SOUTH Africa’s African Bank Investment Ltd (Abil), one of the country’s four main microlenders, has unveiled a 26% rise in annual earnings per share and expects returns to rise this year. The group said that its headline earnings per share jumped to 121.9 cents from 96.7 cents in the year to September 30 – which was better than expected. In the coming year returns were expected to improve as the group invested more loans in the higher yield retail sector rather than the money market and increased the gearing of its balance sheet within prudent limits, the company said. – Reuters