By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji

Global Markets

• Asian shares firmer on improved Sino-US trade tone, oil up 1%
• Australian shares rise 0.5%, NZ shares up 0.2%
• E-mini futures for S&P 500 up 0.5%
• Risk-sensitive Aussie firms, dollar up on yen
• Oil gains after sell-off on Friday, gold nudges lower

Oil Markets

• Oil gains on Saudi supply disruption, Mideast tensions
• Brent up 0.9% at $64.84 per barrel (0224GMT)
• WTI up 0.9% at $58.61 per barrel

Precious metals

• Gold prices edge lower; palladium scales record high
• Spot gold down 0.3% at $1,512.91/oz. (0116GMT)
• US gold futures up 0.3% at $1,519.8/oz.

Grains

• Soybeans rise; fears of prolonged trade war cap gains
• Wheat futures down 0.2% at $4.83-1/4 per bushel (0054GMT)
• Corn futures up 0.1% at $3.71-1/4 per bushel
• Soy futures up 0.1% at $8.84 per bushel
• Rice futures down 0.6% at $12.24 per hundredweight

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

• Central Bank of Kenya MPC decision [fcst. 8.0%, prev. 9.0%]
• African leaders in New York this week for UNGA
• South Africa state capture inquiry resumes

Key African events or data releases over the weekend & early a.m today
[Posted & commented on some headlines below at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]

• 5 Western countries, Turkey & UAE back Libya state oil firm
• Africa to seek declaration of global climate emergency at UN summit
• Tanzania leader suggest amnesty for financial crimes
• WHO: Tanzania not sharing information on ebola
• Protests drag down Egypt indexes to multi-year lows
• Egypt trading suspending as shares plunge after protests
• Somalia’s al Shabaab raid military base, loot weapons
• Suth Africa slowly turning tide against rhino poaching, says minister
• Targeting militants, Nigeria to require ID cards in the northeast
• Ethiopia says detains suspected Islamist militants planning attacks
• Stacks of cash shown at trial at Sudan’s toppled leader Bashir
• Nigeria state oil company says refinery revamps set for January
• Congo to deploy second ebola vaccine
• Small but rare protests in Egypt after online call for dissent
• Africa Oil – Bonny export delays to carry into November
• Nigeria anti-graft office charges former oil official over failed gas deal
• Leader of militant South Africa mining union re-elected
• Nigeria central bank keeps benchmark rate at 13.5%
• Algerians defiant in first protest since election call
• Tanzania begins shipments of maize to drought-hit Zimbabwe
• Gerald Group unit to suspend iron ore mining in Sierra Leone
• On guard: the Senegal jail teaching teenagers to use swords
• Tanzania inks deal to buy 2 passenger planes from Airbus
• Morocco’s CPI rises 0.8% in August – planning agency
• Missing Zimbabwe doctor found but pay strike to go on – union
• South Africa’s Grand Parade posts FY profit on Dunkin’ closure
• South Africa’s rand firms on economic stimulus, easing trade tensions
• Libya Coast Guard picks up nearly 500 migrants in region surrounding Tripoli

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