* MSCI index of EM FX falls to near three-week lows
* Lira bounces as new central bank head eases rate cut views
* Rouble eases on lower oil prices, rand recoups early losses
* Borsa Istanbul extends uptick rule on short sales
By Sagarika Jaisinghani
March 29 (Reuters) &#8211; Emerging market currencies slipped on Monday to hover near three-week lows as an improving U.S. economic outlook lifted demand for the dollar, while the Turkish lira bounced after closing its worst week since 2018 in the previous session.
The lira was up about 0.7% at 8.08 against the dollar as Sahap Kavcioglu, the new central bank governor who was appointed in a shock overhaul this month, played down &#8220;prejudiced&#8221; expectations of an interest rate cut in April or the following months.
The currency crashed 10% last week after Kavcioglu&#8217;s appointment raised fears of a reversal of a series of interest rate hikes since November that had revived the currency amid concerns of Turkey&#8217;s depleting forex reserves and high inflation.
&#8220;We expect inflationary pressures to remain elevated in the coming months and do not see scope for an interest rate cut,&#8221; Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank economists Monica Malik and Thirumalai Nagesh wrote in a research report.
&#8220;However, given the political influence in (central bank) decision-making, a rate cut cannot be ruled out.&#8221;
The MSCI index of emerging market currencies eased about 0.2% and was nearing its lowest level since early March.
High-yielding currencies in the developing world have come under pressure this month from rising U.S. bond yields, which have surged on expectations of higher inflation and have pushed up demand for the dollar. A slower-than-expected recovery in Europe has also dampened risk sentiment.
&#8220;We are still holding on to a bearish dollar scenario for later in the year, but we probably need to see bond markets settle down and Europe start to play its part in the global recovery before the dollar starts to soften again,&#8221; said Chris Turner, global head of markets at ING.
The Russian rouble eased slightly to head towards 76 versus the dollar due to falling oil prices and the lingering threat of U.S. sanctions against Moscow, while South Africa&#8217;s rand reversed early losses to gain about 0.3%.
A basket of emerging market stocks rose about 0.1% after ending Friday with its second straight weekly decline.
Turkey&#8217;s stock index rose about 0.6%. Borsa Istanbul said the uptick rule on short sales would be extended through Monday, as it sought to stabilise stock markets that slumped nearly 10% last week following the central bank shake-up.
In Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has dismissed the head of the constitutional court, who opposed some anti-corruption reforms, calling his actions a threat to national security, Zelenskiy&#8217;s office said on Saturday.
All eyes will also be on index provider FTSE Russell, which is expected to give the final sign-off on including Chinese government bonds (CGBs) in its World Government Bond Index on Monday.

For GRAPHIC on emerging market FX performance in 2021, see http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh For GRAPHIC on MSCI emerging index performance in 2021, see https://tmsnrt.rs/2OusNdX

For TOP NEWS across emerging markets
For CENTRAL EUROPE market report, see
For TURKISH market report, see
For RUSSIAN market report, see (Reporting by Sagarika Jaisinghani in Bengaluru; Additional reporting by Marc Jones in London; Editing by Nick Macfie)
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EMERGING MARKETS-Currencies slip as improving U.S. outlook lifts dollar

JOHANNESBURG, March 29 (Reuters) &#8211; South Africa&#8217;s rand fell in early trade on Monday, as renewed optimism about the pace of economic growth in the United States were offset by worries over rising coronavirus infections in Europe, putting demand for riskier assets under pressure.
At 0640 GMT the rand was 0.35% weaker at 15.0425 per dollar, creeping back towards the two-week low it touched last week after the local central bank kept rates unchanged.
The greenback was up against most currencies in early trade as cautious investors favoured safe haven assets. As U.S. economy gains strength amid a rapid vaccine rollout in the world&#8217;s largest economy, a rise in COVID-19 infections in Europe has led to a fall in risk demand.
U.S. jobless claims fell to a one-year low last week and President Joe Biden said he would double his vaccination goal, after surpassing 100 million shots 42 days ahead of schedule.
&#8220;Any strength in the local unit has been met by demand for USD; as a result, it would appear that an attempt on the 15.2000 level is growing ever more likely. Globally, the main focus remains on the ever-increasing infection rates,&#8221; said analysts at Nedbank.
Bonds also weakened, with the yield on the benchmark 2030 paper up 2.5 basis points to 9.51%.

(Reporting by Mfuneko Toyana; Editing by Rashmi Aich)
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South Africa’s rand slips on U.S. economic optimism, rising cases in Europe

* Riyadh seeks to rival buzzing Dubai for regional crown
* Saudi issues ultimatum to pull in foreign firms
* Rapid economic and social reform wins over more companies
* Global shift away from oil underpins drive for change
By Saeed Azhar, Davide Barbuscia and Hadeel Al Sayegh
DUBAI, March 29 (Reuters) &#8211; When CSG opted to shift its regional headquarters this year from Dubai to Riyadh, it marked an early win for Saudi Arabia and proved a surprisingly easy move for the U.S. technology firm: the new office was up and running in just two months.
CSG is among several foreign companies that agreed earlier this year to set up regional offices in Saudi Arabia rather than overseeing operations remotely from Dubai, the buzzing commercial hub in neighbouring United Arab Emirates.
A Saudi ultimatum in mid-February has prompted some firms to rethink their strategy: from 2024, companies seeking state contracts in the Middle East&#8217;s biggest economy must have offices in the kingdom.
But, alongside this blunt approach, the government has launched sweeping economic and social reforms to attract investors, aiming to make the kingdom an easier place to live and work in and cutting the red tape that long deterred them.
&#8220;The serious weight that the Saudi government is putting behind their initiatives &#8211; backing that up with real action &#8211; is really very encouraging,&#8221; James Kirby, who heads CSG&#8217;s Europe, Middle East and Africa operations in London, told Reuters.
&#8220;I would expect that other companies would follow suit.&#8221;
Dubai, a global city with one of the world&#8217;s busiest airports &#8211; at least in pre-pandemic times &#8211; alongside fancy hotels and restaurants, may still rule as the region&#8217;s business centre.
But Saudi Arabia is playing an aggressive game of catch up. The state news agency SPA said in early February that 24 international firms had signed agreements to establish main regional offices in Riyadh, the capital of the world&#8217;s biggest oil exporter.
The list included PepsiCo, Schlumberger, Deloitte, PwC, Tim Hortons, Bechtel, Robert Bosch and Boston Scientific, SPA reported.
In response to Reuters requests for comment, Bechtel confirmed they had set up a regional headquarters in Saudi Arabia. PwC said it had a regional consulting office in Riyadh and Deloitte said it was ready to act as a &#8220;strategic partner&#8221; to help Saudi Arabia achieve its goals. Bosch said it was exploring business opportunities in the kingdom.
Others companies on the list did not respond.

&#8216;SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS&#8217;
Under economic changes pushed by the kingdom&#8217;s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia has jumped 30 places since 2019 in the World Bank&#8217;s ease of doing business rankings. It now ranks at 62, although that lags the UAE at 16.
&#8220;We have made significant progress in recent years in key reforms – introducing 100% foreign ownership across a number of sectors as well as a number of other reforms,&#8221; Saudi Investment Minister Khalid al-Falih told Reuters in an email.
Obtaining a foreign investor licence now requires two documents, not 12, and can take three hours, not three days.
The Royal Commission for Riyadh City has told Saudi media it planned to attract 500 foreign companies by 2030.
To help achieve this, Saudi Arabia has unveiled a raft of initiatives. Its sovereign wealth fund aims to launch a new airline to compete with Gulf carriers and new hotels are planned. Riyadh, a huge urban sprawl, is building a metro system, while some social restrictions, such as a ban on cinemas, have been eased in the religiously conservative Muslim nation.
But there are many gaps still to fill if it is to rival Dubai. Not least, Riyadh needs more international schools to attract skilled expatriates and their families, executives say.
&#8220;Dubai wasn&#8217;t built in a day, and its path was relatively organic. Saudi is looking to achieve its objectives at an unprecedented pace, but is this a case of more haste, less speed?,&#8221; said Ali Al-Salim, co-founder of Dubai-based Arkan Partners, an alternative investments consulting firm.

PAUSE FOR THOUGHT
Investors have other worries too. Saudi Arabia has faced a barrage of Western criticism over its rights record, notably the 2018 murder of Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents in the kingdom&#8217;s consulate in Turkey, while an anti-corruption drive in 2017 saw Saudi princes, former ministers and business executives locked up, some for weeks or months, in a hotel-turned-detention centre.
For Saudi Arabia, which built its wealth on vast oil reserves, the need to attract investors and diversify is increasingly pressing as the world seeks to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels.
Yet giving foreign firms an ultimatum to set up in the kingdom might hinder rather than help its cause, said Jim Krane, research fellow at Rice University&#8217;s Baker Institute in Houston, saying it &#8220;smacks a bit of desperation and arbitrariness&#8221;.
&#8220;That&#8217;s one of the things that&#8217;s probably going to give corporations and their executives a bit of a pause before moving ahead,&#8221; he said.
Dubai, which snatched the regional crown from nearby Bahrain in the 1990s, has already shown it is ready to fight to keep its title. Dubai&#8217;s ruler has announced a five-year plan to increase air and shipping routes by 50% and to more than double tourism and hotel capacity over the next two decades.
Yet the race to attract businesses does not necessarily mean a binary choice of Riyadh or Dubai, as CSG has shown. The Nasdaq-listed firm may be shifting its regional operations to Riyadh, but it has no plans to shut its Dubai office.
&#8220;I don&#8217;t personally see companies winding up their operations in Dubai and just moving to Saudi,&#8221; said Daniel Bateman at AstroLabs, which helps firms set up Saudi offices.
&#8220;I can see a two-pronged attack on the Middle East &#8230; where you have a strong presence in both the UAE and Saudi.&#8221;
(Reporting by Saeed Azhar, Davide Barbuscia and Hadeel al Sayegh; Editing by Ghaida Ghantous and Edmund Blair)
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ANALYSIS-With stick and carrot, Saudi starts winning over firms in regional race

NAIROBI, March 29 (Reuters) &#8211; The following company announcements, scheduled economic indicators, debt and currency market moves and political events may affect African markets on Monday. &#8211; &#8211; &#8211; &#8211; &#8211; EVENTS: *KENYA &#8211; The central to announces its latest benchmark lending rate decision. *KENYA &#8211; Equity Group Holdings to release its full-year 2020 earnings. GLOBAL MARKETS Asian share markets edged higher on Monday while oil prices slipped as the ship blocking the Suez Canal was re-floated, raising hopes the vital waterway could reopen and ease global shipping backlogs. WORLD OIL PRICES Oil was slightly lower on Monday, relatively placid after four sessions of wild swings in price, as efforts continued to dig out the giant container ship clogging the Suez Canal and little new emerged in the demand picture. EMERGING MARKETS For the top emerging markets news, double click on AFRICA STOCKS For the latest news on African stocks, click on SOUTH AFRICA MARKETS The South African rand was a touch weaker on Friday, with investors still digesting the central bank&#8217;s decision to keep lending rates unchanged in the face of global inflation pressures and rate hikes in other emerging markets. KENYA MARKETS The Kenyan shilling was stable on Friday as demand was met with sufficient inflows of hard currency, traders said. KENYA COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS Kenya&#8217;s President Uhuru Kenyatta restricted travel in the capital Nairobi and four surrounding counties on Friday as COVID-19 infections hit record levels in East Africa&#8217;s richest economy. KENYA SAFARICOM Kenya&#8217;s biggest telecoms operator Safaricom has started trials for 5G high-speed internet network using technology from Nokia and Huawei, it said. TANZANIA CORRUPTION Tanzania&#8217;s new president, Samia Suluhu Hassan, on Sunday ordered the suspension of the head of the ports authority over corruption allegations, continuing her late predecessor&#8217;s anti-graft drive. MADAGASCAR MINING Japanese trading company Sumitomo Corp 8053.T said on Monday its Ambatovy nickel project in Madagascar resumed operation on March 23 after it had been shut since March last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. MOZAMBIQUE SECURITY Dozens of people were killed in an attack on the northern Mozambique town of Palma this week, a spokesman for the country&#8217;s defence and security forces said, including seven people when a convoy of cars was ambushed in an escape attempt. ZAMBIA ECONOMY Zambia, Africa&#8217;s first pandemic-era sovereign default, will resume virtual talks with the International Monetary Fund next week as it seeks to stabilise its debt-burdened economy, its finance ministry said in a statement on Friday. For the latest precious metals report click on For the latest base metals report click on For the latest crude oil report click on 
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African Markets – Factors to watch on March 29

BEIJING, March 29 (Reuters) &#8211; China&#8217;s Didi Chuxing, which is backed by SoftBank, said on Monday it would start a ride-hailing service in Cape Town, South Africa.
Didi already operates in Japan, Australia, Russia and several South American markets.
(Reporting by Yilei Sun and Tony Munroe; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)
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China’s Didi Chuxing to start ride-hailing service in South Africa

March 29 (Reuters) &#8211; Australia&#8217;s South32 Ltd said on Monday sale process of its South African thermal coal business is now expected to be completed after the March quarter, amid contract negotiations between the miner and electricity generator Eskom.
South32 announced the sale of the business to South African coal firm Seriti Resources Holdings in November 2019 in a deal that is expected to improve its balance sheet as investor pressure and climate change concerns prompt businesses to limit their exposure to fossil fuels.
The deal has taken longer to close than anticipated, as the Perth-headquartered firm had initially forecast the process to end in 9 to 12 months.
South Africa&#8217;s antitrust tribunal in December approved the sale, clearing a key hurdle for sealing the deal.
However, terms are yet to be agreed upon for a supply deal between South32 and South African electricity generator Eskom, the largest consumer of thermal coal in the country.
Work is progressing between the miner, Seriti and Eskom to finalise arrangements that will allow for the satisfaction of the final material conditions to the deal, South32 said in its statement. (Reporting by Shruti Sonal in Bengaluru, Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)
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South32 now expects S.African thermal coal exit after March quarter

(The opinions expressed here are those of the author, a columnist for Reuters.)
By Clyde Russell
LAUNCESTON, Australia, March 29 (Reuters) &#8211; The price of spot liquefied natural gas (LNG) in Asia has moved higher amid the blockage of the Suez Canal, but it&#8217;s doubtful it needs to as the delays to shipping to the region will likely only have a marginal impact on supply.
The spot LNG price &lt;LNG-AS&gt; rose to $6.80 per million British thermal units (mmBtu) in the week ended March 26, up from $6.50 the prior week and the highest in a month.
LNG futures in New York did even better, ending at $6.93 per mmBtu on March 26, up 7.9% from the last price a week earlier.
In some ways it&#8217;s not surprising that spot LNG prices have shifted higher, as the unexpected blockage of a major shipping transit point introduces a level of uncertainty and volatility to the market.
Efforts to free the Ever Given container ship, stuck in the canal since last Tuesday, were still successful as of late Sunday Egyptian time.
But an analysis of how LNG usually flows around the globe shows that only small volumes move to Asia through the Suez Canal.
Rather, the main LNG flow through the canal is from major Gulf exporter Qatar to purchasers in Europe, meaning that delays and re-routing of vessels around the longer Cape of Good Hope route will largely impact supplies to Europe.
The United States has in recent years emerged as the third-biggest supplier of LNG to global markets, and has made inroads into the top-consuming region of Asia from export terminals along its east coast and in the Gulf of Mexico.
However, no U.S. cargo currently sailing is heading for the Suez Canal, although as many as five laden ships appear to have been diverted to avoid the blockage, according to vessel-tracking data compiled by Refinitiv.
A total of 16 vessels carrying U.S. LNG are currently en route to Asia, the majority having used the Panama Canal to access faster sailing times to north Asia, home to the world&#8217;s three-biggest LNG buyers, Japan, China and North Korea.

INDIA AFFECTED
Cargoes from the U.S. that use the Suez Canal are usually headed to India, and there are currently three vessels signalling destinations in India. All three appeared headed to round the bottom of Africa via the Cape of Good Hope.
While this will impact delivery times for those three cargoes, and potentially cut the profit for the cargo owners given the additional sailing time, the volumes involved are too small to have much impact on prices in Asia.
What may make more of a difference is the likelihood of increased cargoes being made available by Qatar to buyers in Asia.
If Qatar is unable to ship through the Suez, it may prefer to sell cargoes to Asian buyers, rather than wear the additional costs and time associated with sending vessels around the Cape of Good Hope.
If the Suez blockage lasts for some time yet, it may perversely have the effect of boosting the amount of LNG available to Asian buyers, while cutting that to Europe.
Of course, U.S. LNG may well find a price incentive to sell more to Europe than Asia, assuming natural gas prices in Europe outperform those in Asia.
The price of day-ahead natural gas in the United Kingdom rose 9.6% last week to end at 44.91 pence per therm, equivalent to about $6.40 per mmBtu.
While that is below the price for spot LNG in north Asia, the British price doesn&#8217;t include the cost of freight, and adding in those costs of at least 50 cents per mmBtu means that the delivered prices are currently similar.
If the Suez blockage continues, it may delay as much as 1 million tonnes of LNG for delivery to Europe, meaning natural gas prices there may rise further in order to draw spot cargoes from the United States and from the west coast of Africa, home to exporters Nigeria and Angola. (Editing by Richard Pullin)
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COLUMN-Suez blockage boosts Asia LNG price, but it probably shouldn’t: Russell

By Mark Gleeson
CAPE TOWN, March 28 (Reuters) &#8211; South Africa suffered a major embarrassment on Sunday as a 2-0 defeat by Sudan in Khartoum saw the hosts clinch a place at the Africa Cup of Nations finals at the visitors&#8217; expense with first-half goals from Saifeldin Maki and Mohamed Abdel Rahman.
Sudan qualified for only the third time in 23 attempts, finishing second in Group C behind Ghana, who won 3-1 at home to Sao Tome e Principe at the same time.
It was a major setback for South Africa, who needed at least draw but were defensively undone by their determined hosts.
Maki scored from a fifth minute set piece while Rahman’s mazy run down the left ended with an angled shot into the back of the net in the 31st minute.
Sudan are the 18th team to book a place at next January’s finals in Cameroon, with the last six berths to be decided in the last round of qualifiers on Monday and Tuesday.
Ghana topped the group with 13 points after they beat the island minnows.
Nicholas Opoku scored first for Ghana followed, on the half hour, by Jordan Ayew. Baba Rahman made it 3-0 on the hour mark but Sao Tome pulled one back late through Jokceleny Carvalho, commonly known as Iniesta.
Earlier on Sunday, Tunisia finished their Group J campaign unbeaten, registering a fifth win in six games as they edged Equatorial Guinea 2-1 at home.
But after Seifeddine Jaziri had given them a fourth minute lead, Tunisia were guilty of poor finishing and only extended their advantage when Carlos Akapo turned the ball into his own net in the 52nd minute.
Tunisia substitute Firas Chaouat returned the favour two minutes from time to give the visitors a consolation goal.
Tanzania, who finished third in the group, condemned Libya to bottom place as Simon Msuva’s goal just before halftime separated the two sides in their clash in Dar-es-Salaam.
Namibia, who were already eliminated, came from behind to beat already-qualified Guinea 2-1 in Windhoek with two headed goals from captain Peter Shalulile. Mamadou Kane had given Guinea an 18th minute lead in the Group A game. (Reporting by Mark Gleeson; Editing by Ken Ferris)
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WRAPUP 1-Soccer-S.Africa fail to qualify for Cup of Nations finals as Sudan progress

March 28 (Reuters) &#8211; Zimbabwe will host Pakistan next month for two tests and three Twenty20 internationals, all behind closed doors at Harare Sports Club, Zimbabwe Cricket said on Sunday.
They will start with three T20 internationals on April 21, 23 and 25, followed by tests from April 29-May 3 and May 7-11.
Pakistan will travel to Zimbabwe after playing three one-day internationals and four Twenty20 internationals in South Africa ahead of the T20 World Cup in India in October.
Zimbabwe, where there has been a hard lockdown on sporting activity over the last year since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, have not hosted international cricket since Sri Lanka toured in January, 2020.
Zimbabwe toured Pakistan last October, losing 2-1 in the ODI series and 3-0 in the T20s. They played a two-test series against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi this month, as well as three T20s. (Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Ed Osmond)
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Cricket-Zimbabwe to host Pakistan in test and T20 series

JOHANNESBURG, March 28 (Reuters) &#8211; South Africa plans to administer coronavirus vaccines to up to 200,000 people a day beginning around May, the Sunday Times newspaper said on Sunday, citing Health Minister Zweli Mkhize.
According to the report, more than 2,000 vaccination sites will be set up. The plan is based on the expected arrival of the first batch of 2.8 million Johnson &amp; Johnson vaccine doses at the end of April, the newspaper said.
The Health Ministry did not respond to telephone calls and text messages from Reuters seeking comment.
South Africa has been the hardest hit nation on the continent by COVID-19. It has recorded both the highest number of cases in Africa &#8211; more than 1.5 million &#8211; and of deaths, with more than 50,000 fatalities.
The vaccination rollout has been slow, with only 231,605 people, mainly frontline health workers, inoculated so far. The government plans to vaccinate 40 million people, or two-thirds of the population.
After pausing the rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccine in February, South Africa started inoculating healthcare workers with Johnson &amp; Johnson shots.
The government previously said it had secured 20 million doses of the two-dose Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in bilateral negotiations, with deliveries ramping up from the second quarter of the year.
(Reporting by Mfuneko Toyana Editing by Frances Kerry)
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South Africa plans to vaccinate 200,000 people daily against COVID-19 – report

BEIJING, March 28 (Reuters) &#8211; China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm) will need to assess results from Phase III clinical trials to decide whether its two-shot COVID-19 vaccine should be followed by a booster shot, Zhang Yuntao, vice president at China National Biotec Group (CNBG), an affiliate of Sinopharm, said on Sunday.
Antibodies triggered by two COVID-19 vaccine products from Sinopharm both have good neutralising effect on variants found in Britain and South Africa, Zhang told a news conference. (Reporting by Roxanne Liu and Ryan Woo; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)
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Sinopharm needs trial results to decide if COVID-19 shot needs booster – executive

Third-seeded Jon Rahm of Spain advanced through the Round of 16 on Saturday with a 3-and-2 win over South Africa&#8217;s Erik van Rooyen at the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play event in Austin, Texas.
Rahm, the only top-20 seed to reach the knockout stage, drew first blood on the opening hole against the No. 62 seed and never trailed in his match vs. van Rooyen. Rahm seized the lead for good thanks to an eagle at the par-4 13th, a par at 14 to go 2-up and a second eagle at the par-5 16th to close match.
Next up for Rahm, who advances to the quarterfinals for the second time at Austin Country Club, is former Texas Longhorn Scottie Scheffler.
Scheffler, the No. 30 seed making his tournament debut, defeated No. 60 seed and 2010 champion Ian Poulter of England, 5 and 4. Scheffler won his first hole on No. 3 and never trailed against Poulter, who did not win a hole on Saturday.
The event started with 64 players divided into 16 groups for round-robin play over Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The winner of each group advanced to the weekend, which features single-elimination format for Saturday&#8217;s Round of 16 and quarterfinals, as well as Sunday&#8217;s semifinals, championship and consolation matches.
No. 21 seed Tommy Fleetwood made a hole-in-one from 179 yards on the par-3 fourth hole and closed out the match with a birdie on No. 15 to win 4-up over former Texas Longhorn and No. 64 seed Dylan Frittelli of South Africa.
Fleetwood next faces No. 32 seed Billy Horschel, who ousted No. 53 seed Kevin Streelman, 3 and 1. Horschel won the opening two holes and never trailed en route to the win and his first quarterfinals appearance.
Spain&#8217;s Sergio Garcia, seeded No. 29, advanced to his second consecutive quarterfinals at Austin, with his 2-and-1 win over Canada&#8217;s Mackenzie Hughes. Garcia was 1-down to the No. 48 seed through six holes but rallied to take the 1-up lead before the turn and never relinquished it.
No. 31 seed Victor Perez of France is next for Garcia after defeating No. 41 seed Robert MacIntyre of Scotland, 5 and 4. Perez won Nos. 10-12 to take a 6-up lead through 12 holes before closing out the match on No. 14.
In one of the day&#8217;s more dramatic matches, No. 54 seed Brian Harman rallied from 4-down through six holes to win seven consecutive holes to beat 2018 champion Bubba Watson (No. 55 seed), 2 and 1.
Matt Kuchar, the 2019 runner-up and No. 52 seed, advanced to the quarterfinals for the second consecutive year with a narrow 1-up win over No. 49 seed Jordan Spieth. Kuchar, who was 2-down through 10 holes, made birdie at 18 to defeat Spieth.
Saturday afternoon&#8217;s quarterfinal matches:
&#8211;Tommy Fleetwood (21) vs. Billy Horschel (32)
&#8211;Victor Perez (31) vs. Sergio Garcia (39)
&#8211;Jon Rahm (3) vs. Scottie Scheffler (30)
&#8211;Matt Kuchar (52) vs. Brian Harman (54)
&#8211;Field Level Media
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No. 3 seed Jon Rahm advances to WGC-Match Play quarterfinals

PORTO NOVO, Benin, March 27 (Reuters) &#8211; Nigeria confirmed top spot in their Africa Cup of Nations qualifying group with a dramatic last-gasp 1-0 win away over neighbours Benin on Saturday, having already secured their place at the finals before kick off.
Nigeria’s place at the tournament in Cameroon next January was confirmed earlier on Saturday when the other two countries in Group L &#8212; Lesotho and Sierra Leone &#8212; played out a drab goalless draw in Maseru, ensuring at least a top-two finish for leaders Nigeria.
That result left Benin needing a point to join them at the finals, which they were on course to achieve until substitute Paul Onuachu headed home from a goalmouth scramble three minutes into stoppage time and seconds from the final whistle.
The victory for Nigeria was a blow for their crestfallen hosts and keeps alive the hopes of third-placed Sierra Leone, who must beat Benin at home on Tuesday to finish second in the group.
Nigeria advanced to 11 points, leaving Benin on seven and Sierra Leone with four with one game each left.
Nigeria, who jettisoned plans to travel by road to their neighbours and went by boat instead, created the better chances, including a flying header from Victor Osimhen that Benin goalkeeper Saturnin Allagbe saved at point-blank range in the last action of the first half.
Soon after the resumption, Samuel Chukwueze missed from close range with a wild shot over the bar and Osimhen hit the post with a long-range effort.
Steve Mounie had Benin’s best chance in the 52nd minute as he chased a long back pass and almost lifted it into the net past the on-rushing Nigeria goalkeeper.
Yet the home side gave away a needless corner right at the end of the game from which Osimhen had his initial effort saved by Allagbe only for the ball to pop up for Onuachu to finish.
Nigeria are the 17th team to qualify for the 24-team finals.
The last round of qualifiers starts on Sunday and concludes on Tuesday with the final places to be decided only in Tuesday’s late matches. (Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Toby Davis)
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WRAPUP 1-Soccer-Nigeria latest to qualify for Cup of Nations finals

After prevailing in a playoff Friday to win Group 3, third-seeded Jon Rahm of Spain became the only one of the top 20 seeds to reach the knockout stage at the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play event in Austin, Texas.
Rahm halved his Friday match with Ryan Palmer to leave both at 2-0-1 atop their group. The pair went to a playoff, which Rahm won with a birdie on the second hole.
The 64-player field was divided into 16 groups for round-robin play Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The winner of each group advanced to the weekend.
Among those eliminated on Friday was world No. 1 Dustin Johnson, who took a 1-down defeat against Kevin Na. Johnson was 1 up through 16 holes before Na rallied to win each of the last two holes with birdies. The result left Johnson at 1-1-1 and the already-eliminated Na at 1-2-0.
Scotland&#8217;s Robert MacIntyre, the 41st seed, emerged atop the group at 1-0-2 after halving with Adam Long. He did it by driving the green with his tee shot at the 371-yard, par-4 18th hole, leaving it 4 feet from the cup. The ensuing eagle allowed him to pull level with Long after he was 3 down through nine holes.
&#8220;I had probably one of the best and one of the luckiest golf shots I&#8217;ve hit in my life,&#8221; MacIntyre said.
He added, &#8220;(My caddie) gave me a shake on the 10th tee, like, &#8216;Come on, we&#8217;ve got to keep fighting here.&#8217; That&#8217;s something that I normally always have inside me, but my head was down through 9 and I didn&#8217;t know where to go, but we just kept giving ourselves chances.&#8221;
Fifth-seeded Bryson DeChambeau failed to make the weekend after a 1-down defeat to England&#8217;s Tommy Fleetwood, who won Group 5 at 2-0-1. DeChambeau wound up 1-2-0.
Fleetwood was 4 up through seven holes, but DeChambeau got back within one by winning the 14th and 15th holes. However, each player made pars the rest of the way, with Fleetwood surviving almost hitting his ball in a creek at No. 18.
&#8220;I could hit the ball, which was lucky,&#8221; Fleetwood said of his awkward lie. &#8220;It was just the direction that might have been the problem. But I knew I could hit the ball so I could find a way into that. &#8230; It came out way better than I thought it would. It helps when you can ground your club in a hazard now.&#8221;
The Saturday round-of-16 matchups, with seeding in parentheses:
England&#8217;s Tommy Fleetwood (21) vs. South Africa&#8217;s Dylan Frittelli (64)
United States&#8217; Billy Horschel (32) vs. United States&#8217; Kevin Streelman (53)
Spain&#8217;s Sergio Garcia (39) vs. Canada&#8217;s Mackenzie Hughes (48)
Scotland&#8217;s Robert MacIntyre (41) vs. France&#8217;s Victor Perez (31)
United States&#8217; Scottie Scheffler (30) vs. England&#8217;s Ian Poulter (60)
Spain&#8217;s Jon Rahm (3) vs. South Africa&#8217;s Erik van Rooyen (62)
United States&#8217; Bubba Watson (55) vs. United States&#8217; Brian Harman (54)
United States&#8217; Matt Kuchar (52) vs. United States&#8217; Jordan Spieth (49)
&#8211;Field Level Media
(c) Copyright Field Level Media. All Rights Reserved. 2021
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Jon Rahm is last seed standing at WGC-Match Play

Mar 27 (OPTA) &#8211; Scores from the PGA Tour WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play on Friday 18 Corey Conners (Canada) 64 53 62 19 Talor Gooch (USA) 44 63 68 21 Christiaan Bezuidenhout (South Africa) 67 58 61 Lanto Griffin (USA) 66 55 56 Tyrrell Hatton (England) 69 64 57 Viktor Hovland (Norway) 65 55 65 22 Tony Finau (USA) 55 68 69 Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland) 53 52 66 Sebastian Munoz (Colombia) 69 65 60 Louis Oosthuizen (South Africa) 66 71 63 23 Harris English (USA) 71 65 61 Si Woo Kim (Korea Republic) 66 64 61 Shane Lowry (Republic of Ireland) 62 60 56 Collin Morikawa (USA) 66 69 62 Patrick Reed (USA) 69 57 58 Justin Thomas (USA) 61 68 59 Erik Van Rooyen (South Africa) 54 65 64 Matt Wallace (England) 70 58 57 24 Sungjae Im (Korea Republic) 64 52 63 Jason Kokrak (USA) 68 61 71 Hideki Matsuyama (Japan) 51 63 45 Kevin Na (USA) 63 67 69 Carlos Ortiz (Mexico) 48 66 63 Victor Perez (France) 65 54 61 Webb Simpson (USA) 39 59 69 25 Patrick Cantlay (USA) 59 65 52 Paul Casey (England) 64 61 69 Jason Day (Australia) 73 69 58 Sergio Garcia (Spain) 49 61 60 Billy Horschel (USA) 69 57 59 J.T. Poston (USA) 66 56 60 Antoine Rozner (France) 62 63 59 Andy Sullivan (England) 70 71 62 Brendon Todd (USA) 73 64 67 Lee Westwood (England) 54 51 53 Bernd Wiesberger (Austria) 63 53 66 Matthew Wolff (USA) 63 62 54 26 Bryson DeChambeau (USA) 65 66 64 Matthew Fitzpatrick (England) 67 49 56 Kevin Kisner (USA) 64 67 64 Marc Leishman (Australia) 67 51 66 Adam Long (USA) 68 64 68 27 Abraham Ancer (Mexico) 61 65 67 Daniel Berger (USA) 47 66 57 Dylan Frittelli (South Africa) 47 62 63 Brian Harman (USA) 56 63 59 Russell Henley (USA) 66 51 66 Max Homa (USA) 72 66 63 Dustin Johnson (USA) 66 67 67 Robert MacIntyre (Scotland) 62 67 68 Joaquin Niemann (Chile) 67 67 52 Xander Schauffele (USA) 71 68 68 Cameron Smith (Australia) 66 64 67 Kevin Streelman (USA) 61 66 65 Will Zalatoris (USA) 70 70 59 28 Tommy Fleetwood (England) 68 58 63 Mackenzie Hughes (Canada) 61 54 69 Matt Kuchar (USA) 58 72 61 Ryan Palmer (USA) 58 62 70 Ian Poulter (England) 47 63 55 Jon Rahm (Spain) 69 60 70 Scottie Scheffler (USA) 68 74 68 Jordan Spieth (USA) 64 58 61 Bubba Watson (USA) 69 68 56 
(c) Copyright Opta Sports Data 2021. All Rights Reserved
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PGA Tour WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play Scores

By Mark Gleeson
CAPE TOWN, March 26 (Reuters) &#8211; The Ivory Coast and Morocco added their names to the list of qualifiers for the next Africa Cup of Nations after they booked a place in the 24-team field on Friday.
The Ivorians won 3-0 away in Niger with captain Serge Aurier playing a central role with an early goal and two assists in the win.
It secured a top two finish for the Ivorians in Group K.
A goalless draw away in neighbouring Mauritania meant Morocco finished top of Group E.
Congo kept up second place in Group I when they held already-qualified Senegal to a goalless draw in Brazzaville.
Congo are two points above third paced Guinea Bissau, who had condemned Eswatini to bottom place in the group when they won 3-1 in Manzini earlier on Friday.
It means Guinea Bissau must beat Congo at home in their last qualifier on Tuesday to take a place in the finals.
A shock 3-1 home win for the Cape Verde Islands &#8212; their first of the campaign &#8212; over Cameroon put them second in Group F and they now need only draw in their last game away at Mozambique on Tuesday to qualify.
Cape Verde came from a goal down to register a convincing win over next year’s tournament hosts.
But if they lose, Mozambique will qualify in their place for the first time since 2010.
There are now 16 countries qualified for the finals in Cameroon in January with the rest of the places to be decided over the next four days. (Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Pritha Sarkar)
(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2021. Click For Restrictions &#8211; https://agency.reuters.com/en/copyright.html
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WRAPUP 1-Soccer-Ivory Coast, Morocco latest teams to qualify for Cup of Nations finals

* Real slides for fifth straight session * Oil jump boosts Mexico * Colombian peso logs longest losing streak of the year * Colombia central bank holds rates as expected (Updates after Colombian central bank decision) By Sruthi Shankar and Susan Mathew March 26 (Reuters) &#8211; Brazil&#8217;s real was on its longest losing run this year on Friday, hit by worries about a coronavirus pandemic that is spiraling out of control, while the Colombian peso hit a four-month low. The real weakened for a fifth straight day, down 1.4%, in what could be the longest losing streak since late October. The currency was set to end with a weekly loss of about 4.5%, the steepest weekly loss since last June. Brazil registered a record 100,158 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, a day after it surpassed 300,000 fatalities from the pandemic, the world&#8217;s worst death toll after the United States. &#8220;Vaccines are rolling out gradually and the government does not have the fiscal ammunition it did last year, and if it were to pursue similar policies it would be flirting even closer with a fiscal crisis scenario,&#8221; Ramiro Sugranes, senior analyst for Latam research at FrontierView, told the Reuters Global Markets Forum. Meanwhile, a near 4% jump in crude prices after a massive traffic jam caused by the blockage by a giant container ship of the Suez Canal &#8211; a major global trade route &#8211; lifted oil exporter Mexico&#8217;s currency. Colombia&#8217;s peso erased session gains, extending losses to a fifth straight session, its longest this year. The currency closed at session lows, down 0.6%. Shortly after, the central bank held the key interest rate at 1.75% as expected, aimed at boosting economic recovery amid inflation at record lows. &#8220;Inflation breakevens show a very benign outlook over the longer term,&#8221; said Lewis Jones, portfolio manager, emerging markets debt at William Blair Investment Management. &#8220;An expansionary monetary policy is further warranted by the government&#8217;s fiscal proposals &#8230; in the hopes of avoiding the country&#8217;s sovereign credit rating being cut to sub-investment grade.&#8221; Colombia&#8217;s policy decision comes after central banks in Mexico, South Africa and the Philippines this week held interest rates steady as they balanced the need for spurring economic growth with keeping a lid on inflation. That stood in contrast to the hawkish stance adopted by emerging market peers such as Turkey, Brazil and Russia. Still, an index of EM currencies was on course for its biggest weekly decline since September as investors snapped up the greenback on hopes of a stimulus-driven U.S. economic recovery. Latin American stocks were supported by rising commodity prices on Friday, but were also headed for weekly declines. Key Latin American stock indexes and currencies: Stock indexes Latest Daily % change MSCI Emerging Markets 1299.63 0.87 MSCI LatAm 2230.72 -0.9 Brazil Bovespa 113666.16 -0.07 Mexico IPC 46651.49 -0.77 Chile IPSA 4845.75 1.64 Argentina MerVal 46298.34 -1.191 Colombia COLCAP 1312.81 -0.55 Currencies Latest Daily % change Brazil real 5.7487 -1.39 Mexico peso 20.5878 0.42 Chile peso 731.9 -0.94 Colombia peso 3687.14 -0.59 Peru sol 3.732 0.05 Argentina peso 91.8400 -0.07 (interbank) (Additional reporting by Lisa Pauline Mattackal in Bengaluru and Tom Arnold in London; Editing by Kirsten Donovan and Leslie Adler) 
(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2021. Click For Restrictions &#8211; https://agency.reuters.com/en/copyright.html
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Jon Rahm is last seed standing at WGC-Match Play

PGA Tour WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play Scores

WRAPUP 1-Soccer-Ivory Coast, Morocco latest teams to qualify for Cup of Nations finals

EMERGING MARKETS-Brazil’s real eyes worst week in over nine months

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EMERGING MARKETS-Currencies slip as improving U.S. outlook lifts dollar

South Africa’s rand slips on U.S. economic optimism, rising cases in Europe

ANALYSIS-With stick and carrot, Saudi starts winning over firms in regional race

African Markets – Factors to watch on March 29

China’s Didi Chuxing to start ride-hailing service in South Africa

South32 now expects S.African thermal coal exit after March quarter

COLUMN-Suez blockage boosts Asia LNG price, but it probably shouldn’t: Russell

WRAPUP 1-Soccer-S.Africa fail to qualify for Cup of Nations finals as Sudan progress

Cricket-Zimbabwe to host Pakistan in test and T20 series

South Africa plans to vaccinate 200,000 people daily against COVID-19 – report

Sinopharm needs trial results to decide if COVID-19 shot needs booster – executive

No. 3 seed Jon Rahm advances to WGC-Match Play quarterfinals

WRAPUP 1-Soccer-Nigeria latest to qualify for Cup of Nations finals

Jon Rahm is last seed standing at WGC-Match Play

PGA Tour WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play Scores

WRAPUP 1-Soccer-Ivory Coast, Morocco latest teams to qualify for Cup of Nations finals

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