By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji
Global Markets
- Asian stocks rally as China’s factory bounce lifts confidence
- MSCI Asia-Pacific index up 1 pct, Nikkei up more than 2 pct
- Spreadbetters expect European stocks to open higher
- Upbeat China PMI data improves investor risk sentiment
- Dollar rises as Brexit saga takes toll on pound
Oil Markets
- Oil prices rise on supply worries, extend strong Q1 gains
- Brent up 1 pct at $68.22 per barrel (0606GMT)
- WTI up 0.7 pct at $60.57 a barrel
Precious metals
- Gold slips as positive China data boosts risk assets
- Gold specs raise net long positions for 2nd week
- Global gold demand will rise to 4-yr high in 2019 – Metals Focus
- Spot gold down 0.2 pct at $1,290.01 per ounce (0750GMT)
- US gold futures down 0.3 pct at $1,294.80 an ounce
Grains
- Corn ticks up after deep losses; abundant supplies cap gains
- Most active CBOT wheat futures up 0.1 pct at $4.58-1/4 per bushel (0124GMT)
- Most active corn futures up 0.6 pct at $3.58-1/2 per bushel
- Most active soy futures up 0.3 pct at $8.87-1/4 per bushel
- Most active rice futures up about 0.1 pct at $10.86 per hundredweight
Key African events or data releases today
[Posts & comments at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- Ghana interest rate decision [fcst. 15.0%, prev. 16.0%]
- 4th annual meeting of NDB in Cape Town, South Africa
- Senegal’s Sall inauguration; Gambia’s Barrow attending
- Trial of Nigeria’s suspended chief justice Onnoghen continues
- South Africa state capture and PIC inquries resume
- South Africa total new vehicle sales for Mar-19 [prev. 43.251K]
Key African events or data releases over the weekend & early a.m today
[Posted & commented on some headlines below at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- South African rand firms after Moody’s delays rating review
- Algeria’s president might resign this week – private TV channels
- Sudan police disperse ‘illegal gatherings’ – state news agency
- Algeria’s Bouteflika names new caretaker govt
- Algeria’s presidency relieves many ministers of their duties – Ennahar TV
- Egypt’s M2 money supply growth slows to 11.55 pct y/y in Feb – cbank
- Egypt holds price of 95-octane petrol through Q2 – ministry
- Athletics – New Diamond League won’t disadvantage African athletes – IAAF
- Tunisia leader says Arab Summit should send message on Palestinian state
- Algeria businessman with ties to Bouteflika arrested at border
- South Africa fuel prices to jump almost 9 pct in Apr
- Libya’s rival leaders could overcome army control dispute – UN sec. gen
- Ebola treatment centre in Congo reopens after attack
- Algeria army repeats call to declare president unfit for office
- Libya holds municipal elections in first vote for five years
- South Africa’s Denel may wind down manufacturing for Airbus A400M
- Tunisia says UN official arrested in anti-terrorism probe – agency
- Egypt’s Sisi raises minimum wage to 2,000 EGP from 1,200, to help assuage economic hardships
- Egypt shuts 3 ports due to bad weather
- 30 men sentenced for Egypt church attack plot
- Teenage African migrants accused of hijacking tanker after sea rescue
- Burundi bans BBC and suspends Voice of America, activists cry foul
- Tunisia delays presidential elections by 1 wk to Nov 17
- Cholera cases jump to 138 in Mozambique’s Beira after cyclone
- Moody’s delays publishing South Africa ratings review
- Tunisia says it will coordinate Arab response to US move on Golan
- At least 3 dead in gunfight in Comoros after opposition moves to unseat president
- Libya’s El Sharara oil field output hit 280k barrels on Thursday – engineer
- Hundreds of thousands march against Algeria’s Bouteflika
- Congo registers 15 new ebola cases in one day
- Algeria authorities deny Algiers protest drew 1 mln demonstrators
- Anti-stall system active before Ethiopian 737 MAX crash – sources
- Mali arrests five suspects in killing of 157 villagers
- Gambia ex-president Jammeh stole at least $362 mln – govt
- Police fire rubber bullets at protesters in Algiers, Algeria
- Botswana economy grows at faster pace in fourth quarter of 2018
- US Trump to host Egypt’s Sisi on April 9 – White House
- Algeria police use water cannons against demonstrators
- Tunisia arrests UN official working on Libya arms embargo – UN
- Hundreds of thousands of Algerians call for Bouteflika’s resignation
- Kenya orders closure of Dadaab refugee camp this year, according to leaked UN document
- Congo president allows senators to take office, ending feud with predecessor’s camp
- Kingmaker once more, Algeria’s army confronts demand for real change
- South Africa records 4 bln rand trade balance surplus in February
- Kenya inflation rises to 4.35 pct y/y in March
- Emerging market debt sales shrink as window for new issues threatens to shut
- Egypt releases prominent activist after five years in prison
- Zimbabwe has up to 7 months supply of grain, after drought damage – official
- Kenya shilling steady versus the dollar, horticulture inflows help
- Homicide trial of Zuma’s son over 2014 fatal car crash will go ahead – court
- South Africa Feb credit demand growth slows to 6.03 pct y/y
- South Africa on edge before Moody’s rating review amid power crisis
N.B. Full stories of above headlines are available on Reuters