African Markets - Factors to watch on March 29

NAIROBI, March 29 (Reuters) - The following company announcements, scheduled economicindicators, debt and currency market moves and political events may affect African markets onThursday. - - - - - EVENTS KENYA AND UGANDA - Statistics offices in both countries are today due to release March consumer price index data. GLOBAL MARKETS Asian stocks sagged on Thursday after a tech-led retreat on Wall Street while the safe haven yen was broadly lower against the dollar on Thursday amid perceived progress on North Korea issues. WORLD OIL PRICES Oil prices rose on Thursday as the producer cartel OPEC and other suppliers look set to continue withholding output for the rest of the year and potentially into 2019. EMERGING MARKETS For the top emerging markets news, double click on AFRICA STOCKS For the latest news on African stocks, click on SOUTH AFRICA MARKETS South Africa's rand and banking stocks fell on Wednesday after the central bank lowered its main lending rate for the first time since July and said it thought the currency was overvalued. KENYA MARKETS The Kenyan shilling gained slightly against the dollar on Wednesday supported by inflows from offshore investors buying government debt, traders said. KENYA POLITICS A Kenyan high court judge found the Interior Minister and the police chief guilty of contempt on Wednesday and told them to appear for sentencing because they failed to obey a court order to release a detained opposition politician. NIGERIA OIL Royal Dutch Shell has filed a criminal complaint against a former senior employee over suspected bribes in the $390 million sale of an oilfield in Nigeria, where the company is already under investigation over a separate deal. NIGERIA STOCKS Nigerian stocks shed one percent to their lowest level in more than two months on Wednesday after shares in the relatively liquid banking sector fell, traders said. NIGERIA REVENUES Nigeria earned 557.9 billion naira ($1.77 billion) in gross revenues in February, up from 538.9 billion naira ($1.71 billion) the previous month, due to higher crude exports and prices, Accountant General Ahmed Idris said on Wednesday. RWANDA RATES Rwanda's central bank held its benchmark lending rate at 5.5 percent on Wednesday since its easing stance was starting to offer results, its governor John Rwangombwa told a news conference. GHANA INFLATION Ghana's producer price inflation (PPI) fell to 5.5 percent year-on-year in February from 7.7 percent the previous month, due mostly to lower refined petroleum costs, the statistics office said on Wednesday. ANGOLA FRAUD The $500 million at the centre of an alleged fraud involving the son of Angola's former president was transferred out of a Standard Chartered account held by Angola's central bank, the British bank told Reuters on Wednesday. For the latest precious metals report click on For the latest base metals report click on For the latest crude oil report click on