By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji

Global Markets

• Asia stocks up slightly in cautious trade as focus shifts to US payrolls
• Markets nervous before non-farm payrolls
• US short-term treasury yields continue to fall
• Central banks struggling with response to trade friction
• Asia ex-Japan stocks headed for third weekly decline

Oil Markets

• Oil edges higher but on track for big weekly loss
• Brent up 0.1% at $57.79 a barrel (0138GMT)
• WTI up 0.2% at $52.57 a barrel

Precious metals

• Gold gains on soft US service sector data, focus on jobs report
• Spot gold up 0.2% at $1,508.12/oz. (0132GMT)
• US gold futures flat at $1,513.9/oz.

Grains

• Corn edges lower, set for biggest weekly gain in 4 mths
• Wheat futures down 0.1% at $4.88-1/4 per bushel (0005GMT)
• Corn futures down 0.2% at $3.88 per bushel
• Soy futures down about 0.1% at $9.11-1/4 per bushel
• Rice futures unchanged at $11.72 per hundredweight

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

• Nigeria’s Buhari in South Africa for state visit; 2-4 Oct
• Nigeria Stanbic IBTC PMI Sep-19 [prev. 56.4]
• South Africa state capture inquiry continues

Key African events or data releases yesterday & early a.m today</strong
[Posted & commented on some headlines below at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]

• Facebook says removed 211 accounts from UAE, Nigeria, Egypt and Indonesia
• Nigeria levies $1.3 bln charge on banks for failing to meet loan target
• Mali govt says death toll from double attack rises to 38
• Cameroon releases 333 prisoners amid peace talks, separatists say not enough
• Attacks kill 22 in Ethiopia’s Amhara region – party official
• Tanzania denies hiding information on suspected ebola cases
• Nearly 600 Burundian refugees head home as mass repatriation starts
• Nigerian police to get stun guns, new rules of engagement in push to reduce deaths
• South Africa’s rand firms as dollar, stocks fall
• Egypt discussing possible new IMF cooperation – cbank gov
• Egypt lowers gas price to $5.50-$6 per mln Btu for industry
• Gunmen kidnap 6 schoolgirls in Nigeria
• Africa Oil – Nigerian offers continue to slide
• Nigerian lawmakers increase 2020 budget outline based on higher oil price
• Egypt to appoint banks to handle share offer in United Bank
• Mauritius launches first phase of $525 mln light rail system
• Nigeria’s FCMB charged $46 mln for failing to meet loan requirement
• Nigeria releases 25 children cleared of suspected ties with Boko Haram – UNICEF
• Uganda detains supporters of presidential hopeful over banned red berets
• South Africa, Nigeria mend relations and agree trade deals
• Uganda shilling holds steady against the dollar
• 5 Eritrean football players disappear in Uganda – official
• South Africa debt-to-GDP could reach 95% by 2024, IIF says
• Kenya’s first green bond issue raises 4.3 billion shillings
• South African govt in talks with coal miners to cut prices for cash-strapped Eskom
• Kenya shilling holds steady against the dollar
• South Africa’s private sector contracts again in September – PMI
• Egypt’s non-oil business activity contracts again in Sept – PMI
• Zimbabwean women struggle to shake off sex-for-land corruption

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