By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji
Global Markets
- Asia shares falter, bonds rally on global risk aversion
- MSCI ex-Japan off 0.5%, Chinese blue-chip index down
- E-minis for S&P 500 fall 0.4%
- US treasury yields at the lowest since Sep 2017
Oil Markets
- Oil prices fall as economic concerns outweigh supply risks
- Brent down 0.4 pct at $69.85 per barrel (0101GMT)
- WTI down 0.7 pct at $58.70 per barrel
Precious metals
- Gold steady as global economy fears buoy safe-haven assets
- Spot gold unchanged at $1,279.12 per ounce (0123GMT)
- US gold futures up 0.2 pct at $1,279.70 an ounce
Grains
- Corn futures jump to 3-yr high as US farmers struggle to plant
- Most active CBOT wheat futures up 2.3 pct at $5.16-1/4 per bushel (0131GMT)
- Most active corn futures up 3.0 pct at $4.32-3/4 per bushel
- Most active soy futures up 2.7 pct at $8.79 per bushel
- Most active rice futures unchanged at $11.65 per hundredweight
Key African events or data releases today
[Posts & comments at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- Nigeria’s Buhari inauguration
- South Africa’s Ramamphosa cabinet awaited
- Tanzania’s Magufuli in Zimbabwe
- Odinga ally Wetangula to questioned by Kenya DCI over fake gold scam
- 2019 Euromoney East Africa Conference in Nairobi, Kenya; CBK governor Njoroge speaker
- South Africa PIC inquiry continues
- South Africa state capture inquiry continues
Key African events or data releases yesterday & early a.m today
[Posted & commented on some headlines below at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- South Africa’s Naspers to list consumer internet business on Euronext in July
- Top militant suspect transferred to Egypt from eastern Libya – state TV
- Sudan’s opposition observes first day of strike, military says communication not suspended
- WHO counts down Africa polio clock despite fears of new outbreak
- Don’t take our troops for granted, France warns West African states
- Algeria’s gas exports fall to 51.5 bln cubic metres in 2018
- East Congo villagers kill ebola health worker, loot clinic
- Morocco miner Managem says it retrieved gold seized by Sudan authorities
- South Africa’s rand slumps to 2-mth low low as Mabuza sworn in to parliament
- Africa Oil – Nigerian crude offered at high differentials
- Tanzania says construction of LNG plant to start in 2022
- Mariners set to strike at South African ports from Thursday
- Algeria to seek “good compromise” over Total’s Anadarko deal – minister
- Rights group accuses Egypt forces of war crimes in Sinai
- Bombardier consortium named preferred bidder for $3.4 bln Egypt monorail
- South African deputy president surivives “disrepute” accusation
- Tanzania, Zambia plan $1.5 bln oil products pipeline – Tanzania minister
- Malawi’s Mutharika calls for unity after fractious presidential election
- Algeria’s annual inflation slightly down to 4 pct in April
- Egypt could cut taxes for stock exchange investors – bourse chairman
- Kenya need to begin reorganising debt, room for borrowing has shrunk – central bank chief
- Sudan’s opposition observes first day of strike
- Zambia to cancel, delay more project loans as debt soars – finmin
- Egypt considering selling power plants to private investors – minister
- Northwest Nigeria violence drives 20,000 into Niger – UNHCR
- South Africa – Lonmin shareholders approve takeover by Sibanye-Stillwater
- Nigeria to reduce JV oil assets to 40 pct in 2019 – budget document
- MTN to open ‘market place’ in step towards Africa’s biggest bank goal
- WHO sees high risk as polio breaks out in CAR
- Uganda’s tungsten mine sues International Tin Association for defamation
- Airtel Africa looks at $1 bln London listing
- Kenya shilling forecast to weaken due to oil importer dollar demand
- Delayed rains to lower Kenya’s expected growth in 2019 – cenbank chief
- South Africa’s rand falls as trade war concerns hurt sentiment
- South Africa’s MTN to sell interest in Amadeus to HarbourVest for $83 mln
- Kenya engages World Bank for $750 mln loan for budget support
N.B. Full stories of above headlines are available on Reuters
