By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji
Global Markets
- Asian shares inch up, investors pin hopes on US-China talks
- Nikkei up 0.7%, ex-Japan Asia up 0.24%
- US-listed Chinese shares bounce after Friday’s fall
- China markets begin 1-wk holiday closure
- Euro near 2 1/2-yr low
Oil Markets
- Oil prices recover after output from US, Russia, OPEC drop
- OPEC output drops to lowest in 8 yrs in Sept – survey
- US production falls for 3rd month in July – EIA
- Russia output falls but still above quota
- US crude stockpiles likely rose last week – poll
- Brent up 0.9% at $59.76 per barrel (0426GMT)
- WTI up 1% at $54.59
Precious metals
- Gold falls to near 2-mth low as robust dollar weighs
- Spot gold may fall towards $1,446/oz. – technicals
- Dollar hits more than 2-yr high
- Silver lowest since Aug 20 at $16.87
- Spot gold down 0.4% at $1,465.80/oz. (0456GMT)
- US gold futures down 0.1% at $1,471.80/oz.
Grains
- Soybeans hit more than 2-mth peak on slow harvest
- Wheat futures up 0.3% at $4.97-1/4 per bushel (0147GMT)
- Corn futures down 0.1% at $3.87-3/4 per bushel
- Soy futures up 0.1% at $9.06-1/2 per bushel
- Rice futures down 0.4% at $11.97 per hundredweight
Key African events or data releases today
[Posts & comments at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- Nigeria Independence Day
- South Africa ABSA manufacturing PMI Sep-19 [prev. 45.7]
- South Africa SACCI business confidence Sep-19 [prev. 89.1]
- South Africa total new vehicle sales Sep-19 [prev. 45.54K]
- Egypt FX reserves Sep-19 [prev. $44.9B]
- 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]
- Nigeria’s Rivers state says it bought Shell stake in Ogoniland oilfield
- Morocco court jails journalist on abortion charge that she denies
- Egypt’s current account deficit widens in the last quarter of 2018/19
- Uganda presidential hopeful Bobi Wine denounces govt ban of his ‘red beret’ symbol
- Nigeria police free 19 women and girls from Lagos ‘baby factory’ – statement
- ICC puts Mali war crimes suspect to trial
- 10 militants killed after Somalia attack: US military
- Africa Oil – Overhang lingers as high freight weighs
- 5 more migrant bodies found from Morocco capsizing
- South Africa’s rand, stocks dip as US-China trade spat cools demand
- Kenya farmers mix tradition with tech to protect drying Mara River
- Algeria’s Sonatrach says it discussed partnerships with Exxon Mobil
- South Africa’s Transnet unauthorised spending soars, overshadows revenue rise
- Cameroon peace talks falter as seperatists, politicians boycott
- Kenya economic growth slows to 5.6% in the second quarter
- Interest rate cuts to save Egypt up to $1.54 bln – deputy finmin
- Tunisia’s budget will rise in 2020 to $16.4 bln
- South Africa – Steinhoff Investments says 2017, 2018 results to be delayed further
- UK’s Prince Harry makes conservation appeal, observes anti-poaching drill in Malawi
- South Africa’s trade balance swings to surplus in August
- Cameroon’s Anglophone rebels boycott talks with govt
- Nigeria activist Sowore pleads not guilty to treason charges
- Armed with trumpets, South African men blow away street crime against women
- Egypt operator owed $7.7 mln by Thomas Cook – chairman
- Kenya’s year-on-year inflation drops to 3.83% in September
- South Africa’s Transnet says irregular expenditure up to 49 bln rand
- Uganda shilling edges down on importer demand
- Italian military convoy hit by explosion in Somalia – defence min
- Kenya’s shilling holds steady as remittance flows offers support
- Twin attacks hit EU military convoy in Somali capital and US base in Baledogle
- South Africa to finalise growth strategy “within next few weeks” – Ramaphosa
- South Africa’s Transnet reports 1.6% rise in annual revenue
- South Africa’s credit demand growth slows to 6.86% y/y in August
- Oil major Total closes purchase of Anadarko’s Mozambique LNG asset
- Victims of north Nigerian institution share stories of terror
N.B. Full stories of above headlines are available on Reuters
