The following company announcements, scheduled economic indicators, debt and currency market moves and political events may affect African markets on Thursday. - - - - - EVENTS: *Tanzania Bureau of Statistics releases inflation data for January GLOBAL MARKETS Asian shares flirted with six-week lows on Thursday as U.S. bond yields crept up towards four-year highs as investors fretted that low borrowing costs enjoyed by companies for many years may be endangered by the threat of rising inflation. WORLD OIL PRICES Oil prices eased on Thursday, taking Brent crude to a 2018 low, as soaring U.S. output undermined OPEC efforts to tighten markets, although a North Sea pipeline outage and record Chinese imports offered support. 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 South Africa's rand weakened on Wednesday in volatile trade as markets awaited the outcome of talks between the ruling African National Congress (ANC) leader Cyril Ramaphosa and President Jacob Zuma over a transition of power. NIGERIAA MTN GROUP MTN Nigeria discussed plans to list on the Lagos stock exchange at a board meeting on Wednesday and aims to launch the IPO this year, a company source told Reuters. NIGERIA MARKETS Nigerian bond yields rose across maturities on Wednesday while stocks fell as global risk-off sentiment spread to local assets, traders said. NIGERIA TREASURY Nigeria plans to redeem 762.5 billion naira ($2.5 billion) worth of treasury bills from the proceeds of a planned $2.5 billion Eurobond, to lower borrowing costs for the government, Finance Minister Kemi Adeosun said on Wednesday. NIGERIA GASOLINE Nigeria's push to keep its citizens stocked with fuel is drawing close to a million tonnes a month of gasoline from Europe - including now on a rare Suezmax vessel booked by Vitol. NIGERIA INSECURITY The Nigerian army on Wednesday said it will deploy troops to improve security in central states where a spate of communal violence has prompted criticism of President Muhammadu Buhari. KENYA MARKETS The Kenyan shilling strengthened to hit a 20-month high against the dollar on Wednesday supported by lacklustre importer demand amid increased dollar supply from investors buying government debt, traders said. KENYA POLITICS A top Kenyan newspaper published a fake death notice of a prominent opposition financier on Wednesday, a bizarre error that rights groups interpreted as another sign of an anti-democratic slide. KENYA OIL/TULLOW Africa-focused oil and gas producer Tullow Oil swung back into profit in 2017 after three years in the red, and outlined plans to begin production in Kenya by as early as 2021. UGANDA MARKETS The Ugandan shilling was stable on Wednesday and was forecast to ease due to dollar demand from energy and manufacturing companies. RWANDA BUDGET Rwanda's government said on Wednesday it plans to sell treasury bonds to raise extra cash for its fiscal 2017/18 budget, part of which it will spend on expanding the national airline RwandAir. ETHIOPIA INFLATION Ethiopia's year-on-year inflation rate edged down to 13.4 percent in January, the statistics agency said on its website. MAURITIUS INFLATION Mauritius' year-on-year inflation rate jumped to 6.2 percent in January from 4.2 percent in the previous month, the statistics office said on Thursday. IVORY COAST EUROBOND Ivory Coast expects to issue a Eurobond - its fourth in five years - after first tapping the regional debt market to raise funds to finance its 2018 budget, Finance Minister Adama Kone told Reuters on Wednesday. ZIMBABWE CENTRAL BANK Zimbabwe is negotiating a $1.5 billion guarantee with Afreximbank to ensure foreign investors' funds are protected, central bank Governor John Mangudya said on Wednesday. MOZAMBIQUE POLITICS Mozambique's president will propose constitutional changes that redistribute power to the country's provinces, a move aimed at securing a long-term peace agreement with the main opposition party. CONGO ECONOMY Democratic Republic of Congo's Central Bank on Wednesday raised its forecast for 2018 economic growth to 5.2 percent from 5 percent last month, as the economy benefits from higher prices for key exports including copper. CONGO MINING The Minister of Mines for Democratic Republic of Congo, Martin Kabwelulu, declined on Wednesday to say whether President Joseph Kabila had signed a new mining code into law that the industry opposes because it will raise royalties and taxes. GUINEA POLITICS At least five small children have died in a fire in Guinea linked to post-election riots in a town in the centre of the country, government officials said on Wednesday. For the latest precious metals report click on For the latest base metals report click on For the latest crude oil report click on