By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji

Global Markets

• Asia shares slip after China data
• Pound near 9-mth peak
• Pound eases after best 1-day percentage gain since Apr 2017
• Oil prices extend gains on output cuts, US sanctions

Oil Markets

• Oil edges higher, holds near 4-mth top on supply cuts
• Brent up 0.1 pct at $67.61 a barrel (0054GMT)
• WTI up 0.1 pct at $58.29 per barrel

Precious metals

• Gold prices dip on dollar recovery, Brexit relief
• Spot gold down 0.5 pct at $1,302.90 per ounce (0732GMT)
• US gold futures dips 0.5 pct at $1,302.40 an ounce

Grains

• Wheat rises despite ample global supplies
• Most active CBOT wheat futures up 0.7 pct at $4.50-1/4 per bushel (0145GMT)
• Most active corn futures up 0.3 pct at $3.67-3/4 per bushel
• Most active soy futures up 0.4 pct at $9.04-1/2 per bushel
• Most active rice futures down 0.2 pct at $10.81 per hundredweight

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

• Nigeria’s Senate to debate militarisation of elections
• Kenya’s new cabinet secretaries’ screening in parliament
• 2^nd day of France’s Macron visit to Kenya
• One Planet summit in Nairobi, Kenya
• Nigeria’s newly elected legislators to get certificates from electoral body
• South Africa’s state capture inquiry continues
• South Africa’s PIC inquiry continues
• South Africa manufacturing production data for Jan 2019 due [fcst. -0.1% yy, prev. 0.1%]
• South Africa mining production data for Jan 2019 due [act. -3.3% yy, fcst. -5.5%, prev. -4.8%]

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

• Athletics – Kenya, Ethiopia urge IAAF not to cut Diamond League races
• More people die after Nigeria building collapse – emergency agency official
• Ethiopia crash black boxes arrive in Paris for analysis
• South Africa’s Eskom to implement power cuts due to generation shortfall
• Families of Ethiopia plane disaster victims visit crash site
• Airbus, Ethiopian Airlines discussing new plane deal – French official
• South African rand weaker before manufacturing, mining data
• Lion on the lam locked-up in South Africa jail
• In Kenya push, France seals business deals worth over 2 bln euros
• South Africa MTN aims to expand local shareholding of its Uganda unit to 20 pct – CEO
• South Africa’s Exxaro Resources FY earnings jump on higher coal prices
• Congo president frees several political prisoners, 700 others
• Egypt closes 4 ports due to bad weather
• South Africa sugar tax to cut industry revenues, prompt reform – USDA
• World Bank to lend Angola $1 bln
• Finland’s Outotec to build 80 mln euro sulphuric acid plant in Morocco
• Mozambique wants govt guarantees on Proindicus debt cancelled – PM
• Uganda accuses Rwanda of imposing trade embargo
• Africa Crude – Tender results awaited, Angolan clears
• Germany says will not analyse Ethiopia Airlines black box
• Zimbabwe doctors say patients dying due to drug, equipment shortages
• Algeria leaders ready to discuss system based on “will of the people”
• Sensing advantage, Algeria protest leaders hike pressure for change
• Sudan’s inflation falls to 44.29 pct y/y in Feb – agency
• Black boxes from Ethiopia crash to be sent to Germany – Ethiopian Airlines spokesman
• Sudan’s Bashir reshuffles cabinet – SUNA
• No bodies, only small remains recovered from Ethiopia Airlines crash site – spokesman
• Algeria’s govt ready for dialogue with opposition – deputy PM
• Army says it will preserve Algeria’s security in all circumstances
• Malawi flooding death toll rises to 56, braced for Cyclone Idai
• In Ivory Coast, organic chocolate made with a bicycle
• France’s BEA not contacted by Ethiopia over black box analysis
• MTN to list Nigeria unit towards April and May – MTN Nigeria CEO
• South Sudan peace deal doomed if disputes not settled – thinktank
• Italy’s Eni makes major oil find in Angola
• Building containing school collapses in Nigeria’s Lagos – emergency agency
• Pilot of crashed Ethiopia Airlines jet reported flight control problems – WSJ
• British body says has not been asked to take Ethiopia black boxes
• Uganda shilling little changed, inclined on weaker side
• South Africa’s business confidence falls for fourth straight quarter
• South Africa’s debt trajectory too high, no buffers for global crisis – cenbank
• Africa e-commerce firm Jumia pushes ahead with New York listing
• Egypt bars Boeing 737 MAX jets from its airspace – statement
• Kenya shilling under pressure against the dollar
• South Africa’s Libstar full-year earnings fall on impairment hit
• Veteran diplomat set to guide Algeria’s transition after protests

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