By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji
Global Markets
- Australian, Indian elections boost Asian shares, trade fears ease
- MSCI Asia ex-Japan +0.5%; China blue-chips drag
- Elections lift shares in Australia, India
- Oil up more than 1.3 pct after Saudi minister comments
Oil Markets
- Oil rises after OPEC+ says to keep output cuts, Iran tension rises
- Brent hits highest since late April
- US oil touches nearly 3-wk high
- Brent up 1.3 pct at $73.11 a barrel (0604GMT)
- WTI up 1.1 pct at $63.47 a barrel
Precious metals
- Gold steadies as trade tensions, Iran worries in focus
- Spot gold up 0.1 pct at $1,278.06 per ounce (0137GMT)
- US gold futures up 0.2 pct at $1,278 an ounce
Grains
- Corn jumps more than 1 pct as rains threatens more delays
- Most active CBOT wheat futures up 1.4 pct at $4.71-1/2 per bushel (0119GMT)
- Most active corn futures up 1.3 pct at $3.88-1/4 per bushel
- Most active soy futures up 0.9 pct at $8.29-1/2 per bushel
- Most active rice futures down about 0.1 pct at $11.07 per hundredweight
Key African events or data releases today
[Posts & comments at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- Nigeria central bank MPC meeting starts; decision tomorrow [fcst. 13.5%, prev. 13.5%]
- 4th Ghana CEO summit in Accra; 20-21 May
- Nigeria GDP Q1-2019 [act. 2.0% yy, fcst. 2.3%, prev. 2.4%]
- South Africa state capture inquiry resumes
- South Africa PIC inquiry resumes
Key African events or data releases over the weekend & early a.m today
[Posted & commented on some headlines below at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- Kenya shilling holds firm against the greenback
- Nigeria’s economy grew 2.01% in Q1 2019 – stats office
- South Africa’s Barloworld H1 earnings jump 14%
- South Africa’s rand firmer as risk selloff pauses
- Sudan military and opposition resume talks after street violence
- Explosion targets tourist bus near near Egypt musuem
- Saudi Arabia deposits $250 mln into Sudan’s central bank
- Zimbabwe central bank says it secures $500 mln to ease dollar shortages
- Sudan commander says democratic elections are his goal
- Schwarzenegger struck by flying kick at South Africa sports event
- Malawi’s president makes final plea for re-election in tight race
- Forces loyal to Libya’s UN-backed govt receive military hardware
- Libya’s NOC chief says instability could lead to 95% oil production loss
- Ethiopia starts rationing electricity for homes and industries
- At disaster forum, storm-hit Mozambique says will seek help to build back better
- South Africa’s Sibanye wins final regulatory go-ahead for Lonmin deal
- Zambia’s president insists on tax changes opposed by mining firms
- South Africa power utility Eskom raises $361 mln through loan drawdowns
- Africa Oil – European demand seen higher on crude shortages, high gasoline cracks
- Egypt’s Sisi pardons 560 prisoners
- South Africa’s Ramaphosa appoints head of anti-corruption unit
- IMF: Mozambique debt talks with VTB almost finalised, cyclone hits growth
- Algeria election may be postponed, protests continue
- IMF staff agrees to disburse final $2 bln tranche of Egypt loan
- Acacia Mining says Tanzania mine to be issued environmental protection order
- Uganda shilling inches up as tax payments help
- South Africa’s Sibanye wins final go-ahead for Lonmin deal
- Total CEO says planned buy of Anadarko’s Africa assets ‘perfectly fitting’
N.B. Full stories of above headlines are available on Reuters
