By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji

Global Markets

• Asian markets a reluctant spectator to US political theatre
• US politics in focus as Trump forces Mattis out early
• Treasury Sec Mnuchin calls meeting of “plunge protection” team
• Market moves modest with Tokyo on holiday, S&P futures edge up

Oil Markets

• Oil eases on oversupply concerns ahead of holiday
• Brent, WTI hover near lowest levels since Q3 2017
• OPEC+ to meet again if cuts not enough – UAE minister
• US oil drillers add 10 rigs last week – Baker Hughes
• Brent crude futures down 0.5 pct at $53.55 a barrel (0106GMT)
• US WTI crude futures down 0.1 pct at $45.51 a barrel

Precious metals

• Gold rises as investors shy away from risk amid US political uncertainty
• Spot gold up 0.4 pct at $1,261.47 per ounce (0103GMT)
• US gold futures up 0.5 pct at $1,264.1 per ounce

Grains

• Wheat ticks up after deep losses, trades near 3-wk low
• Most active CBOT wheat futures up 0.7 pct at $5.17-1/2 per bushel (0123GMT)
• Most active corn futures down 0.3 pct at $3.77-1/2 per bushel
• Most active soy futures down 0.3 pct at $8.82-1/2 per bushel
• Most active rice futures up 1.4 pct at $10.78 per hundredweight

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

• Markets to open for some hours ahead of festivities

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

• Sudanese police fire tear gas at protesting soccer fans
• Moroccan suspects in killing of Scandinavian women were acting alone, official says
• South Africa’s Transnet partially reopens coal export line after derailment
• South African power utility Eskom to cut 10 executive jobs
• Egypt appoints new military intelligence chief – security sources
• Morocco vigils honour Scandinavian women killed in Atlas Mountains
• Libya complains of arms cargo from Turkey, joint investigation launched
• Sudanese opposition leaders detained as protests continue
• South African jazz artist plays guitar during brain surgery
• At least 13 killed in Mogadishu car bomb claimed by al Shabaab
• At least one dead as price protests enter 3^rd day in Sudan
• Nigeria police arrest suspected mastermind of 2015 Abuja bombings
• 7 killed in Congo cargo plane crash
• 9 more arrested in Morocco over murder of Scandinavian tourists
• AMCU strike at Sibanye-Stillwater legal – South African court
• Swiss ruling paves way to share documents in Nigeria oil graft case
• Congo opposition: we will not tolerate further delay to vote
• In Egypt, weddings get costlier as economic hardships deepen
• Sudanese police fire tear gas at dozens of protesters in Omdurman, Atbara and North Kordofan – witnesses
• BP greenlights Africa’s deepest offshore LNG project
• Congo’s Gomair says cargo plane crashed, no word yet on casaulties
• South Africa’s Transnet hopes to re-open one closed coal export line on Saturday
• South Africa coal train derails, export line shut – Transnet
• First Quantum Minerals plans 2,500 layoffs in Zambia over tax hikes
• Botswana’s economy slows in 3^rd quarter of 2018
• Morocco inflation rises to 1.3 pct y/y in Nov
• In warming Mali, weather forecasts help cool flaring tempers
• Solar cures energy ills at Zimbabwe’s power-short clinics
• Congo election shows flaws in Trump’s Africa strategy
• Sudan price protests subverted by “infiltrators” – spokesman
• Sudan protests handled ‘without repression or opposition’ – govt spokesman
• Libyan state oil firm keeps El Sharara oilfield closed, rejects paying off protesters
• Morocco says suspects in Scandinavian tourists’ murder are linked to Islamic State
• 8 people dead in Sudan protests – officials
• Somalia lawmakers drop motion to impeach president – speaker
• State of emergency declared in 2^nd Sudanese city amid protests
• Congo postpones Sunday’s presidential vote by a week to Dec 30
• Libyan coast guard says it has intercepted 15,000 migrants in 2018
• South Africa appoints new CEO for troubled state arms firm Denel
• Libya is restarting oil production in El Sharara – sources
• Uganda gives Tullow conditional approval to farm out stakes to Total, CNOOC
• Sierra Leone fruit bats infected with ebola-like Marburg virus
• Defying prejudice, Egyptian woman racks up global bodybuilding awards
• Egyptian court acquits 40 NGO workers whose case strained ties with US
• As ebola threatens mega-cities, vaccine stockpile needs grow
• Sudan signs mining, oil refinery agreements with Russian companies – oil ministry
• South Africa’s Shoprite faces hefty fine for anti-competitve behaviour
• German court partilly overturns war crimes verdict for Rwandan
• Sonangol secures $1 bln loan facility to fund operations, investment
• Congo commission says election delay due to fire, ethnic violence – candidate
• Most African currencies seen firming in week ahead
• Zambia pricing itself out of global mining with tax hikes – industry body
• Both candidates in Madagascar presidential runoff claim victory

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