Breaking News Today – Monday 20 April 2026

African Start-up News Headlines:

• South African med-tech startup AI Diagnostics raises $5.2m pre-Series A for AI-powered TB screening: AI Diagnostics closed a ZAR85 million ($5.2m) pre-Series A round to scale its AI-powered Ostium digital stethoscope, which analyses lung sounds for rapid tuberculosis (TB) detection without specialist equipment or X-rays. The funding will accelerate regulatory expansion, clinical trials, and deployment across high-burden African markets.
• Nigerian startup Grant Master launches AI-powered Grant Wizard platform: Grant Master unveiled Grant Wizard on April 17—an AI-driven grant intelligence platform that helps African non-profits, startups, and social enterprises discover funding opportunities and generate tailored proposals in minutes. Backed by the Mastercard Foundation and US African Development Foundation, the tool tackles the biggest barriers to grant access: time, cost, and complexity of applications.

Business News Today 

Your Economic Week Ahead

The potential for an agreement between Iran and the US to end their war is likely to continue to dominate market movements and the outlook of the global economy, with promising signals from both sides recently hinting at a resolution. South Africa’s 182-Day Treasury Bill Auction takes place today. South African Reserve Bank will release the Monetary Policy Review on Tuesday 21 April and South Africa’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) for March 2026 as well as the Retail trade sales data will be released this Wednesday (April 22).

Global Corporate earnings results also remain in the spotlight with results due from Tesla, Intel, UnitedHealth, Amex, and P&G in the US. In Europe, PMIs and local sentiment indices will give more insights on how the economy adapts to surges in energy prices. A busy week in the UK will include the inflation rate and retail sales. In Asia, the PBoC will set its loan prime rates and Japan will unveil trade figures, inflation and join India and Australia in release PMI.

DRC Set to Overtake Ethiopia’s Economy in 2026

The DRC is projected to overtake Ethiopia as Sub-Saharan Africa’s 5th largest economy in 2026. The IMF forecasts the Democratic Republic of Congo’s economy reaching around $123 billion in 2026, edging past Ethiopia ($122 billion) to claim the No.5 spot behind South Africa, Nigeria, Angola, and Kenya. Cobalt and critical mineral exports are driving the momentum, alongside efforts to build strategic reserves and stabilise supply chains for EV batteries. However, the country remains exposed to global price volatility and geopolitical risks and with the US backed peace agreement with Rwanda seemingly holding, but still fragile. This shift underscores resource-rich African economies’ potential amid the energy transition, even as broader regional growth is moderate. DRC’s rise highlights uneven continental performance, with mining and commodities playing outsized roles despite governance and infrastructure challenges.

African Governments on Track for Record $15bn+ in Commercial Borrowing in 2026

S&P Global Ratings and other reports indicate African sovereigns could raise around $155 billion in commercial borrowing this year (up ~11% from last year), with projections pointing to strong activity including a potential record tranche. Egypt, Morocco, and South Africa lead as largest issuers, though South Africa expects lower issuance due to belt-tightening. Persistent fiscal pressures from commodity shocks and debt servicing drive the trend. This comes amid IMF warnings on refinancing risks for recent bonds and calls for credible strategies to avoid austerity traps. Stronger domestic capital markets and pension pools ($4.4 trillion potential) are seen as ways to reduce external dependence, supporting infrastructure and growth ambitions.

Oil Prices Surge Again on Iran Uncertainty

Brent crude futures surged more than 5% to above $95 per barrel this morning, reversing losses from the previous session as geopolitical tensions flared again in the Middle East. The rally followed remarks from President Donald Trump that the US Navy fired on and seized an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel in the Gulf of Oman after it ignored orders to stop while exiting Hormuz. Tehran also targeted ships and reasserted control over the Strait of Hormuz, arguing that the US blockade on Iran-linked vessels violated the ceasefire agreement. While momentum toward a lasting peace had been building late last week, uncertainty has since resurfaced, even as Trump said US negotiators would head to Pakistan today for another round of talks. The prolonged conflict has triggered a historic fuel and energy supply shock, heightening inflation risks and raising concerns over a potential global economic slowdown.

Breaking Business and Market News Shorts:  

• The TAIEX, Taiwan Stock Exchange’s benchmark index, climbed 446 points, or 1.2%, to a new record high of 37,251 this morning, mainly supported by communications, technology services, and industrial services. Contract chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), which accounts for more than 40% of total market value, rose 1.2% after reporting a 58% surge in net profit in Q1 2026
• Tencent Holdings shares increased to 521.50 HKD, the highest since March 2026 today. Over the past 4 weeks, Tencent Holdings has gained 4.53%, and in the last 12 months, it increased by 13.16%.
• China’s Shanghai Composite rose 0.5% to a one-month high of 4,071 today, while the Shenzhen Component gained 0.6% to 14,975, hitting its strongest level since December 2021, as the People’s Bank of China reaffirmed a “supportive” and “moderately loose” monetary stance aimed at sustaining growth 
• Zinc futures climbed above $3,450 this morning, hitting its highest level since August 2022 amid concerns over near-term supply shortages. Inventories at the Shanghai Futures Exchange continue to decline, indicating tightening physical availability, while mine closures and operational disruptions have further constrained immediate supply.
• Gold dropped by more than 1% to below $4,800 an ounce today, giving back gains from the previous week as renewed hostilities in the Strait of Hormuz drove oil prices sharply higher, intensifying inflation concerns. In the latest escalation. prices have improved marginally since.

Markets by Numbers 

Currency markets indicate the US dollar slightly stronger against major currencies today. The Greenback is trading against the Euro at 1.17547 while trading against the Pound at 1.34960. The Yen is currently trading at 158.95 to the dollar. The rand (ZAR), is currently trading around the 16.39 mark against the US dollar this morning.

Commodities:  

• Gold futures are down by around -0.8% today, and currently trading at around $4794.00 per ounce.  
• Copper prices are trending -0.8% lower today, with prices currently around $6.0552 per pound
• Silver futures are down by around -1.2% today, and currently trading at around $79.765 per ounce.
• Platinum futures are around -2% lower this morning, and currently trading at $2095.60, While Palladium prices are trending around -2.4% lower this morning, and currently trading around $1562.00 per ounce.
• Brent crude oil prices are trending around 5.4% higher today and currently trading around $95.31, WTI is trading over 5% higher at $88.77 currently
• Cocoa futures have lost further momentum this morning, plunging around -5%, with prices currently trading around $3280 per ton. 
• Coffee futures are trading -2% lower today, and currently trading at around $2.8225 per pound

Crypto Currencies: 

• Bitcoin prices are trending 0.5% higher this morning, and trading at around $74 226 per coin currently 
• Ether prices are around marginally higher today, and currently trading around $2266.86
• $Trumpcoin are currently trading at around $2.823

(All prices quoted at approximately 07H40 Central African Time) 

African General News Briefs:

• The son of Zimbabwe’s late former leader Robert Mugabe has pleaded guilty to lesser charges in a high-profile shooting case in South Africa. Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe, 29, admitted in a Johannesburg court to illegally being in the country and pointing a firearm—but denied shooting and seriously injuring his gardener during an altercation in the upscale Hyde Park suburb. The case has now been postponed to April 24, as investigations continue.
• Fifteen Illegal aliens deported from the US, reportedly all from South America, have arrived in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This is the first group of an unknown number of people that the US has expelled which the DR Congo had agreed to take in.The government in Kinshasa has stressed that their stay in the country is only temporary and that Washington is funding “their reception, support and care”.