By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji
Global Markets
- Asian stocks shaky before Powell’s speech as growth woes weigh
- Traders await Fed chair Powell’s Jackson Hole speech
- Yuan remains at over decade-lows vs dlr, fans trade worries
- Sterling jumps as traders cling to Merkel’s backstop comments
- Better than expected European manufacturing PMIs are little help
Oil Markets
- Oil prices eke out small gains ahead of Fed chair speech
- Oil prices on track for 2nd weekly gain
- Brent up 10 cents at $60.02 a barrel (0118GMT)
- WTI up 3 cents at $55.38
Grains
- Corn set for second straight weekly loss
- Most active CBOT wheat futures up 0.1% at $4.72 per bushel (0034GMT)
- Most active corn futures unchanged at $3.71 per bushel
- Most active soy futures up 0.2% at $8.70-1/4 per bushel
- Most active rice futures up 0.2% at $11.20 per hundredweight
Key African events or data releases today
[Posts & comments at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- Kenya population census; 24-25 Aug (continues for 7 days)
- Nigeria banking sector statistics expected
Key African events or data releases yesterday & early a.m today
[Posted & commented on some headlines below at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- Algeria – Five people killed in stampede at Algiers rap concert
- WHO says eradicating malaria “can be done”, but first aim is to control it
- US EXIM Bank seeks vote on $5 bln loan to Mozambique LNG project
- Leader of Somalia’s Jubbaland, at odds with Mogadishu, wins new term
- Egypt’s central bank cuts rates by 150 bps after inflation slows
- Zimbabwe arrests senior opposition official over demonstration
- Tunisia PM delegates his powers to focus on presidential race
- Somalia president replaces security chiefs and Mogadishu mayor
- Algeria court detains former justice minister over alleged corruption
- South Africa’s Ramaphosa calls for discussion on utilising pension funds for projects
- South Africa rand gains fade as investors left on edge over Fed
- Mali’s new mining code ends tax exemptions, shortens regulatory stability
- Africa Oil – Angolan heavier sweet oil offered at high prices
- South Sudan makes minor oil discovery, first since independence
- Zambia determined to find another investor for Konkola mine – mines minister
- Moody’s sees budget cuts as option for South Africa to absorb Eskom costs
- Rosneft signs memorandum to develop offshore gas fields in Mozambique – ifax
- Uganda demands financial records, donor lists of NGOs
- West African oil hits sweet spot as shipping upgrades to cleaner fuel
- Egypt raises Sinai investment by 75% in 2019-20
- President of Somali state of Jubbaland re-elected in divisive vote
- South Africa’s Exxaro buoyed by equity investments as core profit falls
- No pot of gold for locals as China mines Sierra Leone
- South Africa – Budget retailer Mr Price posts lower comparable sales
N.B. Full stories of above headlines are available on Reuters
