By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji
Global Markets
- Asia shares tumble as Hong Kong unrest, Argentine peso crash unnerve investors
- Hong Kong protests unsettle markets
- Sentiment already weak due to US-China trade war
- Risk-off trades supports safe-haven assets
Oil Markets
- Oil prices edge down as traders weigh slowing demand against supply curbs
- Brent down 0.2% at $58.46 a barrel (0108GMT)
- WTI down 0.2% at $54.81
Precious metals
- Gold firms near 6-yr peak on risk-off sentiment
- Spot gold up 0.3% at $1,515.21/oz. (0116GMT)
- US gold futures up 0.5% at $1,525.10
Grains
- Chicago corn prices fall near 3-mth low on US crop outlook
- Most active CBOT wheat futures down 0.4% at $4.70 per bushel (0011GMT)
- Most active corn futures down 2% at $3.85 per bushel
- Most active soy futures down 0.1% at $8.78-1/4 per bushel
- Most active rice futures nearly unchanged at $11.57 per hundredweight
Key African events or data releases today
[Posts & comments at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- Botswana’s Masisi working visit to Angola
- Ghana Karpowership to be off power grid (up to 17 days) during move to Western Region in 13-16 Aug
- Guinea’s Conde cultural visit to Nigeria continues
- 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]
- Scientists hail promise of first effective ebola treatments in Congo trial
- Congo Republic oil find could quadruple national output – company
- Africa Oil – Indian tender helps mop up Nigerian overhang
- South Africa’s rand slips to near 11-mth worst as local politics weigh
- South Africa’s Absa bank says has found new CEO, to be named in due course
- South Africa’s Northam Platinum expects FY profits to rise by over 100%
- Geneve prosecutors indict billionaire Steinmetz in Guinea corruption case
- Congo trial of ebola treatments switches to focus on two drugs
- Uganda shilling unchanged amid some commodity flows, flat importer demand
- ‘Green gold’: Kenya farmers abandon food crops to grow herbal stimulant
- South Africa’s Ramaphosa wins latest round of legal fight with anti-corruption watchdog
- South Africa’s rand weaker as local politics weigh
N.B. Full stories of above headlines are available on Reuters