By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji
Global Markets
- Stocks pin hopes on Sino-US talks, as year ends deep in the red
- Trump claims progress in trade talk with Xi
- Almost all Asian share indices in red for the year
- Biggest loser was China blue chips, India a rare gainer
- Bonds finishing strongly as market bets Fed is done
Oil Markets
- Oil prices rise, but set for first annual decline since 2015
- Brent crude futures up 0.3 pct at $53.38 a barrel (0115GMT)
- US WTI crude futures up 0.4 pct at $45.52 a barrel
Precious metals
- Gold inches lower as US-China trade talks boost risk appetite
- Spot gold down marginallly at $1,280.20 per ounce (0048GMT)
- US gold futures down 0.1 pct at $1,282 per ounce
Grains
- US soy rises to over 1-week high on US-China trade hopes
- Most active CBOT wheat futures up 0.1 pct at $5.12 per bushel (0148GMT)
- Most active corn futures up 0.2 pct at $3.76-1/4 per bushel
- Most active soy futures up 0.5 pct at $9.00-1/4 per bushel
- Most active rice futures up 1 pct at $10.41 per hundredweight
Key African events or data releases today
[Posts & comments at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- South Africa M3 data for Nov-18 expected [fcst. 5.7% yy, prev. 6.0%]
- South Africa PSCE data for Nov-18 due [fcst. 5.3% yy, prev. 5.8%]
Key African events or data releases over the weekend & early a.m today
[Posted & commented on some headlines below at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- Congo opposition cries foul after presidential poll blighted by mishaps
- 2-yr sentence upheld for Egyptian activist who posted critical video
- Ebola-hit Congolese town stages mock vote to protest at ban
- Congo police officer and civilian killed in fight over alleged voting fraud
- Egypt expects 5th tranche of IMF loan in January
- French, Niger troops kill Islamist insurgents in joint operation
- US medic quarantined in Nebraska for possible ebola exposure
- Morocco arrests Swiss national in connection with killing of Scandinavians
- Hundreds flee Islamist attacks in northeast Nigeria to seek refuge in Maiduguri
- Egyptian forces kill 40 suspected militants after tourist bus bombed
- Nigeria ruling party launched President Buhari’s re-election campaign
- Sudan security forces use tear gas to disperse anti-govt protesters
- Sierra Leone arrests former defence minister in graft crackdown
- Eritrea closes border crossing to Ethiopians, official and residents say
- WHO says progress against ebola in Congo will be lost if violence goes on
- Africa Crude – Chinese demand subdued, sellers stay on sidelines
- Unidentified gunmen kill 10 gendarmes in Burkina Faso
- Congo cartoonist prepares to sketch a new president
- South Africa’s trade balance swings to 3.5 bln rand surplus in November
- Sudan security forces disperse protesters near Khartoum
- Libyan oil revenue dips to $2.4 bln in November – NOC
- Congo opposition leader Fayulu takes clear lead ahead of Sunday’s election
- Sudan detains 9 opposition leaders ahead of planned protest
N.B. Full stories of above headlines are available on Reuters
