By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji

Global Markets

• Asia stocks rise at end of grim Oct, on track for worst month since 2011
• MSCI Asia-Pacific index up 1 pct, Nikkei rises 2.2 pct
• BoJ keeps rates unchanged as expected
• Dollar index rises to 16-mth high after upbeat US data

Oil Markets

• Oil prices rise for first time in three days, but trade war drags
• Oil benchmarks set for worst monthly performance since mid-2016
• Sino-US trade war clouds outlook for oil demand
• Sanctions on Iran’s crude exports start on Nov. 4
• Brent crude futures up 0.6 pct at $76.38 a barrel (0441GMT)
• US WTI crude futures up 0.2 pct at $66.34 a barrel

Grains

• Corn hits 5-day low on advance harvest pressure
• Most active CBOT wheat futures down 0.3 pct at $4.89-1/2 per bushel (0342GMT)
• Most active corn futures down 0.1 pct at $3.64-1/4 per bushel
• Most active soy futures up 0.1 pct at $8.34 per bushel
• Most active rice futures unchanged at $10.44 per hundredweight

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

• 18^th international economic forum on Africa in Paris today
• South Africa trade data expected today

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

• South Sudan rebel leader Machar returns to capital to mark peace deal, first time in 2016
• South African rand under pressure
• South Africa’s Implats in talks to sell 1 shaft operations in Rustenberg
• South Africa’s Implats output rises 8.2 pct
• South Africa’s Sanlam plans up to $588 mln stake sale to black investors, employees
• Feature – Irrigation-short Africa may get $9 billion boost to spur harvests
• Libya restarts eastern al-Bayda oilfield – engineer
• US Baptist missionary from Indiana killed in Cameroon – family
• Soccer-Former Ghana FA president Nyantakyi banned for life by FIFA
• Merkel looks to Africa to cement a legacy shaped by immigration
• Egypt pollution plan signals the last straw cloud
• EU to renew sanctions on Congolese officals including presidential candidate, diplomats say
• Africa Crude – High freight rates weigh on Asian demand
• Nigeria police fire on Shi’ite march, kill protester – group
• Randgold Resources’ Mali gold mining complex ramps up production
• Libya state oil firm demands pay increases for oil workers
• African migrants rebuild Casablanca camp destroyed by fire
• Tunisia’s most prominent street back to normal a day after suicide bombing
• South Africa’s central bank starts winding up graft-hit VBS bank
• Seychelles raises $15 mln with world’s first blue bond
• Kenyan shilling steady, forecast to ease due to excess liquidity, importer demand
• Egypt court frees author of critical book on Egypt’s economy
• Feature – Zimbabwe’s farmers feel the heat of fires – and of price hikes
• Ugandan shilling steady, charity inflows to offer support
• South Africa’s unemployment rate rises to 27.5 pct in Q3
• Nigerian court adjourns case between MTN, central bank to Dec 4

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