Raising taxes has for years been the norm for finance ministers seeking to cover deficits in public accounts.

Investment service providers are bracing for measures contained in the Finance Bill that give the Capital Market Authority powers to search and confiscate assets of a player on the strength of a court order.

Opportunities and easiness of investing in Angola were on the weekend presented, in Lisbon (Portugal), to participants of the 3rd Congress of Industries of Timber, Furniture and Other Items, by the national director of Agro-Industry, Pedro Katendi.

The Government has directed the National Development Corporation to conduct an environmental and social impact assessment studies at the proposed location of a soda ash plant at Lake Natron.

The Meremeta and Tangold controversy resurfaced in Parliament yesterday.

Mozambique and Portugal signed in Maputo this Monday an agreement to set up a fund to support investments in the Mozambican energy sector.

African Investment Bank (BAI) and the Terminals Managing Society (SOGESTER) on Monday singed an agreement amounted at USD 45 million, for the ehabilitation of the Luanda Port container terminal number two.

The National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) has sacked Almaz Moges from her post as General Manager of the turbulent Nile Insurance.

First International Bank (FIB) Friday opened a three-face product call "FIB Pikin savings account, osusu account and special savings account at Charlotte Street in Freetown.

SA's trade deficit narrowed unexpectedly to R1,7bn in May as oil and capital imports plunged, helping the rand to extend its gains against the dollar.

Today I tackle the hot issue of the moment; Safaricom IPO refund. Many of my readers have been writing expressing their disappointments at the manner in which refunds were handled by the IPO administrators.

WEALTHY South Africans looking to leave the country are increasingly considering Mauritius as a destination - and the island's Board of Investment (BOI) is ready to woo them.

An Africa focused hotels and real estate investment company recently created by the Kuwait -based M. A Kharifi Group is expected to spread its wings into Kenya.

Some time back they operated as social groupings of close- knit family members or friends known as chamas . When they met, it was mostly for social reasons which included a session of meat-eating, washed down with beer.

Long after the highly anticipated Safaricom IPO, brokerage houses continue to manage their clients' expectations in bid to deliver maximum satisfaction.

The nation's insurance industry has paid claims totalling N35.2 billion in 2007, the former Chairman of the Nigeria Insurers Association (NIA), Mr I. Balogun, has said.

Depositors who lost their money with the collapse of Trust Bank seven years ago will get the second dividend for their deposits beginning next week.

BANKS have in the past week experienced challenges with the Real Time Gross Settlement system because it cannot handle the growing number of zeros.

Players in the mortgage industry are getting ready to scramble for a slice of the multi-million shilling pension fund.

Insurers have been asked to put more resources into the training of actuaries who are asked with developing insurance products and assessing financial risks facing companies.