By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji
Global Markets
- Asia shares up on policy easing hopes, yuan slips on PBOC signals
- PBoC chief says ample room to ease policy if needed, dollar rises
- China, Hong Kong markets closed for public holiday
- White House denies delay in Mexico tariffs
- US payrolls seen +185k but risks on downside
Oil Markets
- Oil prices extends gains, move further away from 5-mth lows
- Brent up 0.8 pct at $62.17 per barrel (0041GMT)
- WTI up 1 pct at $53.09 per barrel
Precious metals
- Gold set for best week in 2019 on rate cut views; eyes on US jobs data
- Gold up 2.1% so far this week
- Platinum on track for its first weekly gain in 7
- Silver set to post best week in over 4 months
- Spot gold down 0.2 pct at $1,332.31 per ounce (0122GMT)
- US gold futures down 0.4 pct at $1,337 an ounce
Grains
- Wheat dips, but set to finish week up 1 pct
- Most active CBOT wheat futures up about 1 pct for the week
- Most active soybean futures down about 1 pct so far this week
- Most active corn futures down 1.5 pct for the week
Key African events or data releases today
[Posts & comments at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- Liberia June 7 protest
- Ethiopia’s Ahmed in Sudan to mediate political crisis
- Botswana’s Masisi media briefing on return from US trip
- South Africa FX reserves May-19 [act.$48.3B, prev. $49.5B]
- Nigeria Stanbic IBTC PMI May-19 [act. 52.9, prev. 55.5]
- Nigeria releases Q1-2019 trade data
- South Africa state capture inquiry continues
- Zimbabwe national cleanup day
Key African events or data releases yesterday & early a.m today
[Posted & commented on some headlines below at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- Ethiopia PM Abiy in Sudan to meet with chief of military council
- Kenya shilling firm on diaspora remittances inflows
- South Africa rand continues to tumble on central bank worries
- South Africa net foreign reserves slip to $43.18 bln in May
- UN finds 115 mln ‘child grooms’ with CAR topping list
- Eastern Libya forces attack Tripoli airport for second night
- 3 protesters killed in Nigeria’s Adamawa state – sources
- Algeria’s interim president calls for dialogue to prepare new elections
- African bloc suspends Sudan, demanding end to military rule
- 1 in 4 ebola cases undetected in Congo – WHO
- Sierra Leone’s first lady confronted over FGM controversy
- 2 Canadian aid workers kidnapped in central Ghana – police
- UK summons Sudan envoy to raise concerns about Khartoum violence
- Africa Oil – Trading muted on IOC tender, Angolan cargoes dwindle
- South Africa’s ANC insists policy on central bank role has not changed
- Malawi police use tear gas as opposition protests grow
- Soccer – CAF president Ahmad questioned by French authorities
- South African current account deficit widens to 2.9% of GDP in Q1 2019
- AU suspends Sudan from its activities till civilian govt formed
- Mali plans 9.4% budget increase for 2020 to deal with security issues
- Sudan crackdown highlights role of feared paramilitary unit – Amnesty
- Nigeria petroleum regulator revokes six oil block licenses
- Egypt forces kill 14 suspected militants after checkpoint attack
- Kenya’s ‘stabilising hand’ c.bank chief gets second term
- Uganda shilling trades weaker on importer demand
- South Africa’s rand falls as ANC squabbles over central bank
- Kenya president renews central bank governor’s term – govt gazette
N.B. Full stories of above headlines are available on Reuters
