By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji
Global Markets
- Asia shares hit 14-mth lows, yen advances on trade jitters
- Asia shares ex-Japan lowest since July last year
- Tech sector hit by drop in chip stocks, social media
- Fears new US tariffs on China could come at any time
- Yen and Swiss franc in favour as safe harbours
Oil Markets
- Oil prices climb as US crude inventories drop
- US crude inventories fall to Feb-2015 low of 401.49 mln bbls
- But diesel, gasoline stocks rise after lacklustre driving season
- US crude oil production at 11 mln bbls per day
- Brent crude futures up 0.2 pct at $76.62 a barrel (0056GMT)
- US WTI crude futures up 0.2 pct at $67.90 per barrel
Precious metals
- Gold up as dollar slips against yen on trade issues
- Spot gold up 0.2 pct at $1,202.43 (0049GMT)
- US gold futures up 0.3 pct at $1,207.60 an ounce
Grains
- Wheat poised to end week 6 pct lower
- Most active CBOT wheat futures down 0.1 pct at $5.13-1/2 per bushel (0148GMT)
- Most active corn futures down 0.3 pct at $3.65-1/4 per bushel
- Most active soy futures nearly unchanged at $8.39 per bushel
- Most active rice futures unchanged at $10.88 per hundredweight
Key African events or data releases today
[Posts & comments at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- South Africa’s state capture inquiry continues
- South Africa FX reserves data expected [prev. $50.5B]
Key African events or data releases yesterday & early a.m today
[Posted & commented on some headlines below at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- NHC says 50 pct chance of cyclone off west coast of Africa
- Zambia aims to limit fiscal deficit to 5.1 pct of GDP by 2021
- US should suspend military aid to Uganda – lawyer for critic of Museveni
- Djibouti, Eritrea agree to normalise ties strained since 2008
- Rand firms after South African current account narrows sharply
- Africa Crude – BP heavy bidder again for Nigerian crude, tenders awarded
- Egypt to get $1 bln for basic goods from Islamic Bank – ministry
- Nigeria central bank debits StanChart, Citi over MTN funds – sources
- Ethiopia PM says China will restructure railway loan
- Libya to reopen Tripoli airport on Friday – govt
- Kenya court suspends 16 pct VAT on fuel amid protests
- South Africa launches new probe into state contract with Germany’s SAP
- Nestle to buy coffee from Zimbabwe in development push
- MTN faces possible Moody’s downgrade after Nigeria’s cash demands
- White unionised workers strike at Sasol plant over black share scheme
- Libya’s National Oil Corp 2018 revenue already above last year’s
- South Sudan soldiers sentenced to jail for murder, rape in 2016 hotel raid
- Kenyan police apologises over arrest of Chinese journalists
- Athletics-Kenyan officials cleared of extortion charges
- Moody’s places South Africa’s MTN on review for downgrade
- SAP says cooperating with South African probe of water ministry contract
- Ramaphosa says South Africa to recover from recession soon
- South Africa payments start-up Yoco raises $16 mln
- Kenya cancels import licence for fuel dealers over strike
- Gambia president tells China previous Taiwan ties a “huge mistake”
- Uganda’s national oil firm, China’s CNOOC sign exploration deal
- Ugandan shilling a touch firmer on charity dollar flows
- China says African countries don’t think cooperation adds to debt
- South Africa current account deficit narrows to 3.3 pct/GDP – c.bank
- Moody’s says South Africa recession shock credit negative
- Egypt to offer 4.5 pct stake in cigarette maker Eastern Company
- South Sudan to pay damages to foreign aid workers raped in hotel raid
- Ethiopia reopens embassy in Eritrea in further warming of ties
- South Africa’s FirstRand FY profit up 12 pct, beats forecasts
- South African iron ore miner Assore reports profit fall on stronger rand
- South African recession is “transitional issue” – Ramaphosa
- South Africa’s Sanlam posts 10 pct rise in H1 profit
N.B. Full stories of above headlines are available on Reuters
