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 41^st 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