By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji

Global Markets

• Asian shares slip from 6-mth high ahead of Fed policy decision
• Ex-Japan Asia down 0.4 pct; Japan flat, China up
• Fed seen cutting rate projections, unveiling end of QT

Oil Markets

• Oil prices pressured by economic slowdown, but OPEC cuts support
• Brent down 0.1 pct at $67.55 a barrel (0432GMT)
• WTI down 0.2 pct at $58.92 a barrel

Precious metals

• Gold eases on firm dollar; markets await Fed guidance
• Spot gold down 0.1 pct at $1,304.85 per ounce (0428GMT)
• US gold futures down 0.2 pct at $1,304.60 an ounce

Grains

• Soybeans fall on concerns over slow pace of trade talks
• Most active CBOT wheat futures down 0.1 pct at $4.56 per bushel (0132GMT)
• Most active corn futures up about 0.1 pct at $3.71-1/2 per bushel
• Most active soy futures down 0.3 pct at $9.01-1/4 per bushel
• Most active rice futures up 0.4 pct at $10.82 per hundredweight

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

• Ethiopia’s Abiy Ahmed in Qatar
• Bank of Ghana MPC meeting starts
• South Africa inflation for Feb-19 expected [fcst. 3.3% yy, prev. 4.0%]
• South Africa retail sales for Jan-19 expected [fcst. 2.8% yy, prev. -1.4%]
• South Africa state capture inquiry continues
• South Africa PIC inquiry continues

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

• Growing pains in Ethiopia: film spotlights hidden cost of urban growth
• Over 200 dead in Mozambique after Cyclone Idai, millions hit
• Tunisia forces kill 3 Islamic State militants near Algeria border
• Burkina Faso’s Onatel 2018 net profits rise 12.5 pct
• Angola’s Isabel dos Santos reappointed to Unitel board
• With photos, Kenyans say #WeCannotIgnore mln hungry people
• African Crude – Asian demand seen slowing, Nigerian programmes awaited
• Morocco keeps benchmark interest rate unchanged at 2.25 pct
• South Africa’s rand steadies, investors eye Fed meeting
• Thousands demonstrate in Algiers as protest leaders tell army to stay away
• Egypt, Nissan agree to produce 100,000 cars a year – minister
• Zimbabwe seeks to raise $350 mln selling shares in state firms
• Morocco to issue two international bonds in 2019 and 2020 – cenbank
• Air strike kills four people in Somalia – relatives
• 2 killed in accident at Glencore’s Zambia mine
• Ex-CEO, 7 others responsible for Steinhoff fraud, new CEO tells lawmakers
• Robots compete with child jockeys in Egypt camel races
• Lenders and travellers stick with Ethiopian Airlines, for now
• No end in sight for South Africa power cuts
• Morocco’s BCP 2018 net profit up 3.5 pct
• South African watchdog demands Steinhoff produce report about fraud – CEO
• Gunmen kill 5 miners in Ethiopia, TV says foreigners among dead
• IMF urges South Sudan to stop taking oil-backed loans
• UN says 1.7 mln in path of cyclone in Mozambique
• Algeria’s Bouteflika will hand over power to elected president – Lamamra
• Morocco’s Attijariwafa Bank reports 3.4 pct rise in 2018 net profit
• At least 10 migrants died when their boat sank off Libya coast – official
• Uganda shilling steady, expected to firm due to inflows from charities
• Uganda investigates UN food aid after 3 die, police say
• Egypt targets budget deficit of 7.2 pct, GDP growth of 6.1 pct in FY 19/20 – minister
• Algeria protest leaders tell army to stay out of politics
• IMF mission to visit Tunisia next week to discuss fifth review of loan
• Ethiopia crash investigators return home after reviewing black box data – sources
• Zimbabwe finim sees inflation below 10 pct by year-end
• Kenya shilling weakens against dollar amid increased demand from importers
• Kenya Re sees 25 pct dive in full-year net earnings

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