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 8^th 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