By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji

Global Markets

• Asia stocks advance, dollar struggles on signs of more cautious Fed
• MSCI Asia-Pacific index up 0.75 pct, Nikkei gains 0.9 pct
• Dollar sags broadly following Powell’s comments
• Short-term US treasury yield extends decline after Powell

Oil Markets

• Oil prices climb, but oversupply concerns weigh; OPEC meeting in focus
• Brent crude oil futures up 1 pct at $59.36 a barrel (0120GMT)
• US WTI crude futures up 1.3 pct at $50.94 a barrel

Grains

• Soybeans edge lower, ease from 2-wk high
• Most active CBOT wheat futures unchanged at $5.11-1/2 per bushel (0211GMT)
• Most active corn futures up 0.1 pct at $3.61 per bushel
• Most active soy futures down 0.2 pct at $8.88-1/2 per bushel
• Most activer rice futures up about 0.1 pct at $10.83 per hundredweight

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

• South Africa’s state capture inquiry continues
• South Africa producer inflation data for Oct-18 expected [fcst. 6.0% yy, prev. 6.2%]
• South Africa PSCE data for Oct-18 expected [fcst. 6.2% yy, prev. 6.3%]
• South Africa M3 data for Oct-18 expected [fcst. 7.0% yy, prev. 7.0%]
• Zambia inflation data for Nov-18 due [fcst. 7.3% yy, prev. 8.3%]

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

• White South African group to challenge Ramaphosa land reforms in court
• Egypt to end dollar-guarantee mechanism for foreign investors
• Kenyan MPs block drive for more women in politics
• To stop ebola, Congo targets malaria in outbreak zone
• World Bank sees Nigerian 2018 GDP growth at under 2 pct
• US military says strikes kills three militants in Somalia
• Russian bank expunges mention of $12 bln loan to poor African state
• Africa Crude – Reduced offers for January cargoes fail to tempt buyers
• US military says strikes kills 3 militants in Somalia
• UK’s CDC to invest up to $4.5 bln in Africa over next 4 years
• World Bank expects Nigeria 2018 GDP growth to be less than 2 pct – statement
• Ethiopia takes Dubai as top feeder of air traffic to Africa
• Zimbabwe drivers queue for hours as fuel pumps dry up again
• Niger closes UK charity’s health centres, says they performed abortions
• Deadly ranch invasion shows land-use conflicts in Kenya – exports
• Nigeria opposition aims to outflank Buhari with regional gambit
• Tanzania central bank suspends five banks from interbank FX market
• South African central bank expects volatile rand in 2019
• Kenya’s foreign exchange rate reflects true value – cenbank gov
• Madagascar ex-presidents to compete in 2^nd round vote, incumbent out
• South African state pension fund raises stake in MTN to 23.6 pct
• South Africa’s Eskom says asset sales can’t solve problems as flags big loss
• Kenyan shilling under pressure from end month demand
• Ugandan shilling little changed after central bank’s buying of excess liquidity
• South Africa’s Eskom H1 profit slumps 89 pct
• Zimbabwe on course to meet budget deficit targets – finmin
• KPMG South Africa picks outsider as CEO after scandals
• South African consumer confidence falls sharply – survey

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