By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji
Global Markets
- Asian shares jolted by weak Chinese data, growth risks
- Worries about US-China collision also keep investor on edge
- Euro almost flat a day after ECB ends QE but keeps reinvestments
Oil Markets
- Oil prices dip, but expectations of tightening supply support
- Brent crude oil futures down 0.6 pct at $61.06 per barrel (0135GMT)
- US WTI crude futures down 0.3 pct at $52.42 pr barrel (0118GMT)
Grains
- Soybeans fall to 8-day low, on course for 2nd straight weekly loss
- Most active CBOT wheat futures down 0.4 pct at $5.34 per bushel (0130GMT)
- Most active corn futures down 0.2 pct at $3.83-1/2 per bushel
- Most active soy futures down 0.4 pct at $9.03-3/4 per bushel
- Most active rice futures down about 0.1 pct at $10.45 per hundredweight
Key African events or data releases today
[Posts & comments at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- Nigeria’s Vice-presidential debate today
- Nigeria inflation data for Nov-18 expected [fcst. 11.4% yy, prev. 11.3%]
Key African events or data releases yesterday & early a.m today
[Posted & commented on some headlines below at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- US to counter China, Russia influence in Africa – Bolton
- UN climate talks produce draft text in final push
- Tunisia’s parliament rejects bill on lifting retirement age
- Nigerian comic creates heroes with albinism to end ritual murders
- Congo fire destroys thousands of voting machines for presidential election
- Tunisia doctors protest against wage disclosure
- Eskom debt swap not an option – South Africa’s Ramaphosa
- Africa Crude – Burst of spot trade mops up Nigerian cargoes
- Bolton frustrated Western Sahara conflict has not been resolved
- Somalia arrests ex-Islamist militant running for regional presidency
- Hundreds of Egyptian Christians protest at police killing
- Sierra Leone’s sick suffer untreated as doctors strike
- South Africa’s Eskom says more power cuts unlikely until January
- Kenyan court convicts ex-police officer of murder in killing of detainee
- Hike in record-dry months for Africa’s Sahel worries scientists
- Nigeria files $1.1 bln London lawsuit against Shell, Eni over oil deal
- Nigeria’s president asks to present budget to parliament on Dec 19 – house speaker
- Congo fire destroyed materials for 19 of capital’s 24 polling districts
- Gunmen kill more than 40 Tuaregs in ongoing Mali violence
- Zimbabwe mining minister invites De Beers, Vast Resources to return
- Eritrean leader pays first visit to Somalia, seeking closer ties
- Sibanye-Stillwater extends wage agreement to striking gold workers
- Remittances, charity flows strengthen Ugandan shilling
- Egypt wants World Bank, IMF to quantify informal sector in GDP
- MTN, Nigerian central bank dispute will be over ‘very soon’ – regulator
- Gold Fields restart production in South Africa as workers return
- Egypt’s Hassan Allam Holding aims to float shares in H1 – sources
- PZ Cussons warns of weakening demand, Nigeria challenges
- Egypt’s Pharos Holding says set to launch microfinance services
- Amplats expects 20 pct jump in full-year earnings
- South Africa’s Group Five gets interest for parts of business
- South Africa’s Afrox looks to trim cost base, forecasts lower 2018 earnings
- Militia leader’s bravado shows limits of Libya reforms
N.B. Full stories of above headlines are available on Reuters