Next Africa: A split personality

Congo’s economy thrives despite turmoil in the east ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

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Welcome to Next Africa, a daily newsletter on where the continent stands now — and where it’s headed. Sign up here. In today’s edition, we look at: How national economic numbers belie turmoil in Congo The Nigerian oil company’s plans to follow Dangote’s lead EV-company Tesla making its new sports car fly Congo’s Divide  Since the beginning of 2025, the Democratic Republic of Congo has lived two separate realities. In the east, the M23 rebel group backed by neighboring Rwanda has threatened to overthrow the government and occupied two of Congo’s biggest cities, along with mines rich in coltan, tin and gold. Meanwhile, Ebola has torn through its towns and villages. Still, the broader economy grew nearly 6%, inflation is in single digits and the currency has rallied against the dollar. The government in Kinshasa (1,000 miles to the west) sold its first-ever eurobond after signing a historic partnership with the US to develop infrastructure and critical mineral assets. Demand for copper has papered over the cracks, with the world’s second-biggest producer of the commodity crucial for new-age technologies enjoying the higher prices. It’s also the leading supplier of battery mineral cobalt. Inevitably, those two competing realities were bound to collide. Copper at an artisanal mine in Kolwezi, southern Congo. Photographer: Michel Lunanga/Getty Images Joseph Kabila’s announcement this week that he’s joining the rebels and creating the Front for National Refoundation to oust the nation’s leaders may well be that spark. The intentions of the US-sanctioned former president (he ruled the central African nation for almost two decades) aren’t entirely obvious. Rumors suggest he’ll use his family’s connections to the copper-rich Katanga region to seize its mighty mines. What is clear is that a political crisis is brewing. A recent poll by the research institute Ebuteli showed about 86% of the population had a positive opinion of President Felix Tshisekedi. He may motivate for a change to the constitution to enable him to stay in power beyond 2028, when his mandate ends, citing the strong economy, Rwanda’s transgressions and US support for a peace deal. This has infuriated Kabila — who tried and failed at the same trick — and other opposition leaders. It also emboldened the M23 and their Rwandan backers, who see the potential move as a wedge between Tshisekedi and Washington. Eastern Congo has been at war for decades. Kabila couldn’t end it, and Tshisekedi hasn’t either. Until someone does, Congo’s underlying turmoil will endure, no matter how fast the economy grows. — Michael J Kavanagh Kabila at a meeting in Goma, eastern Congo, in May 2025. Photographer: Jospin Mwisha/AFP/Getty Images What Everyone’s Reading  Mauritius extended a curfew for a further three nights, after the Indian Ocean island tourist hub witnessed the worst unrest in decades, although the hours of the restrictions have been shortened. Demonstrations that erupted last week over water shortages and living costs escalated after the police shot and injured a 27-year-old woman on Oct. 9. The rand has held up well despite the shock caused by the Iran war, reflecting confidence in South Africa’s economic outlook, central bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago says in an interview in Bangkok. The nation’s finances are in a better place and policymakers can take a more measured approach to the response to the surge in inflation than in 2022.  WATCH: Kganyago speaks with Bloomberg’s Avril Hong on the sidelines of the IMF-World Bank meetings in Bangkok. Kenya’s central bank Governor, Kamau Thugge, says the timing of a new IMF program is hard to predict as the two sides hash out the details. The world’s biggest shipper of black tea favors a funded program “given that this is concessional financing” and it would help replace pricey domestic borrowing, he says in an interview. Nigeria’s stock exchange is in talks with several companies about listing and expects some from next year as the Dangote refinery’s record IPO spurs interest in the nation’s bourse. The West African nation’s state oil company is making progress on plans to sell shares, it says. Separately, Nigerian tycoon Tony Elumelu is part of a team considering a $15 billion pipeline of investments across West Africa to help curb the region’s infrastructure deficit. Ebola reportedly spread to an eighth province in Congo as health workers confront a heavy toll among young children, adding new challenges to efforts to contain the fastest-spreading epidemic of the disease. Many of the youths may have contracted the virus while being treated for other illnesses. Health workers in Kenya on July 10. Photographer: Tony Karumba/AFP/Getty Images South Africa plans to create a cash-management company by next year that will roll out white-label ATMs and tighten oversight of how money circulates to make it cheaper and easier to access. “We want the first batch of industry cash centers to be acquired by the cash utility by the end of the year,” says Pradeep Maharaj, an executive director at the central bank.   Senegal Plans to Cut Budget Deficit Below IMF Forecast Next Year Senegal is cutting spending next year as it seeks to restructure its debt and secure a new financing program from the IMF. Valency Wins Guarantee for Cashew-Waste Bond Arranged by HSBC Valency International has obtained a $60 million guarantee from the Green Guarantee Co. for a bond, which will be used to turn cashew-nut waste into energy. Next Africa Quiz — Which African country is home to the world’s biggest platinum mine? Send your answers to nextafrica@bloomberg.net. Next Africa How Rwanda Won The Race For F1 In this week’s Next Africa podcast, host Jennifer Zabasajja digs into the decision to award the hosting of the first African F1 Grand Prix in almost four decades to Rwanda. What’s Coming Up Oct 17-18: Zimbabwe ruling party’s congress Oct. 19: Ghana mining summit Oct. 20: Kumba Iron Ore production update Oct. 21: South Africa mid-term budget, inflation data for September & retail sales for August, Namibia interest-rate decision, Ghana producer-inflation data for September Oct. 23: Valterra production update Last Word Tesla is hoping a flight demonstration can give its ground-bound auto business a lift. The electric-vehicle maker unveiled its long-delayed new Roadster sports car, reviving and refreshing a model it stopped producing more than a decade ago. When the high-end vehicle goes on sale, the company will have another offering in a slimmed-down lineup revolving primarily around a pair of mid-priced consumer models. The showcase wasn’t a typical pull-the-sheet-off-the-car reveal, though. Tesla made the Roadster fly. Sort of. WATCH: Tesla showcases the new Roadster doing a controlled flip. We’ll be back in your inbox with another edition on Monday. Send any feedback to nextafrica@bloomberg.net. More From Bloomberg Enjoying Next Africa? You might also like: Businessweek Daily for fresh perspectives on business, economics, politics and tech Markets Daily for what’s moving in stocks, bonds, FX and commodities Balance of Power for the latest political news and analysis from around the globe Bloomberg Money for insights, ideas and tools for doing more with your money AI Today for a chronicle of the disruptions and threats of AI on businesses, workers, finance and economies We’re improving your newsletter experience and we’d love your feedback. If something looks off, help us fine-tune your experience by reporting it here. 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Cynthia Solano thought she could hide 87 guns with some holiday cheer... But her plan didn't end exactly how she hoped.

Christmas-Wrapped Guns Couldn't Fool Police By Ethan Goldman, analyst, Chaikin Analytics Cynthia Solano thought she could hide 87 guns with some holiday cheer... But her plan didn't end exactly how she hoped. You see, Solano was a weapon smuggler for a criminal enterprise. She bought guns as part of an international smuggling ring. Solano even planned to launder her profits to cover her financial tracks. Thankfully, her plan wasn't foolproof. On January 3, 2023, Solano drove through Springfield, Illinois with a trunk full of contraband carefully concealed in Christmas wrapping paper. In total, she was transporting a collection of 87 firearms to Michigan. From Michigan, the guns were intended to make their way to Canada's streets.  However, she soon found herself in hot water... The Illinois State Police stopped Solano and searched her car. After discovering the cargo, they sent her back to Arizona in cuffs. Two years later, a judge sentenced Solano to 87 months in prison for possession of a machine gun and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Folks, criminals abuse our financial system every day to cover up their illegal acts. And a major bank just got a historic fine for not doing enough to stop this behavior... Recommended Links: Five 'EQ' Power Picks to Buy Immediately Earnings season is days away for Big Tech, and the entire market is holding its breath. Chaikin Analytics' latest "EQ" breakthrough can spot the biggest potential earnings beats on 5,000 stocks BEFORE they occur. And one senior analyst just issued urgent buy alerts on five AI stocks that could soar in the coming weeks. Amazon Cut 30,000 Jobs. Then, Marc Chaikin Created the 401(ai). The shift underway at America's biggest tech companies led Marc to a provocative new idea. He calls it the 401(ai) approach. Click here to see how it works. Major Bank Hit With Historic Federal Fine  I'm talking about Bank of America (BAC). The U.S. Treasury Department slapped the bank with a $1.2 billion fine for weak money-laundering controls. This penalty ranks as the third largest in Treasury history. That eye-popping sum includes a record $750 million penalty from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. In total, Bank of America didn't report $5 billion-plus of suspicious money moves in time. This news hit the day before Bank of America shared its third-quarter earnings. Bank of America's $1.2 billion payment dropped the company's earnings per share ("EPS") 16% to $0.91. Word of the fine broke on Tuesday – one day before the company's third-quarter earnings miss. Over those two days, shares dropped 6%. However, this weakness isn't anything new. Bank of America's shares struggled this year. Since the start of 2026, shares of the stock are down about 8%. Even worse, the "smart money" has mostly avoided the stock since late August. And Bank of America has underperformed the broad market since late September. Take a look... Naturally, the Power Gauge isn't fond of Bank of America's stock. It gets a "bearish" rating today. That means the stock isn't likely to outperform the S&P 500 Index in the next three to six months. And one more thing... Our system sees the company's stock deep in overbought territory right now. The last time this happened, the stock slid 13% over the next month. That's not a trend I'd like to repeat. So, I'll take a hint from the Power Gauge. There are better places to invest our money today than Bank of America. Good investing, Ethan Goldman Market View Major Indexes and Notable Sectors     # Hld:     Bullish     Neutral       Bearish Dow 30 +1.08% 7 17 6 S&P 500 +0.28% 101 267 131 NASDAQ -0.13% 28 49 21 Small Caps +1.37% 362 1084 451 Bonds +1.37%   Information Technology +3.84% 91 35 9 — According to the Chaikin Power Bar, Small Cap stocks and Large Cap stocks remain somewhat Bearish. Major indexes are mixed. *  *  *  * Sector Tracker Sector movement over the last 5 days Health Care +5.37% Staples +3.91% Real Estate +2.79% Materials +2.62% Energy +2.02% Financial +1.92% Discretionary +1.52% Utilities +1.41% Communication +0.33% Industrials -0.30% Information Technology -4.34% *  *  *  * Industry Focus Insurance 25 27 2 Over the past 6 months, the Insurance subsector (KIE) has underperformed the S&P 500 by 2.46%. However, its Power Bar ratio which measures future potential is Very Strong, with more Bullish than Bearish stocks. It is currently ranked #1 of 21 subsectors and has moved up 5 slots over the past week. Top Stocks ACGL Arch Capital Group Ltd. AFG American Financial Group, Inc. AIZ Assurant, Inc. *  *  *  * Top Movers Gainers TTD +7.80% EFX +7.25% RDDT +7.24% FICO +6.99% IP +6.90% Losers HPE -7.10% DELL -6.80% P -5.72% ANET -5.04% WMB -4.92% *  *  *  * Earnings report Earnings Surprises AA Alcoa Corporation Q3 $1.82 Beat by $0.31 CMC Commercial Metals Company Q4 $2.09 Beat by $0.13 PLD Prologis, Inc. Q3 $0.84 Beat by $0.05 BNY The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation Q3 $2.37 Beat by $0.11 USB U.S. Bancorp Q3 $1.38 Beat by $0.05 *  *  *  * You have received this e-mail as part of your subscription to PowerFeed. If you no longer want to receive e-mails from PowerFeed, click here. You're receiving this e-mail at reunisoft.cryptonews@blogger.com. For questions about your account or to speak with customer service, call +1 (877) 697-6783 (U.S.), 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Eastern time or e-mail info@chaikinanalytics.com. Please note: The law prohibits us from giving personalized financial advice. © 2026 Chaikin Analytics, LLC. All rights reserved. Any reproduction, copying, or redistribution, in whole or in part, is prohibited without written permission from Chaikin Analytics, LLC. 201 King Of Prussia Rd., Suite 650, Radnor, PA 19087. www.chaikinanalytics.com. Any brokers mentioned constitute a partial list of available brokers and is for your information only. Chaikin Analytics, LLC, does not recommend or endorse any brokers, dealers, or investment advisors. Chaikin Analytics forbids its writers from having a financial interest in any security they recommend to our subscribers. All employees of Chaikin Analytics, LLC (and affiliated companies) must wait 24 hours after an investment recommendation is published online – or 72 hours after a direct mail publication is sent – before acting on that recommendation. This work is based on SEC filings, current events, interviews, corporate press releases, and what we've learned as financial journalists. 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