By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji

Global Markets

• Asia shares slip as China’s Huawei in legal hot water
• Investors wary about growth after Caterpillar, Nvidia results
• Markets eye US-China trade talks, Fed policy meeting

Oil Markets

• Oil prices edge up on US sanctions against Venezuela
• US slaps sanctions on Venezuela state oil firm PdVSA
• Washington supports Venezuela opposition leader as President
• Analysts say global oil supply ample despite sanctions
• Brent up 0.3 pct at $60.08 per barrel (0215GMT)
• WTI up 0.3 pct at $52.17 a barrel

Precious metals

• Gold hits 7-mth peak on Fed pause views, trade tensions
• Spot gold up 0.1 pct at $1,304.42 per ounce (0115GMT)
• US gold futures steady $1,302.80 per ounce

Grains

• Soybean prices fall as US-China trade tensions mount
• Most active CBOT wheat futures down 0.2 pct at $5.17-3/4 per bushel (0131GMT)
• Most active corn futures down 0.1 pct at $3.79-1/4 per bushel
• Most active soy futures down 0.3 pct at $9.20-3/4 per bushel
• Most active rice futures down 0.1 pct at $10.71 per hundredweight

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

• South Africa’s state capture inquiry continues

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

• Angola readying first trip to borrowing markets since IMF deal
• Cameroon’s main opposition leader Kamto arrested for protest
• Nigeria adjourns trial of top judge suspended by president
• Children who survived Boko Haram attacks recover through drama, art
• Zimbabwe unions issue new strike ultimatum after wage talks deadlock
• Soccer – Former African Player of the Year Bwalya’s ban cut on appeal
• Burkina Faso jihadist clashes kill 14, including soldiers
• Africa Crude – Nigerian crude diffs soften as overhang persists
• Egypt foreign remittances up 5.7 pct in first 11 months of 2018
• Angola FX reserves at “low point”, fiscal consolidation needed – Treasury sec
• Angola will revise budget if oil trends below $68/bbl – Treasury sec.
• France’s Macro tells Egypt’s Sisi human rights go together with stability
• South African retailer Pepkor grows quarterly revenue 6 pct
• Bankers see central bank behind surprise rise of Egyptian pound
• Kenya central bank holds main lending rate at 9.0 pct
• Eastern Libya govt delegation visits key southern city of Sabha
• “Age is no obstacle” – Egyptian swimmer still a champion at 76
• Zambia’s mining investment arm ups stake in Copperbelt Energy
• Algeria plans solar energy tenders to tackle rising electricity needs
• Angola to hold first diamond auction
• Kenyan bank KCB looks to M&A deals for growth – CEO
• Judge questioned ex-France president Hollande over murder of reporters in Mali
• Soccer – African Nations Cup pushed back a week for Ramadan
• Electricity-hungry Cameroon boosts solar energy in push for rural power
• South Africa’ govt keen to see SAA debt restructured soon
• Egypt picks banks to manage international bond issues
• Sudan’s Bashir fights for survival as protests spread

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