By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji
Global Markets
- Asia shares losses as China’s steps help Shanghai recover
- MSCI Asia ex-Japan up 0.05 pct
- China shares see-saw on growth worry, regulator support pledges
- Japan’s Nikkei off 0.7 pct
- Trade disputes, rising US rates, Italy budget weigh
Oil Markets
- Oil prices edge up, but set for weekly loss on stock build, trade row
- Brent crude futures up 0.4 pct at $79.63 a barrel (0124GMT)
- US WTI crude futures up 0.4 pct at $68.92 a barrel
Precious metals
- Gold edges higher as Asian shares slip
- Spot gold up 0.2 pct at $1,227.31 an ounce (0107GMT)
- US gold futures little changed at $1,230.60 an ounce
Grains
- Soybeans edge higher, set for biggest weekly loss in 5 weeks
- Most active CBOT wheat futures unchanged at $5.13 per bushel (0058GMT)
- Most active corn futures down 0.3 pct at $3.69-3/4 per bushel
- Most active soy futures up 0.1 pct at $8.64-1/4 per bushel
- Most active rice futures unchanged at $10.96 per hundredweight
Key African events or data releases today
[Posts & comments at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- Namibia’s Geingob in Kenya today for state visit
- South Africa presidential health summit today; Ramaphosa ill, Mabuza attending instead
Key African events or data releases yesterday & early a.m today
[Posted & commented on some headlines below at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- Bank of Kigali prices its cash call at 270 francs per share
- Feature – Can a hungry Mali turn rice technology into “white gold”?
- Morocco sees govt budget deficit narrowing to 3.3pct in 2019
- Benin businessman sentenced in absentia to 20 years for drug trafficking
- Tribe of slain Libya rebel commander protests at eastern oil port
- Algeria bans wearing of full-face veils at work
- Rwanda president appoints new foreign, defense ministers in reshuffle
- Nigeria plans to cut 2019 budget and lower debt to boost revenues – budget minister
- Ghana sells 988.7 mln cedis ($203.6 mln) domestic bonds at 19.5 pct yield
- African Crude – Nigerian December crude loading programmes emerge
- Tanzania charges Acacia subsidiaries with tax evasion, corruption
- South Africa’s rand softer after US Fed’s minutes; stocks fall
- Egypt accuses 3 oil executives of embezzling nearly $1 bln – agency
- Water, power supplies cut off on strife-torn Comoros island – residents
- Investec asset management buys stake in South African school firm
- Ethiopia’s PM says soldiers who marched on palace sought to ‘abort reforms’
- Egypt prosecutor refers 3 oil industry execs for trial for alleged corruption – judicial source
- Mauritius bourse looks to entice African issuers with new index
- Creditor seeks to wind up Kenya’s Uchumi Supermarkets over debt
- Afreximbank loans Zimbabwe $500 million as dollar crisis worsens
- Russia may use National Wealth Fund to finance Egypt nuclear plant: Siluanov
- Former Sudan president Suwar al-Dahab dies in Riyadh – SUNA
- Ethiopia soldiers who marched on palace wanted to abort reforms – PM
- Uganda shilling firms amid sell-off in interbank
- South Africa poised to adopt plan to boost local car industry suppliers
- Nigeria extends crude-for-product swaps until June 2019 – sources
- Ethiopia’s FX reserves rise 30 pct after falling to ‘alarming’ levels – PM
- New Age appraisal well in Cameroon’s Etinde field strikes gas, oil
- Hoegh Gallant LNG carrier leaves Egypt, sets US destination
- South Africa’s Old Mutual sells all 5.5 mln shares in Nedbank
- Tax byte: Africans fear trend towards levies on data, services
- South African retailer Mr Price says CEO to retire by year-end
N.B. Full stories of above headlines are available on Reuters