By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji

Global Markets

• Stocks, yuan fall as Sino-US trade talks deadlocked; investors await China retaliation
• Trump-Xi talks likely at G20 summit in June: White House advisor
• Major currencies calm for the moment; Bitcoin at 9-mth highs

Oil Markets

• Oil prices fall amid US-China trade impasse
• Brent down 0.2 pct at $70.49 a barrel (0013GMT)
• WTI down 0.4 pct at $61.31 a barrel

Precious metals

• Gold firms as US-China trade impasse fuels safe-haven demand
• Spot gold up 0.1 pct at $1,286.59 per ounce (0113GMT)
• US gold futures steady at $1,287.90 an ounce

Grains

• Soybeans fall to more than 10-yr low on US-China trade woes
• Most active CBOT wheat futures down 0.6 pct at $4.22-1/4 per bushel (0100GMT)
• Most active corn futures down 0.4 pct at $3.50-1/4 per bushel
• Most active soy futures down 0.6 pct at $8.04-1/2 per bushel
• Most active rice futures up 0.4 pct at $11.03 per hundredweight

Key African events or data releases today
[Posts & comments at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]

• South Africa’s ruling ANC to hold special NEC meeting in Pretoria today
• South Africa’s DA federal executives to meet today
• South Africa labour statistics on 14 May
• South Africa PIC inquiry resumes
• South Africa state capture inquiry resumes on 15 May
• South Africa retail sales data for Mar-19 on 15 May

Key African events or data releases over the weekend & early a.m today
[Posted & commented on some headlines below at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]

• Voice of resilience: Kenyan radio builds herders’ trust in drought insurance
• South Africa’s Vodacom FY down 6.6% on black ownership deal
• Soccer-US beat South Africa beat 3-0 in Women’s World Cup warm-up
• Egypt condemns actions against four ships near UAE territorial waters
• South Africa’s ANC celebrates election win with street party
• Egypt sentences two to death over church attack
• ANC keeps power in South Africa but scandals cost it votes
• South Africa’s ANC wins majority in parliamentary election – electoral commission
• South Africa’s Ramaphosa targets reforms after election win
• Hostages freed in Burkina Faso offer condolences for fallen French commandos
• Provisional results show South Africa’s ANC wins parliamentary election
• Sudan delivers fuel to power stations, has enough flour for June
• Tripoli urges Trump to stop Haftar’s backers meddling in Libya
• Dozens of migrants drown off Tunisia coast after leaving Libya
• Nigeria says ex-president and his oil minister took bribes – court filing
• Glencore’s Zambian unit to close two mine shafts
• UN Security Council calls for ceasefire in Libya
• Congo’s ebola outbreak ‘unlikely’ to be contained unless violence stops
• South Africa rand firms as ANC heads for re-election
• Sudan protesters dig in at sit-in-site during Muslim fasting month
• Namibia women say #MeToo in new movement against sexual violence
• Africa Oil – Buyers elusive for last Angolan cargoes, tighter Iran sanctions loom
• Nigeria bonds rally on central bank governor’s nomination, stocks falter
• Tens of thousands march to demand change in Algeria
• Morocco claims success in reducing illegal migration to Spain
• Kenya arrests 75 tax officials on suspicion of corruption
• Zambia delays receipt of $2.6 bln in loans as debt soars
• Ghana’s Pecan oilfield approval seen by late-Q3 – Aker CEO
• Nigeria militia frees nearly 900 children used in war on Boko Haram – UNICEF
• Two French soldiers killed in rescue of four hostages in West Africa
• Kenyan shilling steady on tight money market liquidity
• Uganda shilling unchanged amid limited activity
• Nigeria bonds, naira rally after central bank governor gets second term nomination – traders
• South Africa’s competition court to rule on Sibanye and Lonmin merger
• Miner Lonmin says delays in Sibanye-Stillwater deal to hurt sales
• After ousting Bashir, Sudna’s activists struggle to loosen military’s grip

N.B. Full stories of above headlines are available on Reuters