By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji
Global Markets
- Asia shares ease as doubts emerge over Sino-US trade war truce
- MSCI Asia-pacific ex-Japan index down 0.2 pct
- Japan’s Nikkei down 0.3 pct
- Spot gold flat at $1,231.11 per ounce
Oil Markets
- Oil prices extend gains on expected OPEC-led production cuts
- OPEC, Russia need to cut 1.3 mln bpd to balance market – Goldman
- Canada’s mandated supply cut also supports prices
- Soaring US output is OPEC’s biggest headache
- Texas no produces more oil than Iraq – Barclays
- Brent crude oil futures up 0.7 pct at $62.09 per barrel (0137GMT)
- US WTI crude futures up 0.8 pct at $53.35 per barrel
Grains
- Soybean prices fall from highest in nearly 6 mths on doubts over trade war
- Most active CBOT wheat futures down 0.3 pct at $5.19-1/2 per bushel (0114GMT)
- Most active corn futures down 0.3 pct at $3.80-3/4 per bushel
- Most active soy futures down 0.2 pct at $9.04 per bushel
- Most active rice futures up 0.6 pct at $10.91 per hundredweight
Key African events or data releases today
[Posts & comments at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- UN climate change conference in Poland; Nigeria’s Buhari attending
- Nigeria’s Buhari to be in focus as deadline for signing amended electoral bill looms
- South Africa Q3 2018 GDP data due [fcst. 0.4% qq saa, prev. -0.7%]
- Botswana interest rate decision expected [fcst. 5.0%, prev. 5.0%]
- South Africa’s state capture inquiry continues
Key African events or data releases yesterday & early a.m today
[Posted & commented on some headlines below at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- US aid group to help develop Islamic microfinance in Ethiopia
- US to reopen Congo embassy after “terrorist threat”
- Sudan allows local private sector firms to export gold
- Zimbabwe doctors strike again for better pay as economy struggles
- Egyptian court orders release of prominent blogger – judicial source
- Congo declares cobalt “strategic”, nearly tripling royalty rate
- Bouteflika unable to receive Saudi crown prince due to flu – presidency
- Uganda holds special court sessions on sex crimes to cut backlog
- Africa Crude – Tenders keep sellers at bay, Nigerian market swamped
- Congo state miner in production-sharing deal with Chinese firm
- Deadly ranch invasion shows land-use conflicts in Kenya – experts
- Uber’s Middle East rival Careem launches bus-booking service in Egypt
- Soccer-Sierra Leone’s disqualification from Nations Cup boosts Kenya, Ghana
- Millions flock to free tests as Egypt seeks to eradicate hepatitis C
- Armed with coffee, Uganda’s women, youth look to secure land tenure
- South Africa faces more power cuts, raising Ramaphosa reform risk
- African migrants turn to deadly ocean route as options narrow
- Nigeria’s Buhari denies dying and being replaced by lookalike
- South Africa court paves way for class action against Tiger Brands
- Ugandan shilling steady amid muted banks and importer demand
- South Africa’s Absa PMI rises for the first time in 3 months
- Kenyan shilling under pressure amid demand from importers ahead of holiday season
- Egypt’s EFG Hermes advising on four M&A deals expected in H1 2019
N.B. Full stories of above headlines are available on Reuters
