By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji
Global Markets
- Asia stocks slip, bonds rally on fear China-US trade deal could unravel
- Asia tracks Wall Street’s overnight slide
- MSCI Asia-Pacific index hits lowest since late March
- European stocks futures most lower in early trade
- Risk aversion supports bonds, US 10-yr yield at 1-mth low
- New Zealand cuts interest rates, kiwi weakens
Oil Markets
- Oil rises amid surging China crude imports, US sanctions
- US sanctions have tightened global oil markets
- Sanctions come amid record Chinese oil demand
- Brent up 0.6 pct at $70.31 a barrel (0658GMT)
- WTI up 0.9 pct at $61.96 a barrel
Precious metals
- Gold hits 1-wk high as trade jitters dampen risk appetite
- Indian gold buying seen supporting physical demand
- Spot gold up 0.3 pct at $1,287.73 per ounce (0607GMT)
- US gold futures up 0.3 pct at $1,288 an ounce
Grains
- Soybeans up for 2nd session, US-China trade talks in focus
- Most active CBOT wheat futures up 0.2 pct at $4.40-1/4 per bushel (0110GMT)
- Most active corn futures up 0.3 pct at $3.67-1/2 per bushel
- Most active soy futures up 0.2 pct at $8.32-1/2 per bushel
- Most active rice futures down 0.2 pct at $10.92 per hundredweight
Key African events or data releases today
[Posts & comments at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- 2019 South Africa national & provincial elections today; public holiday
- Nigeria presidential election tribunal inaugural sitting
- 22nd inter-governmental committee of senior officials & experts for West Africa (#ICE2019WA) in Robertsfield, Liberia; 8-10 May
- UNGA president Maria Garces in Nigeria
Key African events or data releases yesterday & early a.m today
[Posted & commented on some headlines below at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- Scandal-hit Steinhoff posts $4 bln operating loss for fiscal 2017
- Kenya shilling weakens due to oil importer demand
- South Africa’s ANC seeks to reverse sliding support in tough election
- Voting begins in South African elections – Reuters witness
- Sudan military rulers want Sharia law to guide legislation under interim govt
- Former head of Ethiopian intelligence charged in absentia
- Ugandan journalists reassigned after govt upset by opposition coverage
- WHO experts recommend ramping up ebola vaccine after Congo cases surge
- Aid workers race to contain cholera outbreak in cyclone-hit Mozambique
- Private property rights at stake in South Africa ballot
- Africa Crude – Angolan dwindles, Nigerian offers steady
- Amid tensions with France, Libya’s Serraj to meet Macron on Wednesday
- Tanzania plans cable car for Mount Kilimanjaro
- Kenya house committee opposes Kenya Airways’ takeover of main airport
- Angola president calls for resolution to fuel crisis
- South Africa’s MTN registers Nigerian business shares before listing
- Gulf pledges offer scant reprieve for Sudan’s economy
- UK soldier killed in counter poaching operation in Malawi – UK defence ministry
- Zimbabwe central bank sees official, black market exchange rates converging in 3 months
- Uganda shilling steady, expected to gain due to tea, coffee inflows
- Egypt expects IMF loan final tranche in July – deputy finmin
- Egypt upholds death sentence for 13 members of disbanded militant group
- MTN Nigeria registers to list 20.4 bln shares at 0.02 naira each
- Egypt’s 9M budget deficit for year to June drops to 5.3 pct of GDP – finmin
- Sudan protesters’ sit-in inspires cultural outpouring
- South African business confidence rise in April on post-election hopes
- Egypt moves to cancel planned increase in stock exchange duty
- MTN met deadline to respond to $2 bln Nigerian tax demand – judge
- Bush fire razes four villages in South Sudan, kills 33
- Egypt spent $3.51 bln on fuel subsidies on first nine months of FY 2018-2019 – minister
- Kenya shilling strengthens, helped by inflows into govt bonds
N.B. Full stories of above headlines are available on Reuters
