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
