By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji
Global Markets
- Stocks climb trade, rate cut optimism; yuan falters
- Shares climb after Trump scraps Mexico tariffs
- European markets move higher, US stocks futures up
- Weak US payrolls data bolsters Fed rate cut expectations
- Yuan at late-2018 lows; China’s May imports disappoint
Oil Markets
- Oil steady with supply tight, but US-China trade war threatens demand
- China’s May crude imports dip from record highs
- Saudi Arabia says ongoing supply cuts likely
- Brent up 0.2 pct at $63.42 per barrel (0850GMT)
- WTI up 0.4 pct at $54.19 per barrel
Precious metals
- Gold drops from 14-mth high as US-Mexico deal lifts risk assets
- Speculators raised net gold longs in week to June 4 – CFTC
- Spot gold down 0.9 pct at $1,328.41 per ounce (0952GMT)
- US gold futures down 1.1 pct at $1,331.9 an ounce
Grains
- Corn, soybeans fall as weather allows more US plantings
- Expectations of planting progress weigh on corn, beans
- Wheat falls for 2nd session, tracking losses in corn futures
- Most active CBOT corn contract down 0.7 pct at $4.13 a bushel (1127GMT)
- Most active soybean contract down 0.5 pct at $8.51-3/4 per bushel
- Most active wheat contract down 1.5 pct at $4.97 a bushel
Key African events or data releases today
[Posts & comments at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- Nigeria presidential election tribunal resumes
- Ethiopia parliament to approve telecoms liberalisation law
- South Africa’s Ramaphosa in Geneva for ILO summit
- AfDB meetings in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea; 11-14 Jun
- South Africa state capture 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]
- China ready for trade talks with East Africa bloc – ambassador to Kenya
- Subsidise solar mini-grids to power rural Africa, investors urge
- Nigeria’s securities regulator suspends Oando’s annual shareholder meeting
- Tanzania central bank cuts reserve requirement to lift lending
- Egypt headline inflation rises as food costs jump
- Moody’s lowers South African growth forecast after Q1 slump
- Soccer – Iheanacho dropped by Nigeria for Cup of Nations
- Moody’s says South Africa Q1 GDP contraction credit negative
- Kenya shilling firms, supported by diaspora remittances inflows
- South African rand starts week on stronger footing
- Egypt annual headline inflation rises to 14.1% in May
- Shutting up shop: Libya conflict squeezes southern Tunisia
- ‘We want water’ say residents as Abidjan grows drier
- Egypt non-oil private-sector activity contracts after brief growth
- 2 Lebanese workers kidnapped in Nigeria’s Rivers state
- 2 Sudan rebel leaders arrested after meeting Ethiopia PM – sources
- Thousands protest in Liberia against corruption, economic decline
- As violence rages, Cameroon govt in denial, HRW says
- Ethiopia attempts to mediate Sudan crisis after bloodshed
- New app seeks to reunite South Sudan’s ‘lost children’ with families
- Sudan opposition says it accepts Ethiopia PM as mediator under conditions
- Africa Oil – Nigerian diffs ease but buyers remain elusive
- Zimbabwe president says new currency a must by year-end
- UAE senior official supports investigation of “massacre” in Sudan
- South Africa Airways requests urgent state funding as it appoints interim CEO
- African soccer boss free after corruption questioning
- ‘You all go’ – thousands of Algerians demonstrate for political reforms
- Activists urge banks not to finance Uganda oil pipeline
- Ethiopia parliament to approve telecoms liberalisation law
- South Africa carrier SAA says 4 bln rand govt bailout would ease liquidity crunch
- Uganda shilling trades unchanged as importers trim demand
- Kenya shilling firm on diaspora remittances inflows
- South Africa’s net foreign reserves slip to $43.18 bln in May
N.B. Full stories of above headlines are available on Reuters