By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji

Global Markets

• Asia shares turn up, euro rebounds as reports temper Italian debt fears
• Italy weighs on global stocks; Nikkei off 0.5 pct
• Oil near 4-year highs, gold firm
• Trade pact clause seen deterring China deal with Canada, Mexico

Oil Markets

• Oil firm on Iran sanctions, but rising US supply and strong dollar drag
• US commercial crude stocks rise by 907,000 barrels – API
• US crude output to climb to 11.3 mln bpd – Barclays
• Brent crude oil futures up 9 cents at $84.89 per barrel (0222GMT)
• US WTI crude futures up 5 cents at $75.28 a barrel

Precious metals

• Gold prices rise as Italy uncertainty boost safe-haven demand
• Spot gold up 0.3 pct at $1,206.09 (0126GMT)
• US gold futures up 0.3 pct at $1,210.10 an ounce

Grains

• Wheat rallies as worries mount over Russian export limits
• Most active CBOT wheat futures up 0.2 pct at $5.20-1/2 per bushel (0052GMT)
• Most active corn futures up 0.1 pct at $3.67-3/4 per bushel
• Most active soy futures up 0.3 pct at $8.68-1/2 per bushel
• Most active rice futures up 0.5 pct at $10.32 per hundredweight

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

• South Africa’s state capture inquiry today promises to be interesting; finmin Nene to testify [Enterprise minister to testify on 10 Oct]
• 11^th congress of Ethiopia’s ruling EPRDF party starts in Hawasa today; 3-5 Oct

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

• Egypt’s non-oil business activity weakens in Sept – PMI
• South Africa’s finance minister to give testimony at Gupta inquiry
• Italy to host Libya conference in Sicily, seeks stabilisation
• Liberia central bank denies it lost $100 mln
• Och-Ziff reaches $29 mln shareholder accord over African bribery probes
• South Africa’s central bank will intervene if FX orderly function threatened
• Islamic State announces death of senior militant in Egypt’s Sinai
• Mozambique’s finance minister cuts 2018 GDP forecast to 4.1 pct
• EU wheat weakens as Russian exporters seek Algeria access
• Ethiopia ruling coalition congress to test faith in reformist PM
• South Africa’s rand hit by euro wobble, stocks slip
• Moroccan widow turns her home into a shelter for cancer patients
• Africa Crude – Spot trade slows as holiday cuts off China buying
• Zambia mines to pay mineral royalties in dollars to stabilize kwacha
• Regulator says South Africa’s Eskom can recover $2.25 bln over four years
• First lady Melania Trump coos over kids in Ghana on solo Africa trip
• Most African ivory being smuggled into China despite ban – report
• More than 70,000 flee ethnic violence in western Ethiopia – local govt
• South Africa’s Group Five to cut more jobs as losses swell
• BlackRock: Emerging market assets, especially stocks, set to rise in Q4
• US to keep supporting French military effort in Mali: Pentagon chief
• Ugandan shilling a touch stronger on thinning corporate demand
• StanChart Kenya’s CEO says sluggish credit growth not sustainable
• Northam Platinum, South Africa’s NUM union sign 3-yr wage deal
• IMF calls for further Tunisian interest rate rise to curb inflation
• Japan’s Kansai to help Zambia paint out malaria
• Libya reopens Tripoli airport again
• Ivory Coast issues 8-yr 100 bln CFA franc ($178 mln) bond
• Hilton to double hotels in Africa in next five years – CEO
• US carries out air strike in Somalia, 9 militants killed – AFRICOM
• Radisson joins rivals with hotel expansion in Africa
• Fighting forces Libya to close Tripoli airport again
• Zambia’s finance minister to meet IMF officials next week
• South Africa’s Group Five FY loss widens on Ghana contract costs

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