($1=.7547 Euro) (Reporting by Ludwig Burger; editing by Karen Foster) Stocks. JOHANNESBURG, April 30 (Reuters) – The following companyannouncements, scheduled economic indicators, debt and currencymarket moves and political events may affect South Africanmarkets on Thursday. Japan – - – - GLOBAL MARKETS World stocks struck a four-month peak on Thursday, poweredby gains in Asia, as investors took heart from signs ofimprovement in the U.S. economy suggesting regional exportersmay need to start cranking up production A record drop in U.S.

business inventories in thefirst-quarter and surprisingly robust consumer spending werewidely seen by economists as positive pointing to a growthpick-up in the world’s largest economy in coming months The U.S. Federal Reserve tweaked its policy statement to saythat the economic outlook was improving, while vowing to keeprates at a historic low for a long stretch. For a story, double click on [ID:nLU57439] SOUTH AFRICAN ECONOMY South Africa’s central bank started a two-day monetarypolicy meeting on Wednesday that is widely expected to end withanother big interest rate cut to revive domestic demand. The local economy may already be in its first recession in17 years on the back of a global downturn that has cut exports,hurting the manufacturing and mining sectors.

Twenty-six economists polled by Reuters last week expectedthe central bank to reduce the repo rate, with 25 of them seeinga 100 basis point cut to 8.5 percent and one analyst forecastinga 50 basis point drop. [ID:nLL673967] For a story, double click on [ID:nLT379006] SOUTH AFRICAN POLITICS South Africa’s new government under Jacob Zuma will leavethe country’s conservative fiscal and monetary policies inplace, a top ruling party official said. African National Congress Treasurer-General Mathews Phosasaid at an emerging markets conference in London the governmentwould focus on improving public services to uplift the lives ofthe poor. For a story, double click on [ID:nLT902526] SOUTH AFRICAN MARKETS South Africa’s rand firmed sharply on Wednesday and localstocks climbed after strong earnings reports in Europe liftedglobal stocks and boosted the appetite for risky assets. The JSE Top-40 index of blue chip stocks .JTOPI rose 1.04percent to 18,367.50 points, while the broader All-share indexgained 0.99 percent 20,481.77 points.