Falling oil receipts and a foreign exchange crisis have hit Angola’s economy hard. A recent Eurobond issue, a prospective IMF loan and the restructuring of state oil company Sonangol should help the government fund much-needed infrastructure improvements – but any recovery is likely to be slow and hard won. James King reports.

Angola has come through a long civil war, enjoyed a relatively brief boom period, and is now encountering a long-term slump in oil prices. This has led the government to instigate economic reform and support infrastructure improvements to draw investors to the country’s other abundant resources. James King reports.

A dollar liquidity crunch amid regulatory concerns, bad loans and low oil prices have tested Angola’s banks recently. Now central bank moves to tighten rules and a wave of consolidation are shaking up the sector, resulting in survival of only the fittest. James King reports.

The Dubai International Financial Centre has risen to become a major trade, investment and logistics hub over the past decade. However, as James King discovers, it is eyeing further growth through its strategy to become a leading global centre by 2024.

At first glance, South Africa is in a position of near-crisis. Its economic growth is sluggish, its government is making a series of unpopular decisions, and a severe drought is denting its agricultural output. However, the private sect seems to approve of the country's new finance minister, and the rand is showing signs of stability. So is there cause for optimism? James King investigates.

Though South Africa's economy is cooling, its banks are continuing to perform strongly. For some, growth is coming from operations elsewhere in Africa, while for others its is stemming from the domestic market. James King looks at the strategies being employed to keep the country's lenders buoyant in a slow-growth environment.