By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji

Global Markets

• Asian shares turn lower on guarded Fed, yen rises after BoJ
• Fed cuts rates, but Powell’s tone disappoints doves
• BoJ on hold, but other central banks are easing policy
• Oil futures drift higher as geopolitical risks remain

Oil Markets

• Oil prices settle after turbulent week as Saudi Arabia reassures on output
• Return to full production pledged by end-Sep
• US to impose more sanctions on Iran
• Cushing oil stocks at lowest since Oct 2018 – EIA
• Brent up 8 cents at $63.68 a barrel (0139GMT)
• WTI up 12 cents at $58.23 a barrel

Precious metals

• Gold edges lower after Fed delivers mixed signals
• Spot gold down 0.3% at $1,489.73/oz. (0102GMT)
• US gold futures down 1.2% at $1,497.5/oz.

Grains

• Soybeans edge higher, recover from 6-day trough
• Wheat futures down 0.6% at $4.86-3/4 per bushel (0151GMT)
• Corn futures unchanged at $3.71-1/4 per bushel
• Soy futures up 0.1% at $8.89-1/2 per bushel
• Rice futures down 0.1% at $12.30 per hundredweight

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

• South Africa interest rate decision [fcst. 6.5%, prev. 6.5%]
• Bank of Ghana MPC meeting (17-19 Sep); [fcst. 15.0%, prev. 16.0%]
• Central Bank of Nigeria MPC meeting (19-20 Sep) [fcst. 13.0%, prev. 13.5%]
• 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]

• Algeria army chief moves to limit protest movement
• Tanzania tells WHO it has no ebola cases – statement
• Rwanda Hutu militia commander killed in Congo, army says
• Ethiopia rejects Egypt’s plan for operating giant dam on the Nile
• Africa Oil – Hefty overhang is slow to clear
• Uganda says Russia to help it develop nuclear energy
• Lawyers of Tanzania journalist jailed since July demand police conclude probe
• Morocco’s BCP Bank first half net profit jumps 5.5%
• Zimbabwe doctors say receiving death threats over strike
• Africa already converted into IMF’s gospel, Kenyan central banker says
• Fire in Liberia school kills at least 30 children
• South Africa’s retail sales up 2.0% y/y in July
• Kenya lawmakers reject Treasury bid to repeal rate cap
• Uganda shilling steady, commodity flows to offer support
• Kenya shilling weaker on high liquidity, importer demand
• South African Airways cash injection imminent but says it needs more
• Nigeria’s diesel-dependent economy braces for clean-fuel rules
• Kenya parliament committee says commercial lending rate caps should stay – document
• South Africa consumer inflation quickens to 4.3% y/y in August
• Malawi economy to grow 4.5% in 2019 – IMF

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