Observer Money

The manufacturing industry emerged as the industry with the largest export of goods in March valued at N$5 billion, absorbing 59,4% of total exports, products from the industry increased by N$57 million when compared to the previous month. Mining and quarrying industry came in second position with a share of 33,5% of the total export in March, the Namibia Statistics Agency said. Exported goods from this industry increased by N$2 billion when compared to the previous month. Furthermore, agriculture, forestry and fishing industry ranked third, contributing 4,9% of the total export of goods The demand side was largely dominated by…

The financial markets and investors are anticipating the government's borrowing plan, that will serve as a crucial factor in guiding investors on how to structure their bids. Understanding the government's borrowing intentions will help investors make informed decisions regarding their portfolio allocations and investment strategies, Simonis Storm Securities noted that. During April, there was noticeable competitive demand for Treasury Bills (TBs), particularly concentrated at the short and long ends of the yield curve. The 91-day and 364-day notes attracted the most significant portion of tendered amounts, indicating investor preference for short-term liquidity and longer-term stability. Despite this concentration, Namibian yields…

NDINELAGO KANYOLO As we transition from childhood to adulthood, the responsibility for managing our finances gradually shifts from our guardians to ourselves. This transition marks a pivotal moment in our lives, where we are tasked with the responsibility of navigating the complexities of day-to-day financial management. While managing money is a fundamental aspect of financial wellness, its significance extends far beyond mere monetary transactions. Financial wellness encompasses a holistic approach to managing our financial lives, covering habits, attitudes, and behaviors that contribute to our overall financial health and well-being. Understanding Financial Wellness Financial wellness is more than just the absence…

CHAMWE KAIRA The Bank of Namibia’s stock of international reserves declined by 2% to reach N$54,3 billion at the end of March. The decrease stemmed from higher net commercial bank outflows on account of higher imports and portfolio outflows over the month, coupled with increased government payments, the central bank said. The foreign reserves translated into 3,8 months of import cover, continuing to remain above the international benchmark of three months and adequate to support the Namibia Dollar and the South African Rand currency peg. Notably, the import cover excluding imports of oil exploration and appraisal activities stood at 4,3…

CHAMWE KAIRA Fifty-three percent of Namibians surveyed in the TransUnion 2024 State of Omnichannel Fraud Report don’t trust that personal data would be secure. This was in response to the top reason consumers said they abandoned online application or form for a financial or insurance product. Six percent of Namibians surveyed said they fell victim to phishing while 41% said they were targeted but did not fell victim while 53% said they were not targeted. The Namibian retail industry was industry with the highest rate of suspected digital fraud. The rate of suspected digital fraud attempts in retail where the…

The Zonal inflation rates for April revealed that, Zone 2 (Khomas region) recorded the highest annual inflation rate of 5,4%, followed by Zone 1 (Kavango East, Kavango West, Kunene, Ohangwena, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa, and Zambezi regions) which recorded an inflation rate of 4,8% and Zone 3 (//Kharas, Erongo, Hardap, Omaheke regions) annual inflation rate was observed at 3.9%. Analysis of the average retail prices of selected products for the month of April revealed that consumers in Zone 1 paid the highest price for white bread flour (2,5kg) at N$55,91, followed by Zone 3 at N$52,99, while consumers in Zone…

Namibia Asset Management (NAM) expects Earnings per share (EPS) and headline earnings per share (HEPS) for the six month-period ended 31 March to decrease between 15% and 25% (between 0.62 and 1.04 cents per share) when compared to the EPS (4.16 cents) and HEPS (4.16 cents) reported for the six month-period ended 31 March 2023. Fund management earnings per share (FMEPS) for the six month-period ended 31 March 2024 are however expected to decrease between 5% and 15% (by 0.15 and 0.45 cents per share) when compared to the FMEPS of 3.02 cents per share for the six month-period ended…

CHAMWE KAIRA B2Gold Namibia has started the process that will see the company cut 300 jobs in 2024 and a further 250 jobs in 2025. The company has about 820 permanent employees. The company has termed the exercise ‘downscaling and retrenchments.’ Eric Barnard, the general manager at the Otjikoto Mine, owned by B2Gold said in response to questions by Observer Money that the process of job cuts is being done in phases so as not to cripple mining operations. The first phase will be voluntary separation, which will be followed by forced retrenchments. “The retrenchments are across the board, from…