By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji
Global Markets
- Dollar dips ahead of US GDP print, shares subdued
- Dollar slips from 23-mth highs
- US GDP data awaited
- Global stocks flat, European markets open mixed
- Gold firms 0.4 pct
Oil Markets
- Oil dips but set for longest run of weekly gains in years in tense market
- Prices up about 40 pct in 2019 on OPEC cuts, US sanctions
- Russian oil quality concerns add to tight market
- Saudi Arabia expected to raise output to fill supply gap
- Oil prices to rise amid tight market, political tension – FGE
- Brent down 0.3 pct at $74.16 per barrel (0647GMT)
- WTI down 0.5 pct at $64.91 per barrel
Precious metals
- Gold eyes first weekly gain since March as growth concerns linger
- Spot gold up 0.1 pct at $1,278.62 per ounce (0105GMT)
- US gold futures up 0.1 pct at $1,280.60 an ounce
Grains
- Soybeans set for third straight weekly drop as bumper stocks weigh
- Most active CBOT wheat futures up 0.3 pct at $4.42-3/4 per bushel (0051GMT)
- Most active corn futures up 0.3 pct at $3.58-1/4 per bushel
- Most active soy futures largely unchanged at $8.59 per bushel
- Most active rice futures unchanged at $10.42 per hundredweight
Key African events or data releases today
[Posts & comments at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- World Bank’s Malpass in Africa this weekend; Madagascar, Ethiopia, Mozambique and Egypt
- Nigeria manufacturing PMI for Apr-19 [prev. 57.4]
- China Belt & Road Initiative forum underway in Beijing; Kenya & Ethiopia leaders attending
- Guinea’s Conde in Ivory Coast
- Uganda’s Museveni on state visit to Zimbabwe
- Zimbabwe international trade fair in Bulawayo; Uganda’s Museveni attending
- South Africa national freedom day tomorrow (27 Apr); Ramaphosa already in Eastern Cape on campaign trail ahead of commemoration
- South Africa’s Malema of the EFF on campaign trail in Northwest
- Nigeria Q3 2018 labour statistics expected
Key African events or data releases yesterday & early a.m today
[Posted & commented on some headlines below at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- Thousands protest against Algeria’s ruling elite
- Emerging market stocks dip, debt markets stabilise
- Cyclone leaves trail of destruction across Mozambique
- Uganda shilling weakens on demand from banks, importers
- South Africa’s Pick n Pay posts 18 pct jump in full year earnings
- South Africa’s Implats says Q3 platinum output up
- South Africa’s rand strengthens slightly ahead of US growth data
- Sierra Leone’s fishing ban to replenish stocks yields little
- IMF’s Lagarde says China’s Belt and Road should only go where sustainable
- World Bank’s new president skips China’s Belt and Road for Africa trip
- ‘Better to kill us’: Ethiopian residents fear evictions from satellite towns
- Libya – Migrants evacuated as confident Tripoli fighters tell Haftar: ‘We are coming’
- Morocco police use water cannon to disperse teacher protest
- Lucara finds largest uncut diamond in recent history in Botswana mine
- Cyclone Kenneth hits Mozambique after lashing Comoros
- Death toll in South Africa floods and mudslides rise over 70
- Huge crowds join sit-in outside Sudan’s defence ministry
- Africa Oil – Sonangol sells out of spot cargoes but offers too high for some buyers
- Athletics – Semenya wins 5,000m gold at South African Championships
- Ivory Coast bank assets rise 15 pct in 2018
- Algeria’s Sonatrach, Eni sign MOU to renew gas supply contract to Italy
- South Africa’s Sibanye-Stillwater lowers valuation for miner Lonmin
- Sudan’s ruling military council will retain “sovereign authority” – spokesman
- Mixed end-month outlook for African currencies
- Violence flares in northern Kenya as pressure mounts on villagers
- Tunisia police switch off broadcasts of private TV station
- Picture-perfect Congo ranger’s gorilla selfie goes viral
- ExxonMobil increases its exploration acreage offshore Namibia
- Sudan judges to march in Khartoum – judge
- Uganda mum of multiple quadruplets struggles to provide for 38 kids
- Kenya ready to issue new eurobond to refinance maturing bond
- Kenya economy to grow at least 6 pct in 2019, finmin says
- Sudan may face counter coup if no accord on transition – opposition leader
- Malawi telecoms company TNM’s 2018 profit up 27 pct
- Cyclone Kenneth batters Comoros as heads to Mozambique, Tanzania
- Kenya shilling holds steady amid importer demand
- Kenya’s economic growth rebounds to 6.3 pct in 2018 – stats office
- Output at South Africa’s Amplats hit by Eskom power cuts
N.B. Full stories of above headlines are available on Reuters
