Crude oil price decreased in the review week. OPEC weekly basket price reduced by 3.5 percent to $42.06per barrel from November 4, 2016 to November 11, 2016, while Nigerias bonny light price decreased by 1.1 percent to $44.36per barrel in the same period. Global oil market refocused on oversupply, as indicated in the OPECs October crude data figures (global OPEC and Non-OPEC oil supply grew by 0.97mb/day to average 96.32mb/day and outpaced demand by 1.92mb/day).

Available data shows that headline inflation rates increased and remained high in most countries in the region in February 2017. Specifically, inflation rate increased in Egypt (30.2), Burundi (20.9 percent), Kenya (10.28), and Ethiopia (8.5 percent), while it eased in Nigeria (17.78 percent), Ghana (13.2 percent), South Africa (6.3 percent), and Namibia (7.8 percent). Seychelles (-0.6 percent) remained in deflation while Sudan (32.86 percent) and Tunisia (4.6 percent) had unchanged inflation rates within the review period. Increased cost of food continued to plague the region as food component of inflation remained the major driver of inflation. Drought in East Africa continues to compound price pressure in the region. Inflation rates in Burundi6, Kenya and Ethiopia increased by 8, 3.29, and 2.4 percentage points respectively, signifying the three highest price increase in the review period