By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji

Global Markets

• Asia stocks rise as stimulus, policy hopes calm nervous investors
• MSCI Asia-Pacific index up 0.25%, Nikkei gains 0.7%
• Equities up amid hopes for German stimulus, China rate steps
• Safe-havens such as US treasuries, yen fall back
• Oil gains along with equities, OPEC still bearish in outlook

Oil Markets

• Oil rises after Saudi oilfield attack, but recession worries cap gains
• Yemen’s Houthi drone attack on Saudi oilfield causes gas fire
• OPEC see bearish oil market for rest of 2019
• US drillers add oil rigs for 1^st week since June – Baker Hughes
• Brent up 0.8% at $59.09 a barrel (0035GMT)
• WTI up 0.7% at $55.26

Precious metals

• Gold prices fall on stronger dollar, equities
• Spot gold down 0.5% at $1,506/oz. (0114GMT)
• US gold futures down 0.4% at $1,517.60

Grains

• Corn prices drop on ample US production
• Most active CBOT wheat futures down 0.8% at $4.73-1/2 per bushel (0117GMT)
• Most active corn futures down 1.3% at $3.75-3/4 per bushel
• Most active soy futures down 0.6% at $8.74-1/2 per bushel
• Most active rice futures unchanged at $11.20 per hundredweight

Key African events or data releases today
[Posts & comments at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]

• Rwanda’s Kagame state visit to Namibia; 19-21 Aug
• Ghana’s Akufo-Addo to open AfCFTA conference in Accra; 19-21 Aug
• South Africa’s state capture inquiry resumes
• Nigeria federal revenue allocation committee meeting

Key African events or data releases over the weekend & early a.m today
[Posted & commented on some headlines below at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]

• With reservoirs at risk, Sierra Leone capital confronts water crisis
• Nigeria awards crude-for-product swap deals to 15 firms
• Zimbabwe police ban opposition protest planned for Monday
• Sudan opposition coalition appoints five civilian members of sovereign council
• Africa development bank says risks to growth ‘increasing by the day’
• Eastern Libya forces damaged civilian airport in western Libya – UN
• Egypt’s Sisi promotes Suez deputy chairman to head Canal Authority
• Sudan army and civilians seal interim power-sharing deal
• Sudan military names 3 members for sovereign council – Sky News Arabia
• Libya reopens southern airport closed since 2014
• Zimbabwe opposition backs down from protest to avoid “blood in the streets”
• Leader of Kenya drug organization sentenced to 25 years in US
• UK judge to allow firm to try to seize $9 bln Nigeria assets in gas dispute
• Ebola spread to new Congo area shows flawed response – aid workers
• Africa Oil – Angola October programmes begin to emerge
• China’s Huayou pulls out of Congo cobalt mine investment after price slump
• South Africa’s 3-mth t-bill average yield slips at 7.13%
• Nigeria annual inflation at 11.08% in July – stats office
• Zimbabwe opposition calls off protest after failed court bid to lift ban

N.B. Full stories of above headlines are available on Reuters