Markets & Key Numbers

Malawi · Africa · Global Live

Data updated: 2026-05-05 · Currencies and BTC update on page load

Live on page load

Updated with each newsletter

Updated when data changes

Currencies

USD / MWK

—

US Dollar to Malawian Kwacha. Affects fuel prices, imports, and foreign debt repayments.

ZAR / MWK

—

South African Rand to Kwacha. SA is Malawi's largest trade partner — most imported goods pass through SA.

GBP / MWK

—

British Pound to Kwacha. Relevant for remittances from the UK diaspora and bilateral aid flows.

BTC / USD

—

Bitcoin in US Dollars. Tracked as a USD hedge by African investors managing currency risk.

Commodities

BRENT CRUDE

$110.24

+50% YTD

Global oil benchmark. Directly drives Malawi's fuel import costs and inflation. Up 50%+ since January 2026.

GOLD

$4,564/oz

+37.5% YTD

Safe-haven asset. Rising gold signals global investor anxiety. World Bank projects +42% average for 2026.

COPPER

$13,095/t

+27.8% YTD

Industrial metal. Tracks global manufacturing activity. Critical export for Zambia — Malawi's neighbour.

TOBACCO AVG

$2.13/kg

▼ vs $2.30

Malawi's #1 export — 50% of foreign exchange. Price down from $2.30/kg. 96–100% rejection rates in early 2026 season.

African Markets

MASI

527,345

-11.8% YTD

Malawi All Share Index — MSE benchmark. Down 11.8% YTD as of April 2026. Small market, total capitalisation well under $1bn.

JSE TOP 40

108,814

Live

Johannesburg Stock Exchange Top 40. Africa's largest and most liquid market. Benchmark for regional investor sentiment.

Malawi Economic Indicators

MWK INFLATION

24.1%

Feb 2026 — lowest since July 2022

RBM POLICY RATE

24.0%

Held — May 2026 MPC

FOREX RESERVES

<1 month

Import cover — critically low

PUBLIC DEBT

86.9%

of GDP — 43% of domestic revenue goes to debt interest alone

Global Indicators

US FED RATE

3.5–3.75%

Held — FOMC May 2026. Markets pricing one cut max in 2026.. Drives global borrowing costs. When the Fed holds high, capital stays in the US and away from emerging markets like Malawi.

ENERGY PRICES

+24%

World Bank 2026 projection — largest shock since 2022. World Bank's largest projected energy price increase since the 2022 Russia-Ukraine shock.

About this data. Currency rates (USD/MWK, ZAR/MWK, GBP/MWK) and Bitcoin prices update live every time this page loads via ExchangeRate-API and CoinGecko. Commodity prices (Brent, Gold, Copper, Tobacco) are updated each time a new newsletter edition is published. Malawi economic indicators (Inflation, RBM Rate, Forex Reserves, Public Debt) are updated when new official data is released by the Reserve Bank of Malawi, National Statistical Office, or IMF. All figures are for informational purposes and should not be taken as financial advice.