By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji

Global Markets

• Confirmation of US-China trade talks buoys shares, investor spirits
• Brexit vote boosts global shares
• HK tension eases for now, but concerns remain
• Oil pulls back in Asia after strong rally overnight

Oil Markets

• Oil prices slip after surprise build in US inventories
• Brent down 0.3% at $60.52 a barrel (0040GMT)
• WTI down 0.4% at $56.03

Precious metals

• Gold eases as equities gain on Brexit, Hong Kong progress
• Spot gold down 0.5% at $1,544.66/oz. (0133GMT)
• US gold futures down 0.2% at $1,557.8/oz.

Grains

• Corn rebounds from 4-mth low, US crop prospects cap gains
• Most active CBOT wheat futures down 0.1% at $4.60-1/2 per bushel (0042GMT)
• Most active corn futures up 0.1% at $3.59 per bushel
• Most active soy futures down 0.1% at $8.74-1/2 per bushel
• Most active rice futures down 0.2% at $11.96 per hundredweight

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

• Nigeria special envoy due in South Africa for xenophobia violence fact-finding
• South Africa EFF’s Malema press conference
• World Economic Forum Africa 2019 in Cape Town, South Africa; 4-6 Sep
• 2019 African Green Revolution Forum in Accra, Ghana; 3-6 Sep
• 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]

• Ebola survivors face kidney problems and risk of premature death
• Youngest son of Egypt’s ousted Islamist President Mursi dies
• Nigeria uses tax credits for private firms to boost infrastructure
• Ivory Coast president appoints new finance and agriculture ministers
• Nigeria boycotts Africa economic summit over anti-foreign riots
• Nigeria police says to boost security at embassies, foreign businesses
• Business leaders urge South Africa’s Ramaphosa to reform faster
• Nigeria vice president to boycott financial summit in South Africa – foreign minister
• Africa Oil – Buyers wait for Nigerian offers to ease
• Under siege in Nigeria, South African businesses shut stores
• South Africa’s rand extends rally to 4-wk high, stocks up
• Morocco, Spain to bolster cooperation to curb illegal migration
• South African court orders release of impounded Tanzanian plane in compensation dispute
• Uganda oil pipeline plan suspended due to collapse of Tullow-Total deal
• UN warns of Burundi atrocities as “divine” ruler eyes 2020 election
• Nigeria state oil company’s trading arm Duke leaves London for Dubai
• South Africa’s ailing Eskom faces emissions violations, could shut plants
• Russia’s VTB: Mozambique must restructure loan by year-end
• Ramaphosa says South Africa must quell attacks on foreigners as summit starts
• South African defence firm RDM’s turnover hurt by export headaches – CEO
• Kenya shilling weakens against the dollar
• Several Shoprite stores in South Africa, Nigeria & Zambia closed
• Zimbabwe proposes designating health services as essential amid doctors’ strike
• MTN Nigeria says all stores will be closed after anti-South African attacks
• Uganda shilling unchanged, inclined on stronger side
• Egypt net foreign reserves rise to nearly $45 bln in August – cenbank
• South Africa’s Eskom cannot rule out more power cuts – acting CEO
• Eastern Libya oil field al-Bayda closes due to maintenance – engineers
• Kenya PMI falls to 52.9 in August
• South Africa’s private sector activity contracts again in August – PMI
• South Africa insurer Discovery reports 12% drop in FY profit
• Solid core businesses boost South Africa’s Libstar H1 earnings

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