By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji

Global Markets

• Asia shares check rally as US-China trade talks, Fed policy in focus
• More Fed officials say caution needed before further rate hikes
• Nikkei dips 1.5 pct, Hang Seng off 0.5 pct
• Canada’s central bank holds rates steady overnight

Oil Markets

• Oil dips after jumping on US-China trade talks, OPEC cuts
• Brent crude futures down 1 pct at $60.81 per barrel (0113GMT)
• US WTI crude futures down 1.2 pct at $51.75 per barrel

Precious metals

• Gold prices steady as interest rate outlook pressures dollar
• Spot gold a tad lower at $1,292.46 per ounce (0141GMT)
• US gold futures up 0.1 pct at $1,293.20 per ounce

Grains

• Soybeans edge lower; Sino-US trade optimism curbs losses
• Most active CBOT wheat futures down 0.1 pct at $5.19-1/4 per bushel (0141GMT)
• Most active corn futures down 0.2 pct at $3.81-1/4 per bushel
• Most active soy futures down 0.3 pct at $9.21 per bushel
• Most active rice futures down 0.1 pct at $10.79 per hundredweight

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

• Top officials of South Africa’s ruling ANC on the road across the country for week-long 107^th birthday activities
• South Africa manufacturing production data for November expected [fcst. 2.6% yy, prev. 3.0%]
• South Africa SACCI business confidence data for Dec still expected; overdue [prev. 96.1]

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

• Runner-up in Congo’s presidential election dismisses results as an “electoral coup”
• Egypt non-oil private sector activity shrinks in December, but at slowing rate
• Congo election winner Felix Tshisekedi pays homage to outgoing president Kabila
• Tshisekedi win in Congo presidential election at odds with Catholic Church tallies – diplomats
• Bashir vows to stay in power as Sudan protests rage on
• 1 person dead, 6 injured in Sudanese protests – medical sources
• UN alarmed at uprooting of civilians in Nigeria’s war with militants
• Nigeria producing 1.78 mln barrels of crude per day – minister
• Africa Crude – Nigerian crude diffs bounce to multi-month high
• Tanzania’s Magufuli wants central bank to buy gold as part of its reserves
• South Africa, Zambia urge Congo to release vote result to maintain stability
• Nigerian military frees editor held over Boko Haram article
• South African court finds Mozambican ex-finmin’s detention legal
• Nigeria’s Buhari says he will raise minimum wage, but not how much
• Zimbabwe public workers threaten to join pay strike
• South Africa’s Absa PMI rise further in December
• Kenya shilling firm against the dollar

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