EVENTS:

*Mauritius' central bank is expected to announce its latest benchmark lending rate decision.

GLOBAL MARKETS

Stocks rose on Thursday, with markets from Tokyo to New York at record highs, while traders counted down to U.S. data that is expected to show inflation easing and pave the way for rate cuts in September.nL1N3J3026MKTS/GLOB

WORLD OIL PRICES

Oil prices edged higher on Thursday as crude stocks fell after U.S. refineries ramped up processing and as gasoline inventories eased, signalling stronger demand.nL4N3J300P

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EMERGING MARKETS

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AFRICA STOCKS

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SOUTH AFRICA MARKETS

The South African rand gained on Wednesday against a weaker dollar, as focus remains on the future interest rate path of the world's biggest economy.nL1N3J20OI

KENYA MARKETS

Kenya's shilling KES= weakened on Wednesday, pressured by increased foreign-currency demand and a credit rating downgrade by Moody's, traders said.nL8N3J20EW

UGANDA AIRTEL SHARES

Telecom firm Airtel Uganda AIRTEL.UG, a unit of India's Bharti Airtel, said on Wednesday it plans to sell shares left over from its undersubscribed initial public offering to comply with regulatory requirements.nL8N3J21AY

ETHIO TELECOM RESULTS

Ethiopian state-owned telecom company Ethio Telecom said on Wednesday that its full-year revenue and net profit rose by more 20% in the year that ended in June.nL8N3J20HE

RWANDA ELECTION

Rwandan President Paul Kagame is expected to cruise to a fourth term in office in an election on Monday against two opposition candidates who were cleared to run against him but have only modest expectations.nL8N3J20TY

GHANA INFLATION

Ghana's consumer inflation GHCPIY=ECI slowed for a third consecutive month to 22.8% year-on-year in June from 23.1% in May, the statistics service said on Wednesday.nL8N3J20MZ

ZIMBABWE ECONOMY

Zimbabwe has revised its economic growth forecast downwards as southern Africa's worst drought in decades ravages crop yields, its finance minister told Reuters on Wednesday, but a bounceback in growth is likely in 2025.nL8N3J20JA

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