By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji

Global Markets

• Stocks jump on signs US, China close to trade deal
• Asia ex-Japan a tad higher; strong gains in Aussie, Japan shares
• E-minis for S&P 500 and Dow up 0.4 pct
• WSJ reports Trump-Xi summit likely this month
• Dollar subdued on modest inflation expectations

Oil Markets

• Oil firms as US-China trade deal appears close
• Brent up 0.3 pct at $65.25 a barrel (0022GMT)
• WTI up 0.5 pct at $56.05 a barrel

Precious metals

• Gold steadies as dollar wilts on Sino-US trade deal hopes
• Spot gold up about 0.3 pct at $1,296.52 per ounce (0124GMT)
• US gold futures down 0.2 pct at $1,297.10 an ounce

Grains

• Soybeans firm as US-China trade deal looks close
• Most active CBOT wheat futures up 0.6 pct at $4.60 per bushel (0134GMT)
• Most active corn futures up 0.5 pct at $3.74-3/4 per bushel
• Most active soy futures up 0.4 pct at $9.15 per bushel
• Most active rice futures unchanged at $10.53 per hundredweight

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

• South Africa’s state capture inquiry resumes
• Eyes on potential legal challenge to Nigeria’s Buhari re-election by main opposition party

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

• Algeria’s Bouteflika offers to leave within one year if re-elected – Ennahar TV
• New protests in Algeria after Bouteflika submits re-election bid
• Athletics-Ethiopian Kejelcha smashes world indoor mile record
• Ebola treatment centre in Congo reopens after attack – ministry
• Egypt completes restoration of ancient Kom el-Shuqafa catacombs
• Egypt military court upholds jail sentence of former anti-graft chief – lawyer
• Egypt regulator cancels Thursday trades of Amer Group, Porto Group
• Sudan opposition party leader calls on Bashir to step down
• Islamic State says it killed 10 Nigerian soldiers – Amaq
• Ethiopians celebrate defeat of colonialists, call for unity
• 183 injured in Algeria protests – state news agency
• Africa Crude-Nigerian crude overhang dwindles
• South Africa retailer Edcon gets $191 recapitalisation
• Botswana’s president denies report of $600 mln loan to Zimbabwe
• Togo subsidises off-grid solar to extend electricity access to all
• Dutch prosecutors target Shell over Nigeria oil deal
• Emerging markets bring in $25.6 bln of foreign capital in Feb – IIF
• Uganda shilling weakens slightly amid energy, manufacturing demand
• Malawi offers $7,000 reward to stop albino killings
• Cash-strapped African airline Fastjet extends loan agreement terms
• Deaths in South Africa’s mines fell slightly in 2018
• Egypt’s Eastern Co private share offer oversubscribed – state media
• South Africa’s Absa PMI down as power cuts hurt business activity
• Angola LNG offers cargo for March delivery – sources
• Kenya says to sell 25-yr infrastructure bond this month

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