By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji
Global Markets
- Asian stocks retreat from 8-mth high as Trump opens new trade war front
- Trump threatens tariffs on EU over long-simmering aircraft row
- IMF cuts global economic outlook, weighs on sentiment
- Crude oil prices near 5-mth high
Oil Markets
- Oil rises amid OPEC supply cuts, US sanctions
- Brent up 0.3 pct at $70.83 per barrel (0056GMT)
- WTI up 0.3 pct at $64.26 per barrel
Precious metals
- Gold trades near 2-wk high on US-EU trade tensions
- Spot gold down 0.1 pct at $1,303.14 per ounce (0110GMT)
- US gold futures down 0.1 pct at $1,307.60 an ounce
Grains
- Wheat eases for 5th session on supply pressure
- Most active CBOT wheat futures down 0.3 pct at $4.58-1/4 per bushel (0108GMT)
- Most active corn futures up 0.2 pct at $3.60-3/4 per bushel
- Most active soy futures up about 0.1 pct at $8.99-1/4 per bushel
- Most active rice futures unchanged at $10.29 per hundredweight
Key African events or data releases today
[Posts & comments at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- Bank of Namibia MPC decision [fcst. 6.75%, prev. 6.75%]
- Kenya’s Kenyatta in Mauritius for 4-day state visit
- South Africa PIC inquiry continues; Holomisa to be cross-examined
- South Africa’s EFF Malema press conference
- South Africa’s Ramaphosa officiates Nissan expansion announcement ceremony
- South Africa SACCI business confidence for Mar-19 [act. 91.8, prev. 93.4]
Key African events or data releases yesterday & early a.m today
[Posted & commented on some headlines below at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- Kenya shilling gains ground, helped by remittances
- Nissan South Africa to invest $213 mln to build new Navara model
- Refugees in Egypt struggle to live as economic hardships deepen
- South Africa rand retreats slightly from near 6-wk best
- Egypt’s annual urban consumer price inflation eases to 14.2 pct in March – capmas
- Trump praises Egypt’s Sisi despite concerns about human rights, Russian arms
- Algeria interim president promises free elections
- Algeria authorities expel AFP bureau chief, news agency says
- Zimbabwe seeks $613 mln aid from donors after drought, cyclone
- Suffering grows from Libya conflict, migrants moved
- Sudan opposition says around 20 killed since sit-in began
- Africa Crude – Nigerian crude nearly clear for April, Angolan for May
- Libya’s NOC discusses with oil firms security at oil facilities – statement
- Congo ebola outbreak ‘far from contained’, US aid chief says
- UN says to hold Libya’s national conference as soon as possible
- Nigeria parliament recommends tax rise on luxury goods
- Senior Sudan protest organiser calls for sit-in to continue
- Uganda makes arrests in kidnap of American tourist and her guide
- Sudan must deliver credible plan for transition – UK, US and Norway
- UN Libya mission stays in Libya but reduces staffing levels
- Carrefour Kenya targets number 2 retail banking this year, franchisee says
- IMF trims South Africa’s economic growth forecast to 1.2 pct
- Sudan police told not to confront peaceful gatherings – spokesman
- Nigeria’s twin town ponders cause of multiple births
- Tunisia’s trade deficit rises to $1.33 bln in first quarter
- Congo president turned down predecessor’s PM pick – sources
- Uganda shilling steady, to ease due to dollar demand from energy firms
- Algeria’s parliament appoints Abdelkader Bensalah as interim president – witness
- South Africa’s carbon tax could cost Amplats $21 mln a year from 2021 – CEO
- Kenya shilling weakens on demand from energy sector
- Drought will drag down Kenya’s 2019 economic growth, World Bank says
- Malawi 2018/19 maize output up 24 pct, minimal effect from cyclone Idai – minister
- Kenya central bank says to hold rate-setting meeting on May 27
N.B. Full stories of above headlines are available on Reuters
