By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji
Global Markets
- Asia bulls dare to hope on trade talks, stimulus
- Nikkei rises to 2019 high after Wall St gains
- Investors wager on progress at Sino-US talks in Washington
- Signs mount major central banks turning reflationary
Oil Markets
- Oil hits 2019-high on OPEC supply cuts, US sanctions on Iran & Venezuela
- Brent up 0.3 pct at $66.47 a barrel (0051GMT)
- WTI up 0.5 pct at $55.89 per barrel
Precious metals
- Gold at 2-wk high on trade deal hopes; palladium peaks
- Spot gold up 0.3 pct at $1,324.80 per ounce (0324GMT)
- US gold futures up 0.4 pct at $1,327.8 an ounce
Key African events or data releases today
[Posts & comments at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- South Africa state capture inquiry to resume for the week; testimony from national treasury team to be heard
Key African events or data releases over the weekend & early a.m today
[Posted & commented on some headlines below at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- Hit by wilder weather, Botswana’s farmers seek welfare payments
- Tunisia workers kidnapped in Libya have been freed – foreign ministry
- Mozambique ex-president’s son arrested in $2 bln fraudulent debt case
- Kenya summons its ambassador to Somalia as territorial row escalates
- Nigeria candidate says delayed presidential vote could be compromised
- Egypt’s Pyramids turned into marathon venue
- Paramount Group in talks to develop Africa’s defence industry
- Sudan fruit seller dies choking on tear gas fired at protesters – family
- South Africa sseeks to reopen costly renewables deals to help Eskom
- South Africa wants lower power prices from older renewables projects – minister
- Tunisia police and protesters clash after death at police station
- Nigeria presidential poll postponed, oppostion slams decision
- 15 Egypt troops killed or wounded in North Sinai – military
- NBA and FIBA to launch pro league in Africa
- Zimbabwe rescuers pull 22 bodies from mine, 8 more found alive
- Islamic State claims North Sinai attack, says 20 Egyptian troops killed
- Athletics – Ethiopia’s Tefera breaks world indoor 1,500m record
- Nigeria commission says transport delays behind vote postponement
- Sahel instability spreading to coastal West Africa – Burkina Faso
- Congo’s Virunga park reopens eight months after deadly ambush
- Sudan lawmakers postpone amendment to keep Bashir in power
- Nigeria opposition candidate accuses govt of hoping to disenfranchise electorate
- Nigeria opposition candidate Atiku Abubakar urges voters to be patient
- Nigeria’s president appeals for calm after election delay
- Zimbabwe rescuers pull out 8 trapped miners alive
- Nigeria presidential election postponed to Feb. 23 – INEC chair
- Nigeria presidential election could be delayed in some areas – diplomatic, govt sources
- Sudan policeman dies from wounds after protesters stone vehicle – spokesman
- Tunsia oil refinery workers kidnapped in Libya – activist
- Morocco set on capping fuel price despite regulator’s disapproval
- Kenya activist death in botched abortion spotlights ‘killer’ backstreet clinics
- South African Airways to pay Comair $78 mn to settle competition case
- Frustrated relatives lose hope of finding trapped Zimbabwe miners alive
- Africa Crude – Nigerian trade pauses ahead of election
- Anadarko closes in on final Mozambique LNG decision
- Tunisia economy grew 2.5 pct in 2018 vs 1.9 pct in 2017
- Citgo Petroleum to dismiss workers in Aruba over US sanctions – prime minister
- South African rand heads for over 3 pct weekly loss on power crisis
- South Africa ex-ambassador to Iran arrested in MTN investigation
- South Africa says has up to 60 tcf of offshore gas potential
- Ex-Mozambique finance minister denied bail in South Africa
- South Africa withdraws arrest warrant for Zuma friend Gupta
- Egypt thwarts bomb attack on Cairo security sources – ministry
- MTN Group reiterates no money was given to ex-ambassador to Iran
- Anadarko closes in on final Mozambique LNG decision with another supply deal
- Morocco’s competition council advises against fuel price cap
- Rape still endemic with South Sudan’s Unity state despite peace –UN
- Nigeria’s suspended chief judge charged as election nears
- Uganda shilling steady; forecast to weaken due to importer dollar demand
- Ex-intelligence head, chair of 3 state-run companies arrested in Mozambique – source
- Grand parade to close Dunkin’, Baskin Robbins in South Africa
- Uganda deports MTN CEO over ‘national security’ concerns
- Kenya shilling in firm position amid offshore investor flows
- Nigeria inflation falls to 11.37 pct in January as election nears
- Zimbabwe inflation quickens to 56.9 percent in January
- South Africa’s Eskom suspends power cuts but warns system vulnerable
- South Africa’s Gold Fields FY proft slumps as production drops
- US military denies taking part in raid on al Qaeda site in Libya
N.B. Full stories of above headlines are available on Reuters