By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji
Global Markets
- Asia shares sit still, await clarity on Fed policy
- Asia subdued, strong retail earnings lift Wall st
- Fed minutes show division on rate cuts
- Trump says no longer looking at tax cuts
- PMI surveys, ECB minutes due Thursday
Oil Markets
- Oil prices rise after US crude stocks draw
- Brent up 0.5% at $60.57 a barrel (0051GMT)
- WTI up 0.6% at $56.03
Precious metals
- Gold prices stable; all eyes on Fed summit for rate-cut direction
- Spot gold flat at $1,501.73/oz. (0143GMT)
- US gold futures down 0.3% at $1,511.50
Grains
- Corn rebounds from 3-mth low on strong demand
- Most active CBOT wheat futures up 0.2% at $4.69 per bushel (0048GMT)
- Most active corn futures up 0.3% at $3.71-1/2 per bushel
- Most active soy futures nearly unchanged at $8.73-1/4 per bushel
- Most active rice futures unchanged at $11.22 per hundredweight
Key African events or data releases today
[Posts & comments at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- Kenya marks 41st anniversary of founding father Jomo Kenyatta’s death
- Rwanda monetary policy & financial stability statement
- South Africa’s Ramaphosa to answer questions in parliament
- WHO Africa regional conference in Brazzaville, Congo; 19-23 Aug
- Nigeria Q2-2019 GDP [fcst. 2.5% yy, prev. 1.9%]
Key African events or data releases yesterday & early a.m today
[Posted & commented on some headlines below at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- Sudan’s Hamdok takes office as new prime minister, vows to tackle conflicts
- Mali’s new mining code ends tax exemptions, other protections
- Nigeria’s 3-yr milestone takes Africa towards polio eradication
- Turbulence on Spanish flight from Mauritius injures 14
- Africa Oil – Nigerian October programmes trickle out
- South Africa’s Omnia CEO resigns, finance director appointed as replacement
- South Africa rand rallies after data shows slowing inflation, stocks up
- Leaders of Rwanda & Uganda sign pact in bid to end tension
- Zimbabwe charges former Mugabe deputy with abuse of office
- Nigeria’s Buhari assigns cabinet portfolios, appoints new oil minister
- Nigeria’s 3-yr milestone takes Africa towards polio eradication
- Nigeria’s Buhari assigns cabinet portfolios, appoints Timipre Silva oil minister
- South Africa court rules display of apartheid flag constitutes hate speech
- South Africa court sets aside arms deal inquiry findings
- Uganda shilling a touch stronger on commodity flows
- Zimbabwe July inflation at 21.04% m/m – statistics office
- Egypt’s Zohr gas field output rises to 2.7 bln cubic feet per day – minister
- South Africa’s July consumer inflation falls to lowest since Jan., raising bets of rate cuts
- Head of Sudan’s now-defunct military council sworn in as head of sovereign council
- Kenya shilling strengthens against the dollar
- South Africa consumer inflation slows to 4% in July, lowest in 7 months
- Moderate Islamists make new power quest in Tunisia
- NZ lawmakers urged to drop restrictions on Africa, Middle East refugees
N.B. Full stories of above headlines are available on Reuters
