By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji
Global Markets
- Stocks inch up on trade hopes but growth fears temper gains
- S&P 500 futures gain after Mnuchin comments on trade talks
- Dismal euro zone data hurts euro, deepens anxiety about economy
Oil Markets
- Oil eases as global demand concerns return, overshadowing Saudi supply
- Saudi could resume full post-attack output next week – source
- US oil inventories likely fell last week – Reuters poll
- Brent down 29 cents at $64.48 per barrel (0154GMT)
- WTI down 24 cents at $58.40 per barrel
Precious metals
- Gold steady below 2-wk peak, trade talks optimism weighs
- Spot gold little changed at $1,521.01/oz. (0155GMT)
- US gold futures down 0.3% at $1,527.1/oz.
Grains
- Soybeans slip; Chinese buys of North American supplies cap losses
- Wheat futures down 0.3% at $4.81-3/4 per bushel (0103GMT)
- Corn futures down 0.3% at $3.72 per bushel
- Soy futures down 0.1% at $8.91-3/4 per bushel
- Rice futures down 0.4% at $12.01 per hundredweight
Key African events or data releases today
[Posts & comments at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- Central Bank of Kenya’s Njoroge post-MPC press conference
- UNGA continues; Nigeria’s Buhari to speak
- South Africa National Heritage Day; Ramaphosa speech from Northern Cape
Key African events or data releases yesterday & early a.m today
[Posted & commented on some headlines below at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- Trump backs Egypt’s Sisi in face of some protests back home
- Nigeria’ will do ‘whatever it takes’ to shield country from $9 bln claim
- Algeria to maintain foreign ownership limit in new energy law
- Nigeria must address housing crisis and end forced evictions – UN rapporteur
- Egypt authorities round up hundreds after rare protests
- Aid group says vaccine ‘rationing’ in Congo is hampering ebola fight
- Nigeria attorney general expects “colossal” sums from oil majors
- Africa Oil – Saudi attacks yet to alter West African market
- South African rand firmer against dollar, seen on backfoot
- UK’s Harry & Meghan start South African tour in Nyanga township
- Zimbabwe capital city shuts main water plant, shortages loom
- Kenya central bank holds rates at 9% for the seventh time in a row
- Sudan announces 9-mth plan to rescue economy, tame inflation
- Algeria’s one-time kingmaker goes on trial
- Egypt extends losses amid uncertainty over protests
- Thomas Cook operator in Egypt says 25,000 bookings cancelled – statement
- Sudan will ask World Bank for $2 bln in support – finmin
- Thomas Cook owes Tunisia hotels 60 mln euros – minister
- Kenya classroom collapse kills 7 children, injures 64
- Aid group says WHO is restricting access to ebola vaccines in Congo
- From Indonesia to Gabon, countries turn to nature to cut climate risks
- Uganda shilling unchanged, importer demand flat
- Sudan launches 9-mth rescue plans – finmin
- Zimbabwe’s Mugabe died from cancer, president says
- Kenya shilling holds steady against end-month demand
- Egypt dollar bonds slip on protests, pound weakens in FX forward market
- Tanzania fines 5 banks for lax anti-money laundering controls
- Tap for trash: App seeks to clean Zimbabwe’s waste-clogged cities
N.B. Full stories of above headlines are available on Reuters