report from the National Treasury has shown.This will push KRA’s funding from the National Treasury to Sh36.6 billion after the taxman was initially awarded Sh23.7 billion for the 2023/24 fiscal year.
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