RMB
Rand Merchant Bank (RMB) is a diversified financial services brand encompassing investment banking, fund management, corporate banking and advisory services. All businesses in the RMB brand stable form part of the wider FirstRand Group.

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All our latest press releases are available in Adobe Reader PDF format for ease of reading or printing. 

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Rand Merchant Bank disassociates itself from unauthorised fuel boycott lobbying
  It has come to Rand Merchant Bank's attention that an email is again being circulated requesting readers to support a brand-selective fuel boycott ... more

2013

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Corporate borrowing shifts from bank loans to bonds
  In the first four months of 2013, over R12bn has been raised by companies on the corporate bond market, while the total amount expected for the full year is R35bn ... more
   

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Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality successfully issues ground breaking R800 million amortising bond
  The Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (EMM) on 13 May 2013 successfully placed a R800 million 15 year amortising bond, EMM04 ... more
   

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Business Confidence picks up moderately in the first quarter
  After remaining stable at around 46 in the second half of last year, the RMB/BER Business Confidence Index (BCI) increased to 52 in the first quarter of 2013 - a level close to the post-recession peak of 55 registered two years
ago ... more
   

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RMB Ventures invests in Bluff Meat Supply
  RMB Ventures, a private equity house and subsidiary of FirstRand Limited, has invested in Bluff Meat
Supply alongside its management team ... more
   

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Rand Merchant Bank’s Inflation-X Exchange Traded Fund wins Morningstar award
  Rand Merchant Bank’s (RMB) Inflation-X Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) won the award for the best performing diversified bond fund in the Morningstar South Africa Fund Awards 2013 ... more
   

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RMB Nigeria opens its door for business in Lagos
  RMB has officially opened RMB Nigeria in Lagos, Nigeria follows the granting of an investment banking licence by the Central Bank of Nigeria ... more
   

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Rand Merchant Bank arranges US$100m loan facility for Tanzanian commodities trading company
  Rand Merchant Bank (RMB) has arranged a US$100m syndicated loan facility for the trading arm of Mohammed Enterprises Tanzania Limited (MeTL), one of Tanzania’s largest diversified conglomerates. The loan will facilitate MeTL’s trade in commodities into and out of East Africa, many of which are used by the group to manufacture a range of retail-related products ... more

2012

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Rand Merchant Bank commits in excess of R10bn to financing renewable energy projects
  Rand Merchant Bank (RMB), a division of FirstRand Bank Limited, committed  in excess of R10bn from its own balance sheet to closing five of the largest renewable energy projects in Round One of the Department of Energy’s (DoE) Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme ... more
   

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RMB to further build out its franchise in Nigeria following the granting of an investment banking license
  RMB today confirmed that through its parent FirstRand Bank Limited, it has secured an investment banking license from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) which required an initial capital investment of US$100 million ... more
   

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Outlook uncertain despite stable business confidence
  The RMB/BER Business Confidence Index (BCI) was little changed in the fourth quarter, declining by only one point to a level of 46. Still, this means that slightly more than half of the respondents remain downbeat about prevailing business conditions ... more
   

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JD Group successfully raises R1 billion in its debut corporate bond issuance
  Yesterday JD Group successfully completed its debut bond issuance for R1 billion.The notes were issued off JD Group Limited’s recently registered R8 billion note programme with the JSE Interest Rate Market ... more
   

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RMB Ventures invests in Grapetek
  RMB Ventures, a private equity house and subsidiary of FirstRand Limited, has led a management buyout of Grapetek, the leading manufacturer of table grape preservation sheets, which it markets globally under the Uvasys brand ... more
   

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Fitch Affirms RMB Structured Insurance & RMB Financial Services
  Insurance Limited's (RMBSI) National Insurer Financial Strength (IFS) rating at 'A+(zaf)' and international IFS rating at 'BBB'. Fitch has also affirmed Ireland-based RMB Financial Services Limited's (RMBFS) IFS rating at 'BBB'. The Outlooks are Stable ... more
   

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RMB Westport says west is best
  RMB Westport recently raised US$250-million for its Real Estate Development Fund aimed at developing real estate assets in west Africa. This unprecedented amount of committed investor capital is earmarked to supply Africa’s current strong demand for high-grade retail and commercial property ... more
   

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RMB Ventures invests in The Studio 88 Group
  RMB Ventures, a private equity investor and subsidiary of FirstRand Limited, has purchased a
significant minority interest in The Studio 88 Group, one of Southern Africa’s largest independent
footwear and apparel retail chains ... more
   

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Where to Invest in Africa - Second report launched by RMB
  Investing in Africa: a new report South Africa is still Africa’s top investment destination but its lead is narrowing
... more
   

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Business confidence recovers partially
  The RMB/BER Business Confidence Index (BCI) rose by six points from 41 in the second quarter to 47 in the third quarter of 2012. This only partially neutralises the big fall in the second quarter when confidence dropped by 11 points from 52 in the first quarter ... more
   

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Rand Merchant Bank launches the RMB MidCap Exchange Traded Fund
  7 August 2012 – Rand Merchant Bank (RMB) has launched South Africa’s first mid-cap Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) which will be listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), on Wednesday 15th August... more
   

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RMB's growth strategy in Kenya supported by opening of FirstRand representative office
  2 May 2012 – RMB today confirmed that the official opening of the FirstRand representative office in Kenya tonight will strengthen its strategy to  market products and services to corporates and parastatals based in Kenya ... more
   

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Land Bank raises R500 million in corporate bonds – 22 March 2012
  On Tuesday (20 March), Land Bank successfully completed a R500-million corporate bond issuance following a well-received inaugural bond issuance of R1.2-billion in October 2010 ... more
   

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Business confidence increases across the board – 8 March 2012
  After a notable decline in the second half of 2011, the RMB/BER Business Confidence Index (BCI) jumped by 14 points to a level of 52 in the first quarter of 2012 ... more

2011

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Hyprop placement exceeds expectations – 25 November 2011
  The sale of a large tranche of units, in listed property group Hyprop, exceeded expectations when they were bought via an "accelerated bookbuild placement" on global markets ... more
   

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Business Confidence Index results Q411 – Flat business confidence better than it seems – 23
  November 2011
  After falling from 55 index points in the first quarter of the year to 39 in the third quarter, the RMB/BER Business Confidence Index (BCI) eased by one point to 38 in the fourth quarter ... more
   

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Rand Merchant Bank wins derivative awards – 10 October 2011
  Rand Merchant Bank (RMB) has been voted as the overall category winner for Interest Rates in the Risk South Africa Derivatives Dealers Awards survey 2011, where market participants are invited to vote for the best derivatives traders in South Africa . . . more
   

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RMB opens in Namibia – 15 September 2011
  Investment banking arm of FirstRand Bank Limited, Rand Merchant Bank (RMB), has opened in Namibia on 14 September 2011. RMB Namibia offers a full suite of investment banking products and services to the Namibian market ... more
   

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Denny Mushrooms bought by an RMB Ventures-led private equity consortium – 13 September
  2011
  A consortium consisting of key management members, RMB Ventures and pan-African Private Equity Fund 1 have concluded a management buyout of Denny Mushrooms. Denny is Africa's leading producer and marketer of fresh mushrooms ... more
   

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First Strut raises R450 million in senior secured corporate bonds – 7 September 2011
  The First Strut group, which supplies a broad range of industrial and commercial products to the mining, power generation, petro-chemicals, industrial building construction, water and rail transportation industries, Tuesday successfully completed its debut R450 million corporate bond issuance ... more
   

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Business confidence drops back further – 6 September 2011
  After declining by seven points to 48 in the second quarter, the RMB/BER Business Confidence Index (BCI) fell by a further nine points to 39 in the third quarter of 2011 ... more
   

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Where to invest in Africa - countries companies should choose – 15 August 2011
  The case for investing in Africa has been widely made. The continent is booming and offers a largely untapped market. But Africa has many economies with differing populations, wealth and operating conditions. Africa offers both the best and the worst ... more
   

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SANRAL raises R300m in fourth successful bond auction in 2011 – 6 July 2011
  The South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL), had total bids to the value of R702 million and issued R300 million in July in its fourth bond auction of 2011. The auction was 2.3x oversubscribed ... more
   

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Business confidence declines in the second quarter – 7 June 2011
  The RMB/BER Business Confidence Index (BCI) moderated by seven index points from 55 in the first quarter to 48 in the second quarter of 2011. An index level just below the neutral 50 mark means that around half of the respondents surveyed are satisfied and the other half dissatisfied with prevailing business conditions ... more
   

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SANRAL raises R300 million in third bond auction for 2011 – 1 June 2011
  The South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL), in its third bond auction for 2011, had total bids to the value of R1 267 million and issued R300 million. The auction was more than 4 time oversubscribed ... more
   

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Rand Merchant Bank launches Coal Exchange-Traded Note – 5 May 2011
  Rand Merchant Bank (RMB) has launched its second commodity Exchange-Traded Note (ETN), the RMB Coal ETN, which is listing on the JSE Limited on 5 May 2011 ... more
   

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SANRAL raises R350 million in second bond auction for 2011 – 6 April 2011
  The South African National Roads Agency Limited ('SANRAL'), in its second auction for 2011, had total bids to the value of R537 million and issued R350 million as anticipated ... more
   

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Edcon successfully places ZAR1.01 billion Super Senior Secured Notes due 2016 – 4 April 2011
  On Monday (4th April), Edcon raised R1.01-billion through the issue of super senior secured notes under its newly established ZAR2.5 billion Domestic Medium Term Note Programme registered with the JSE Limited (Interest Rate Market) ... more
   

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Business confidence increases sharply – 8 March 2011
  The RMB/BER Business Confidence Index (BCI) jumped from 44 points in the fourth quarter of 2010 to 55 in the first quarter of 2011. An index number in net positive territory ... more
   

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Sanral's first bond auction for 2011 – 2 March 2011
  The South African National Roads Agency Limited (‘SANRAL’), in its first auction for 2011, had total bids to the value of R2118 million and issued R750 million as anticipated ... more

Please contact Joandra Griesel on +27 11 282 1748 for more information about our news articles or media releases.

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