By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji
Global Markets
- Asia stocks inch up but gains capped by fresh Sino-US trade worries
- MSCI APAC ex-Japan up 0.2% but still down 2.3% for week
- Report on Huawei licenses casts new shadow on US-China trade war
- US treasury yields rise
- Oil jumps on hopes of more OPEC cuts; Gold holds near 6 yr high
Oil Markets
- Oil prices rise on expectations of more OPEC output cuts
- Brent up 0.4% at $57.61 a barrel (0009GMT)
- WTI up 0.5% at $52.79 a barrel
Precious metals
- Gold firms above $1,500/oz., on track for second weekly rise
- Spot gold up 0.3% at $1,504.22 per ounce (0124GMT)
- US gold futures up 0.4% at $1,515.10 /oz.
Grains
- Corn, soybeans set for weekly gains ahead of USDA report
- Most active CBOT wheat futures down 0.2% at $4.97-3/4 per bushel (0109GMT)
- Most active corn futures down 0.1% at $4.17-3/4 per bushel
- Most active soy futures up 0.1% at $8.83-1/2 per bushel
- Most active rice futures unchanged at $11.36 per hundredweight
Key African events or data releases today
[Posts & comments at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- Kenya’s Kenyatta on Carribean tour
- South Africa’s national women day 2019; Ramaphosa to give speech in NorthWest province
Key African events or data releases yesterday & early a.m today
[Posted & commented on some headlines below at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- Egypt identifies perpetrator behind Monday’s hospital car bombing
- Zimbabwe’s Mnangagwa fires minister for “inappropriate behaviour” after corruption charge
- Uganda says starts its largest-ever ebola vaccine trial
- Libya restarts production at El Sharara oilfield – engineers
- Gunmen kill family of seven in restive Ethiopia state
- South Africa’s rand hits new 11-mth low, stocks firm
- Sudan’s annual inflation rate climbs to 52.59% in July
- African Oil – Nigerian August cargoes set to clear
- Uganda to register, monitor social media influencers
- Nigeria’s huge Dangote oil refinery delayed until end of 2020
- South Africa puts initial universal healthcare cost at $17 bln
- Congo copper output rises 12.5% in Jan-June – central bank
- African telecoms group MTN says divestment plan on track after first-half sales
- Zambian currency seen bearish, Nigeria, Kenya and Uganda’s stable
- Ethiopia grants first financial services license to foreign firm
- Central African Republic sees sharp decline in violence
- Glencore Zambia unit closes 2 mine shafts; opposition sees 1,400 job cuts
- Egypt’s unemployment rate falls to 7.5% in Q2 2019
- Kenya regulator says shareholders will decide if bank merger goes ahead
- South Africa’s Ramaphosa wins court case against anti-graft watchdog
- Egypt headline inflation slows to 4-yr low of 8.7% in July
- Standard Bank to look at West Africa expansion
- Kenya’s KCB takeover of National Bank requires 75% acceptance – regulator
- South Africa’s manufacturing down 3.2% y/y in June
- Uganda shilling weakens a touch on uptick in interbank demand
- Kenya shilling holds steady against the dollar
- South Africa – Sibanye-Stillwater flags improved operating performance
- South Africa’s Standard Bank first-half earnings rise 5%
- Seeking to save money, Sierra Leone village gives up FGM
N.B. Full stories of above headlines are available on Reuters
