Africa Economy

As one of the most sophisticated African emerging markets, South Africa’s unique combination of highly developed, first-world economic infrastructure and a large emergent market economy has led to a dynamic investment environment. Situated on South Africa’s eastern seaboard is the province of KwaZulu-Natal, which is home to Durban and a strategic port that enjoys direct...

Woolworths Holding is an investment holding company, listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, and operating through two subsidiaries, Woolworths (proprietary) and Country Road, as well as joint venture Woolworths Financial Services. Woolworths is a chain of retail stores in South Africa and certain countries in Africa and the Middle East that offers a range of clothing, food and general...

With an economy worth roughly one-third of a trillion dollars, South Africa only accounts for 0.5% of global GDP. Nevertheless, the trillion-dollar market capitalisation of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) makes the country’s bourse the 19th-largest exchange worldwide. South Africa has one of the highest equity capitalisation-to-GDP ratios globally, a unique phenomenon by...

FirstRand is the third-largest South African bank by balance sheet size, holding total assets of R895bn ($84.8bn) as of December 31, 2013. It operates three primary brands: First National Bank, with a retail and commercial focus; Rand Merchant Bank, which competes in the corporate and investment banking markets; and Wesbank, providing vehicle and asset finance...