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