By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji

Global Markets

• Asia stocks bounce on firmer Chinese lead, pound steadies
• MSCI Asia-Pacific index up 0.5%, Shanghai stocks rise 0.45%
• Benchmark US yields hover near 3-yr lows
• Sterling regains some ground after Johnson setback in parliament

Oil Markets (3 Sep)

• Oil sinks as manufacturing data feeds global economy worries
• Brent down 0.7% at $58.26 a barrel
• WTI down 2.1% at $53.94 a barrel

Precious metals

• Gold prices steady as economic growth woes dent risk sentiment
• Spot gold up 0.1% at $1,548.31/oz. (0121GMT)
• US gold futures steady at $1,555.6/oz.

Grains

• US wheat futures rebound as harvest pace lags
• Most active CBOT wheat futures up 0.8% at $4.57-1/4 per bushel (0118GMT)
• Most active corn futures up 0.3% at $3.62 per bushel
• Most active soy futures down 0.1% at $8.67-1/2 per bushel
• Most active rice futures nearly unchanged at $11.98 per hundredweight

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

• World Economic Forum Africa 2019 in Cape Town; 4-6 Sep
• South Africa Standard Bank PMI Aug-19 [prev. 48.4]
• Nigeria Stanbic IBTC PMI Aug-19 [prev. 54.6]
• Sudan PM to announce new cabinet
• 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]

• Bomb explodes under bus in Mali, at least 14 killed
• Egypt sees lower budget deficit, higher primary surplus in FY 2019/20
• Tunisia court upholds continued detention of presidential candidate
• Africa Oil – Angolan diffs edge down
• South Africa’s rand firms on positive GDP data, stocks flat
• ‘No safe place’: South African women suffering ‘epidemic’ of violence, activists warn
• South African police make more arrests as riots spread
• Ethiopia opposition parties threaten election boycott
• Sudan’s PM selects members of first cabinet since Bashir’s ouster
• Zimbabwe state doctors strike over pay as economy struggles
• Guinea-Bissau police say 1.8 tonnes of cocaine seized in biggest ever haul
• Nigeria’s economic growth slows for second quarter
• Tanzania lawmakers protest against expulsion from parliament of critic of president
• Zambia mining firms say mineral royalties should be capped at 7.5%
• Sudan’s PM chooses 14 members of first cabinet since Bashir’s ouster
• South Africa’s gross domestic spending up 3% in second quarter
• South African economy expands 3.1% in second quarter
• Uganda shilling flat as commodity export flows help
• Kenya’s shilling loses ground due to importer demand, liquidity
• Nigeria’s economy grew 1.94% in Q2 – stats office
• Engie buys African offgrid solar firm Mobisol
• Zimbabwe state doctors go on strike over pay
• Egypt’s non-oil business activity slips back into contraction in Aug – PMI

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