By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji

Global Markets (31 Dec)

• Trade optimism lifts stocks, but 2018 ends in red
• Trump claims progress in trade talk with Xi
• Global stock indexes in red for the year
• Dollar falls to 6-mth low against yen

Oil Markets (31 Dec)

• US crude falls 25 pct in 2018; Brent off 21 pct
• Traders worry about supply, global economic gains in 2019
• Oil’s roller coaster ride, rising to October then turning down
• Record output boosts US ranking to top producer in 2018
• Brent up 21 cents at $53.42 a barrel (1:28pm EST)
• US WTI up 10 cents at $45.43 a barrel

Precious metals (31 Dec)

• Gold and silver set for best month since Jan 2017
• Palladium the only gainer in precious complex
• Platinum suffers worst year since 2015
• Spot gold up 0.1 pct at $1,281.25 an ounce (1930GMT)
• US gold futures settled down 0.1 pct at $1,281.30 per ounce

Grains (31 Dec)

• Wheat eases in thin holiday trade but posts 18 pct yearly rise
• Wheat records best annual gain since 2012 on supply drop
• Soy down 7 pct in 2018, buffeted by US-China tussle
• Corn up 7 pct for year as tight wheat supply spurs demand

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

• New Year; limited activity

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

• Zambia president swears in new army chief
• Mozambican ex-finance minister held in South Africa on US charges – police
• Security forces fire teargas at protesters in Khartoum – witnesses
• Both sides claim lead in Congo’s chaotic election
• South African rand, stocks see positive end to difficult year
• Burkina Faso declares state of emergency in north following attacks
• Ugandan shilling a touch firmer on ebbing interbank appetite
• French court orders CAR war crimes suspect to ICC
• Kenyan GDP growth at 6 pct in third quarter 2018
• Kenya’s inflation at 5.7 pct y/y in December
• Most internet connections down in Congo capital after election – residents
• Congo opposition, ruling coalition both say they’ve won chaotic election
• Cocoa tops 2018 gainers, as growth worries roil metals, crude
• South African credit demand growth slows to 5.56 pct in November

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