By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji
Global Markets
- Stocks sag, dollar broadly higher with trade in focus
- MSCI Asia-Pacific index down 0.2 pct, Nikkei sheds 0.25 pct
- Safe-haven dollar broadly higher amid trade woes
- Immediate focus on US-Canada trade talks resuming Wednesday
Oil Markets
- Oil prices drop as storm threat eases on US Gulf coast
- Dozens of rigs shut ahead of storm hitting US Gulf coast
- Tropical storm Gordon’s impact weaker than expected, turns east
- Typhoon hits Japan’s coast, but refinery damage is limited
- Oil markets still tense ahead of US oil sanctions against Iran
- Brent crude oil futures down 0.4 pct at $77.83 a barrel (0036GMT)
- US WTI crude futures down 0.8 pct at $69.34 per barrel
Precious metals
- Gold near 1-wk lows as trade, emerging market concerns boost dollar
- Spot gold little changed at $1,191.45 (0102GMT)
- US gold futures down 0.1 pct at $1,197.90
Grains
- Wheat prices fall for second session as global supply fears ease
- Most active CBOT wheat futures down 0.2 pct at $5.30-1/2 per bushel (0026GMT)
- Most active corn futures up 0.1 pct at $3.68-3/4 per bushel
- Most active soy futures up 0.1 pct at $8.44-3/4 per bushel
- Most active rice futures unchanged at $10.84 per hundredweight
Key African events or data releases today
[Posts & comments at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- South Africa PMI data for August expected [prev. 49.3]
- 3-day banking sector probe by Ghana parliament starts today
Key African events or data releases yesterday & early a.m today
[Posted & commented on some headlines below at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- UN says has reached ceasefire for Libyan capital as jailed migrants escape
- Egypt cancels 3 and 7-year treasury bond auction
- Emerging market portfolio inflows shrivel to $2.2 bln in August
- South African rand plunges on recession shock, stocks falter
- Africa Crude – Nigerian differentials rise after BP bids for swaps-linked grades
- Ethiopia opens logistics sector to foreign investment
- South Africa’s Discovery strikes FirstRand deal to pay way for bank
- Man held after backpack fire near US embassy in Cairo – statement
- Bank of Kigali sells 30 pct of insurance arm to Mauritius’ Swan
- Mali’s Keita promises to tackle rising violence in inaugrual address
- Nigeria says whistleblower triggered MTN $8.1 bln probe – official
- In latest clash, Nigeria hands South Africa’s MTN $2 billion tax bill
- Rebels ambush South African peacekeepers in Congo ebola zone
- Ugandan shilling weaker on uptick in interbank dollar demand
- South Africa in recession for first time since 2009; rand slumps
- South African fixed capital formation down 0.5 pct in Q2 – stats office
- Egypt targets narrower budget deficit of 8.4 pct in 2018/19 – minister
- South Africa’s economy contracts 0.7 pct in Q2 – stats office
- Steinhoff agrees sale of POCO to Seifert for $312 mln
- Moody’s says Mozambique’s private creditors face substantial losses
- South Africa’s Sibanye launches $400 mln bond buyback
- South African insurer Discovery lifts FY profit by 16 pct
N.B. Full stories of above headlines are available on Reuters