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