By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji

Global Markets

• Asia stocks lifted by China-US trade hopes; oil resumes retreat
• MSCI Asia-Pacific index up 0.4 pct, Nikkei dips 0.25 pct
• Pound, euro firm after PM May gains cabinet backing for Brexit

Oil Markets

• Oil prices resume decline on oversupply worries
• Brent crude futures down 0.3 pct at $65.90 per barrel (0254GMT)
• US WTI crude futures down 0.5 pct at $55.95 per barrel

Precious metals

• Gold prices hold steady as dollar eases
• Spot gold little changed at $1,210.65 per ounce (0055GMT)
• US gold futures flat 0.1 pct at $1,203 per ounce

Grains

• US soybean prices extend gains on export sales, slow harvest
• Most traded CBOT soybean futures up 0.5 pct at $8.82-3/4 per bushel (0123GMT)
• Most active wheat futures up 0.2 pct at $5.03-3/4 per bushel
• Most active corn futures up 0.3 pct at $3.67-1/2 per bushel

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

• Ghana 2019 budget statement to be delivered today
• Rwanda’s Kagame in Qatar on state visit
• South Africa’s Ramaphosa on working visit to EU; 14-15 Nov

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

• Ethiopia arrests former deputy intelligence chief
• Nigeria Senate committee says NNPC amount probed was doubled to $2.2 bln
• Nigeria raises $2.86 bln in eurobonds to fund deficit
• Shipbound migrants in Libya port say would rather die than disembark
• UN bemoans lack of funding for African anti-jihadist force
• Vodacom Tanzania approves sale of 26 pct stake to South Africa’s Vodacom Group
• Kenyan judge sentences two police officers to death for murder
• Ugandan soldiers to guard Chinese businesses after rash of robberies
• Emerging economies see debt rise $1 trln in Q2, face record redemptions – IIF
• Sibanye seals wage deal with South African unions
• UN Security Council removes Eritrea sanctions after years
• Africa Crude – Nigerian surplus persists, IOC picks up spot cargoes
• Algeria’s ruling FLN party head quits
• South Africa’s Standard Bank to lay off more than 500 workers
• Global cobalt glut won’t be stemmed by Glencore Congo output stoppage
• India’s African oil imports hit 3-yr high in Oct – trade
• South Africa retail sales rise points to economic recovery; up 0.7% yy in Sep
• Land reform in South Africa will not violate constitution – Ramaphosa
• South Africa’s land expropriation unnerves investors – World Bank executive
• Ugandan shilling firms as importer and interbank demand ebbs
• Libya could hold elections next spring – Italy’s foreign min
• European businesses help lift South Africa’s SPAR FY earnings

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