By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji

Global Markets

• Stocks slump as Fed’s outlook on rates disappoints
• S&P 500 hits 15-mth low, Fed seen less dovish than hoped
• 10-yr US treasury yields at lowest level since April
• Topix, KOSPI fall into bear market to join Chinese benchmarks
• European stocks seen opening down more than 1 pct

Oil Markets

• Oil prices resume fall, shed most of their gains from last session
• Worries over weakening demand, oversupply drag on oil prices
• Traders starting to wind up work for the year – analysts
• Drop in US crude inventories offers some support to markets
• Brent down 1.2 pct at $56.58 per barrel (0129GMT)
• US WTI down 1.6 pct at $47.39 per barrel

Precious metals

• Gold steadies, Fed signals ‘some’ rate hikes for 2019
• Spot gold up 0.1 pct at $1,244.41 per ounce (0141GMT)
• US gold futures down 0.7 pct at $1,247.4 per ounce

Grains

• Soybeans fall to 2-wk low as Chinese demand disappoints
• Most active CBOT wheat futures up 0.2 pct at $5.23-1/2 per bushel (0203GMT)
• Most active corn futures unchanged at $3.81-3/4 per bushel
• Most active soy futures down 0.2 pct at $8.98 per bushel
• Most active rice futures down 0.6 pct at $10.44 per hundredweight

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

• Togo parliamentary elections today

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

• South African rand gains as Fed signals fewer hikes for 2019
• In presidential election, Congo seeks first democratic transfer of power
• Morocco links suspect in Scandinavian women’s killing to militant group
• El Sharara oilfield to reopen, Libyan govt says
• State of emergency declared in Sudanese city after party HQ torched
• Clashes erupt after Congo vote campaigning halted in Kinshasa
• Opposition leader Sadiq al-Mahdi greeted by thousands upon return to Sudan
• South Sudan forces assault peace deal monitors – group
• Nigeria leader presents 8.83 trln naira 2019 budget to raucous lawmakers
• Lectured by Sisi on body weight, Egyptians respond with jokes
• Tunisia busts cell planning attacks on security forces
• Lonmin’s biggest mining union tries to block Sibanye deal
• South Africa issues arrest warrant for Zimbabwe’s Grace Mugabe
• IMF’s Lagarde says South Africa has not requested financial support
• Tunisia teachers march for better wages and conditions
• Sudan 2019 budget includes 66 bln Sudan pounds in subsidies – PM
• Mogadishu-backed candidate wins test-case regional Somali election
• Girl, 10, dies after genital cutting in Sierra Leone
• Kinshasa governor orders halt to campaigning for Congo presidential vote
• Ivory Coast to add 643 MW of power to grid by 2021
• Nigeria unemployment rises to 23.1 pct in Q3 from 18.1 pct year earlier – stats office
• Nigeria land feud victim bears scars of attack
• Nomads and farmers in fight for Nigeria’s heartland
• Dozens killed in northwestern Congo ethnic clashes
• Ugandan shilling a touch firmer on interbank selling
• Kenyan shilling strengthens amid tight money market liquidity
• 2 ex-presidents compete in Madagascar run-off vote

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