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 2^nd 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
• 22^nd 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