By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji

Global Markets

• Asian shares on slippery slope as Trump ups ante in trade war
• Asian shares down for the eight straight day
• Dour mood follows from losses in US, Europe on Friday
• Trade tensions a major worry for share investors
• US Fed widely expected to raise rates later this month

Oil Markets

• Oil prices climb as US energy firms cut rigs, Iran sanctions loom
• US sanctions against Iran’s oil sector tighten market – FGE
• Brent crude futures up 0.6 pct at $77.25 a barrel (0055GMT)
• US WTI crude futures up 0.5 pct at $68.09 per barrel

Precious metals

• Gold inches down on rate hike views, trade worries
• Spot gold down 0.1 pct at $1,194.01 an ounce (0030GMT)
• US gold futures down 0.1 pct at $1,199.80 an ounce

Grains

• Soybeans fall as US-China trade war threatens to escalate
• Most active CBOT wheat futures down 0.2 pct at $5.10 per bushel (0058GMT)
• Most active corn futures down 0.4 pct at $3.65-1/2 per bushel
• Most active soy futures down 0.3 pct at $8.41-1/4 per bushel
• Most active rice futures down 0.2 pct at $10.93 per hundredweight

Key African events or data releases today
[Posts & comments at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]

• New Zimbabwe cabinet to be sworn-in today
• ITU Telecoms World 2018 conference to start today in Durban, South Africa
• South Africa’s finance minister Nhlanhla Nene and acting SARS commissioner Mark Kingon to give keynote at annual tax gathering today

Key African events or data releases over the weekend & early a.m today
[Posted & commented on some headlines below at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]

• Mali’s Keita names new defence and mines ministers for second term
• Sudanese President Bashir dissolves govt, appoints new PM
• Uganda warns against interference as pressure mounts on US to cut military support
• Egypt set to release Lebanese tourist jailed over Facebook post
• UN rights boss Bachelet urges Egypt to overturn mass death sentences
• Comoros seeks to arrest ex-VP who opposed president’s term limit move
• Armed groups agree to maintain Tripoli ceasefire – UN
• South Africa’s ANC rejects reports of party officials’ plot to oust Ramaphosa
• Egypt set to release Lebanese tourist jailed over Facebook post
• At least 19 killed in South Sudan plane crash
• Uber rival Careem expands services into Sudan
• Egypt’s foreign debt rises to $92.64 bln at end-June, PM tells paper
• UNHCR says Tripoli facility ready to help refugees caught up in fighting
• Angola’s Lourenco appointed leader of ruling MPLA party
• Egypt sentences 75 to death, hundreds to jail over 2013 sit-in
• Botswana says China agreed to extend loan, cancel debt
• Many feared dead after Islamist attack in northeast Nigeria – witnesses
• Equatorial Guinea to crack down on oil services companies over local jobs
• Africa Crude – Angola’s Cabinda crude weakens, Nigeria supported by BP bidding
• Zimbabwe’s Mnangagwa names ex-banker Mthuli Ncube finance minister
• South Africa’s Nedbank warns land expropriation could spark banking crisis
• Manager of Ethiopia’s $4 bln Nile dam project committed suicide – police
• Pest-proof bags and bins slim Tanzania’s ‘lean season’
• Amid trade row, China to allow soybean imports from Ethiopia
• Kenya economic growth to be curbed by new tax on fuel – industry
• Egypt says Zohr gas field output reaches 2 bln cubic feet per day
• Zimbabwe’s Mugabe says now accepts Mnangagwa as legitimate president
• Kenya shilling steady amid inflows from charities
• Tunisia’s inflation stabilizes at 7.5 pct in August
• South Africa’s ARM full-year profit soars 50 pct on debt restructuring
• South Africa’s net foreign reserves fall to $42.35 bln in August
• South Africa Northam Platinum’s full-year loss widens
• US should suspend military aid to Uganda – lawyer for critic of Museveni

N.B. Full stories of above headlines are available on Reuters