South African Markets - Factors to watch on March 12

JOHANNESBURG, March 12 (Reuters) - The following company announcements, scheduled economic indicators, debt and currency market moves and political events may affect South African markets on Friday.

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GLOBAL MARKETS

Asian stocks edged up on Friday, heading for a fifth straight week of rises, with energy stocks firm as oil held above $82 a barrel and financials ticking higher after U.S. talks to force broad banking reform collapsed.

MSCI's index of other Asia Pacific shares .MIAPJ0000PUS was barely moved on the day, rising less than 0.1 percent and up around 1.9 percent for the week.[ID:nSGE62B03J]

SOUTH AFRICAN MARKETS

The South African rand dipped to near-1-week lows against the dollar on Thursday on rising importer demand for dollars while stocks fell in line with global equities, taking a breather after a recent rally.

The Johannesburg JSE's blue chip Top-40 .JTOPI index slipped 0.71 percent to 25,011.63 points and the broader All-share index .JALSH fell 0.63 percent to 27,911.43 points. [ID:nLDE62A22JI]

SOUTH AFRICA - ELECTRICITY

South Africa may need to enforce power cuts or raise electricity prices further if a disputed $3.75 billion loan from the World Bank is not approved, a senior government official said on Thursday.

The United States and Britain have threatened to withhold support for the loan for a coal-fired plant in South Africa, expanding the battleground in the global debate over who should pay for clean energy. [ID:nLDE62A2K5]

SOUTH AFRICA MINING

Miners expect no respite from a surge of resource nationalism as shortages of commodities loom and emboldened governments demand more returns from mining.

Executives speaking at Reuters Global Mining and Steel Summit this week said most politicians had learnt that out-and-out nationalisation was not productive, but would press on with other strategies such as royalties and supertaxes. [ID:nLDE62A2BB]

ABIL (ABLJ.J)

African Bank Limited, a unit of Abil has issued 1.75 billion rand of five year senior unsecured bonds. [ID:nWEB5264]

MTN (MTNJ.J)

MTN, Africa's biggest mobile operator by subscribers, aims to add another 20 million in 2010 after strong growth last year in Nigeria, Iran and Ghana in 2009 was offset by currency movements.

The South African-based group said on Thursday adjusted headline earnings per share for the year to end-December dropped 16.6 percent to 754.3 cents, but would have risen 8.5 percent but for currency-related losses. [ID:nLDE6290LN]

OLD MUTUAL (OMLJ.J)

Insurer Old Mutual (OML.L) said it would sell its life unit and list its funds operation in the U.S. as part of a strategic overhaul, disappointing investors who had hoped for a more far-reaching shake-up.

Old Mutual said it would also quit some markets altogether as it refocused on its most profitable businesses, but provided no details or timetable, and stressed it would keep a majority stake in the U.S. asset management operation. [ID:nLDE62A2B8]

SASOL (SOLJ.J)

South African petrochemicals group Sasol started building on Thursday a project to double its production of hard wax to maintain its market share of 40 percent of global consumption.

Sasol, Africa's biggest chemicals maker, announced last December that it would invest 8.4 billion rand ($1.13 billion) to double hard wax production with the first phase planned to be operational by 2012. [ID:nLDE6291E7]

GOLD XAU=

Gold steadied on Friday as the dollar slipped against the euro on worries the U.S. retail sales for February could show a drop in consumer spending, denting prospects of a sustainable economic recovery.

Spot gold XAU= hit an intraday high of $1,111.40 an ounce and was at $1,109.30 by 0237 GMT, unchanged New York's notional close on Thursday, when it hit a low of around $1,100, its weakest since Jan. 25. [GOL/]

WALL STREET

The S&P 500 hit a 17-month closing high as rising bank shares led a late rally that lifted U.S. stocks on Thursday, more than offsetting worries China may move to cool its overheating economy.

The Dow Jones industrial average .DJI gained 44.51 points, or 0.42 percent, to 10,611.84. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index .SPX rose 4.63 points, or 0.40 percent, to close at 1,150.24. The Nasdaq Composite Index .IXIC added 9.51 points, or 0.40 percent, to 2,368.46. [.N]

EMERGING MARKETS

For the top emerging markets news, double click on [nTOPEMRG]

ZIMBABWE

Zimbabwe will have to rely on its own resources to revive its economy because foreign donors are unlikely to provide nearly enough help, Finance Minister Tendai Biti said on Thursday.

A unity government formed by bitter adversaries President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai last year says it needs at least $10 billion to fix an economy emerging from a decade-long slump. [ID:nLDE62A204]

EAST AFRICA RAILWAYS

Regional trade bloc East African Community needs some $20 billion to upgrade the railway network in its five member countries and boost trade, Tanzania's President Jakaya Kikwete said on Thursday.

EAC has a combined gross domestic product of $73.3 billion and a population of close to 127 million. It has a customs union, and a common market is due to take effect in July. [ID:nLDE62A1SY]

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Some of the main stories out of the South African press:

BUSINESS DAY

- Old Mutual seeks value boost from U.S assets

- Recovery still at risk as factory output stutters

BUSINESS REPORT

- MTN exec favourite to head Eskom [ESCJ.UL]

- Cape to Cairo free trade zone now envisaged

THE STAR

- Lawyer zips his lip on date of President Jacob Zuma's deliking from close corporation

(Reporting by Gugulakhe Lourie)