By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji

Global Markets

• Stocks rally peters out as trade, Fed worries dominate
• World stocks fall after 4-day rally
• Italy leads Europe down as banks slide
• Crude slides as waivers dilute Iran sanctions
• Investors cautious before US midterms
• Sterling jumps on Brexit deal hopes

Oil Markets

• Oil slips as US sanctions on Iran begin, Tehran defiant
• US sanctions against Iran’s fuel exports started Monday
• But Washington grants temporary waivers to key buyers
• Iran says it will break sanctions and still sell oil
• US, Russia, Saudi output rises
• Analysts say demand could slow amid economic downturn
• Brent down 30 cents at $72.53 (0815GMT)
• US light crude down 30 cents at $62.84 a barrel

Precious metals

• Gold prices hold steady amid easing dollar
• Spot gold steady at $1,232.86 per ounce (0126GMT)
• US gold futures up 0.1 pct at $1,234.6 per ounce

Grains

• Corn firms up, hovers near highest level in more than 2 weeks
• Most active CBOT wheat futures up 0.5 pct at $5.11-1/4 per bushel (0148GMT)
• Most active corn futures up 0.2 pct at $3.72 per bushel
• Most active soy futures nearly unchanged at $8.88 per bushel
• Most active rice futures up 0.8 pct at $10.83 per hundredweight

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

• South Africa Standard Bank PMI Oct-18 [act. 46.9, prev. 48]
• Nigeria Stanbic IBTC PMI Oct-18 [act. 54.4, prev. 56.3]

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

• Kenyan shilling steady amid inflows from exports, remittances
• Uganda shilling weaker inches down against the dollar
• Danish suspect in $17 million fraud case arrested in South Africa
• EU reviews relations with Tanzania over homosexuality crackdown
• Equatorial Guinea’s energy sector gets $2.4 bln boost – ministry source
• Kenya’s Equity Bank’s 9-mth pretax profit up 8 pct
• South African rand weakens as risk sentiment dims
• AngloGold posts 15 pct drop in Q3 production, but confident of meeting FY target
• Egypt’s foreign reserves rise to $44.501 bln in Oct – central bank
• Facebook’s Cameroon problem: stop online hate stoking conflict
• AngloGold Q3 output falls on sales of South African assets
• Egypt’s non-oil business activity slows slightly in Oct – PMI
• Sudan accepts South Sudanese mediation in border regions
• South African home affairs minister says he will “fight to bitter end” over accusations – City Press newspaper
• Eritrean president says trust growing with Ethiopia, but more work needed
• South Africa’s enterprise ministry says state airline should prepare for equity partner
• Egypt says 19 militants killed in security operation after attack on Chrisitians
• Egypt’s Sarwa Capital exposed to IPO “irregularities” – regulator
• Phase two development of Libya’s Bahr Essalam gas field to finish by end 2018
• Sudan hikes flour subsidies by 40 pct to lower bread prices
• Russian-made fighter plane crashes in Egypt – RIA
• Barrick shareholders set to approve Randgold acquisition – sources
• Global banks HSBC, UBS close Nigeria offices, foreign investment falls
• Islamic State claims responsibility for attack near Egyptian monastery – AMAQ
• Africa Crude – Angolan weaker, Nigeria steady
• Gaza border protest more subdued as Egypt pushes for calm
• Tanzanian opposition leader charged with sedition after statement on clash
• South Sudan frees rebel chief’s associates to back peace deal
• South Africans make bricks from human urine
• Egypt’s Sisi vows to continue campaign against militants after bus attack
• Electric car demand fuelling rise in child labour in DR Congo – campaigners
• Uganda to finalise China loan for new railway by year-end
• Uganda begins Ebola vaccinations amid Congo transmission fears
• Zambia power system glitch cuts electricity supply to some mines
• Kenya’s Safaricom warns that higher taxes could hit demand
• Australia’s Invictus says it has not found oil and gas deposits in Zimbabwe
• Kenya’s Safaricom first-half revenue jumps nearly 8 pct
• Rain or shine, grain banks help Kenyan farmers beat trade cartels

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