By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji

Global Markets

• Asian shares fall from 5-mth highs, pound jumps on Brexit delay hopes
• Sterling climbs to $1.3149 on reports Brexit could be delayed
• Asian shares falter at 5-mth top
• Investors eye Fed chairman Powell’s Senate testimony

Oil Markets

• Oil steadies after selloff; market eyes Trump intervention
• Brent up 0.3 pct at $64.95 a barrel (0108GMT)
• WTI up 0.1 pct at $55.54 a barrel

Precious metals

• Palladium soars past $1,550 on mine strike fears; gold firm
• Spot palladium up 0.7 pct at $1,552 per ounce (0128GMT)
• Spot gold flat at $1,327.40 per ounce
• US gold futures steady at $1,329.9 per ounce

Grains

• Wheat slumps further to 10-mth low
• Most active CBOT wheat futures down 1 pct at $4.68 per bushel (0152GMT)
• Most active corn futures down 0.7 pct at $3.68 per bushel
• Most active soy futures down 0.5 pct at $9.07 per bushel
• Most active rice futures down 0.2 pct at $10.32 per hundredweight

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

• Botswana central bank to decide interest rate [fcst. 5.0%, prev. 5.0%]
• South Africa state capture inquiry continues
• Nigeria presidential votes collation continues, winner could be declared Tuesday or Wednesday

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

• Nigeria election’s early tally puts Buhari ahead; opposition rejects it
• Sudan’s Bashir bans protests in new emergency measures
• Libya’s NOC chairman in UAE to discuss Sharara oilfield crisis
• Zimbabwe promises fiscal discipline as it launches new currency
• Egypt’s Sisi defends death penalty at summit with Europe
• Africa Crude – Diffs hold, demand for Angolan still strong
• Sudan’s Bashir regulates foreign currency trade
• Street unrest breaks down taboo in Algeria: talk is of politics at last
• Zimbabwe to manage volatility of new RTGS currency – finmin
• South Africa’s rand gains on trade deal hopes; stocks weak
• UK, South Africa finalising interim post-Brexit trade deal
• Attackers torch ebola treatment centre in Congo, patients evacuated
• Harry and Meghan dress down to meet children on Morocco trip
• Operational hitches in Nigeria’s elections a burden on voters – EU observer mission
• Nigeria stocks, bonds rise after presidential election
• Gabon president returns home for second time since suffering stroke
• Shopping street rises from the ashes of war in Libya’s Benghazi
• South Africa cancels Bosasa prison contracts after bribe accusations
• Tunisia central bank says dinar hard to defend as reserves fall
• Nigeria election delay probably hit voter turnout – US observer
• In tentative rollout, Zimbabwe banks start trading new currency
• Kenya’s KenGen gets contract with Ethiopian Electric Power for geothermal drilling
• Nigeria’s election generally peaceful – AU observers
• Kenya shilling firm amid end month demand
• Angola oil output fell in 2018 due to ageing fields – Sonangol
• Zambia, Zimbabwe cut Kariba Dam power generation
• Egypt’s Beltone Financial pays settlement to end suspension of underwriting unit – source
• South Africa’s Sasol half-year profit rises

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