By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji
Global Markets
- Asian shares off 5-wk low, remain fragile amid US-China trade tensions
- Nikkei falls as markets reopen after 10-day break
- Spreadbetters expect softer open for European shares
- Lighthizer: China reneged on commitments; e-mini futures slip
- US-China talks to continue this week; Chinese VP due to attend
Oil Markets
- Oil mixed as US-China trade war drags on prices, while sanctions keep markets tense
- Brent down 12 cents at $71.12 per barrel (0710GMT)
- WTI up 5 cents at $62.30 per barrel
Precious metals
- Gold gains as risk appetite dips on Trump’s tariff threat
- SPDR gold holdings at lowest since Oct. 11
- Spot gold up 0.2 pct at $1,283.41 per ounce (0731GMT)
- US gold futures up 0.1 pct at $1,284.50 an ounce
Grains
- Soybeans fall for 8th session on renewed US-China trade tensions
- Most active CBOT wheat futures down 0.8 pct at $4.33-3/4 per bushel (0156GMT)
- Most active corn futures unchanged at $3.64-1/4 per bushel
- Most active soy futures down 0.2 pct at $8.28-1/2 per bushel
- Most active rice futures up 0.3 pct at $10.73 per hundredweight
Key African events or data releases today
[Posts & comments at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- 2019 Elephants summit in Kasane, Botswana
- Nigerian Senate resumes
- Nigeria’s Buhari to meet visiting UN general assembly president
- Special voting in 2019 South African elections continues (6-7 May); main vote on 8 May
- South Africa state capture inquiry continues
- South Africa SACC business confidence Apr-19 [prev. 91.8]
Key African events or data releases yesterday & early a.m today
[Posted & commented on some headlines below at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- MTN met deadline to respond to $2 bln Nigerian tax demand – judge
- Bush fire razes four villages in South Sudan, kills 33
- South Africa’s rand steady with elections bets balanced
- Egypt spent $3.51 bln on fuel subsidies in first nine months of FY 2018-2019 – minister
- Kenyan shilling strengthens, helped by inflows into govt bonds
- Bombardier to be supplied by Morocco plant after sale – minister
- Sudan forces seize weapons, including explosives belts – agency
- US refiners tap Iraq, West Africa and Brazil for scarce crude supplies
- Cameroon has brief window to try to halt violence – UN rights chief
- Niger fuel tanker blast kills at least 55
- Two more swine fever outbreaks detected in South Africa
- Egypt sells $1 bln in 1-yr dolla t-bills – central bank
- Nigeria police accused of abusing prostitution suspects
- Nigeria’s Nembe oil pipeline hit by shutdown, protests
- South Sudan agrees oil exploration deal with South Africa
- ICC will no longer refer Jordan to UN for failure to arrest Sudan’s Bashir
- Nigeria stock exchange receives MTN listing application, regulator says
- As elections loom, South Africans call for faster land reform
- Protesters block Aiteo’s Nembe oil facility in Nigeria
- Kenya’s KCB Group looks to buy banks in Rwanda, DRC – CEO
- Kosmos Energy plans to sell down interest in Mauritania-Senegal basin
- Kenya shilling firms, helped by remittances
N.B. Full stories of above headlines are available on Reuters
