By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji

Global Markets

• Asia stocks, S&P futures slide as investors flee risk amid growth fears
• MSCI Asia ex-Japan index -1 pct, hits 20-mth low
• Index on track for 5^th weekly loss as growth fears sap confidence
• S&P futures drop 0.66 pct
• Euro falls after Draghi reaffirms end of asset purchase program

Oil Markets

• Oil prices drop as focus shifts to oversupply
• Oil fundamentals remain tight on Iran sanctions
• US sanctions against Iran start on Nov. 4
• Iran oil exports already falling
• Brent crude futures down 0.7 pct at $76.38 a barrel (0331GMT)
• US crude futures down 1 pct at $66.68 a barrel

Precious metals

• Spot gold little changed at $1,231.76 an ounce (0416GMT)
• US gold futures up 0.2 pct at $1,234.60 an ounce

Grains

• Wheat firms but set for biggest weekly drop since early Sept
• Most active CBOT wheat futures down 4.4 pct so far this week
• Soybeans down 1.5 pct this week thus far
• Corn futures down 1.2 pct so far this week

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

• South Africa investment conference continues (25-27 Oct); key opening event today

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

• South Africa’s Ramaphosa seeks new investment pledges as economy struggles
• Egypt’s PM envisages fewer civil servants, smaller cabinet
• Nigeria’s Diamond Bank hit 4-mth high as traders eyes fresh capital
• UN rights chief outraged by Burundi’s “slave trade” slur
• Africa Crude – Nigerian crude diffs slip as shipping economics trap cargoes
• Kenya’s Akasha brothers plead guilty to US drug charges – court records
• South Africa’s rand eases further on budget worries, stocks bounce
• Buyout firm firm DPI buys stake in Moroccan mattress maker Dolidol
• Ivory Coast to invest in smart grid to boost power exports
• Mainly white South African union protests over Sasol’s black share plan
• Bidvest tank terminals and Petredec unveil construction of $70 mln LPG site
• South Sudan frees five political detainees – intelligence agency
• South African finance minister calls for debt action to avoid IMF
• South Africa’s treasury has spoken with ratings agencies over budget
• South Africa’s top court ruling curtails power of chiefs to cut mining deals
• Sudan lifts partial ban on Egyptian imports – president
• Kenyan shilling seen soft, most African currencies firm; in week ahead
• South African finance minister doubts SAA will find equity partner in current state
• Three days of violence empties Angolan town of Congolese
• Libyan wealth fund asks Britain to halt IRA compensation bill
• Kenyan shilling expected to ease due to importer dollar demand
• South African state pension fund CEO denies corruption allegations
• Ugandan shilling steady amid offshore investor flows
• Ethiopia’s parliament approves Sahle-Work Zewde as first female president
• BP expects Libya exploration with Eni to start in Q1 next year
• Egypt’s external borrowing ceiling at $16.733 bln for 2018/19
• Rising healthcare, beauty sales lift South African retailer Clicks’ annual profit
• Kenyan central bank sets next rate-setting meeting for Nov. 27

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