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 2^nd 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%]
• 4^th 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