By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji
Global Markets
- Asian shares subdued as US political standoff, ECB decision eyed
- MSCI ex-Japan slips into the red, Nikkei down 0.4 pct
- China’s CSI, Hong Kong’s HSI down slightly
- Bank of Korea leaves benchmark rate steady
- Sterling hits 11-wk high vs dollar
Oil Markets
- Oil prices steady, but global growth worries hold sway
- Brent crude futures up 3 cents at $61.17 per barrel (0124GMT)
- US WTI crude futures up 3 cents at $52.63 per barrel
Precious metals
- Gold up as growth concerns, US govt shutdown weigh on dollar
- Spot gold up 0.2 pct at $1,284.35 per ounce (0118GMT)
- US gold futures steady at $1,283.80 per ounce
Grains
- Soybeans hold steady, market eyes dry weather in South America
- Most active CBOT wheat futures up 0.4 pct at $5.28-1/4 per bushel (0236GMT)
- Most active corn futures up 0.1 pct at $3.79-1/4 per bushel
- Most active soy futures unchanged at $9.15 per bushel
- Most active rice futures down 0.3 pct at $10.73 per hundredweight
Key African events or data releases today
[Posts & comments at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- DRC’s Tshisekedi inauguration today
- South Africa’s state capture inquiry continues
- Day 2 of Ghana central bank 3-day MPC meeting; decision on Monday
Key African events or data releases yesterday & early a.m today
[Posted & commented on some headlines below at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- Morocco foreign minister backs dialogue on Syria’s return to Arab league
- Malawi president directs police to crack down on pre-vote violence
- Congo’s Kabila says he is ‘without regret’ ahead of power handover
- Egypt’s non-petroleum exports rose in 2018 to $24.8 bln
- East Libyan forces call UN envoy “opponent”
- Soccer – Egypt’s Ismaily thrown out of Champions League over crowd trouble
- Congo records 1-day record of confirmed ebola cases
- Tunisia’s foreign currency reserves rise after Saudi Arabia loan
- Sudan accepted economic assistance from UAE, Russia and Turkey – oil minister
- Zimbabwe soldiers accused of beatings amid protest crackdown
- Popular Zimbabwe musician Mtukudzi dies
- Africa Crude – Bonny Light, Qua offered at highest since mid-2014
- Qatar emir hosts Bashir, backs “unity” in restive Sudan
- Uganda firm uses blockchain to trace coffee from farms to stores
- US welcomes court certification of new Congo president
- Kenya seeks proposals for issuance of $2.5 bln eurobond – source
- Kenya’s finance ministry confirms it sought eurobond proposals
- Kenya to restrict second-hand imports to boost domestic car sector
- EU approves assistance worth 305 mln euros for Tunisia
- DAVOS – South Africa president assures central bank independence
- France hands CAR war crimes suspect to ICC
- Egypt suspends trading in Global Telecom after shares rise 10 pct – bourse
- Ethiopia arrests ex-minister for mismanagement of funds – FANA
- Uganda shilling firms as energy firms, other buyers stay on sidelines
- Egypt bourse resets SODIC, MNHD prices after merger called off
- Kenya shilling firms against the dollar amid tightening liquidity
- South Africa’s consumer inflation slows to 4.5 pct y/y in December
- Zimbabwe seeks wiser ways to use water amid erratic rains
- First Quantum Minerals scraps plan to cut jobs in Zambia
- Zimbabwe activist pastor seeks bail as hundreds face trial after protests
N.B. Full stories of above headlines are available on Reuters
