By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji
Global Markets
- Asian shares erase gains after weak China GDP, pound pulls back
- MSCI Asia ex-Japan turns lower, -0.17%
- China GDP grows 6.0% in third quarter, 3-decade low
- Nikkei trims gains, up 0.18%
- Sterling gives back gains after Brexit deal rally
Oil Markets
- Oil prices steady, all eyes on data seen showing China GDP growth slowdown
- US crude stocks rose by 9.3 mln bbls last week – EIA
- Brent down 0.2% at $59.82 a barrel (0039GMT)
- WTI up 0.1% at $53.97
Precious metals
- Gold steady as Brexit deal lifts stocks, pressures dollar
- Spot gold unchanged at $1,491.62/oz. (0057GMT)
- US gold futures down 0.2% at $1,495.40/oz.
Grains
- Wheat edges higher, set to finish the week up more than 3%
- Wheat futures down 0.1% at $5.24-3/4 per bushel (0036GMT)
- Corn futures up 0.1% at $3.95 per bushel
- Soy futures up 0.2% at $9.33-1/2 per bushel
- Rice futures unchanged at $11.99 per hundredweight
Key African events or data releases today
[Posts & comments at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- Preliminary results of Mozambique elections expected
- World Bank/IMF meetings in Washington D.C.; 15-10 Oct. [Link to schedule: https://meetings.imf.org/en/2019/Annual/Schedule]
- South Africa’s Eskom stage 1 rotational loadshedding continues
- South Africa’s Ramaphosa in KZN to launch district development model & projects
Key African events or data releases yesterday & early a.m today
[Posted & commented on some headlines below at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- South Africa’s power cuts expected to end Friday as generators return online
- Appointment of new Eskom CEO expected before end-October – acting CEO
- Egypt to press ahead with sale of stakes in state companies – govt adviser
- Desperate African refugees pay to get into Libyan jails – UNHCR
- Gunmen raid cafes in Libya capital to curb social freedoms
- EU criticizes ‘unlevel playing field’ in Mozambique election
- Morocco’s BCP Bank buys 71% stake in Madagascars’ BMOI
- Africa Oil – Angolan sells for cheap, held back for domestic refineries
- South Africa’s rand firms as cabinet approves power plan
- Libya estimates 2020 budget at less than $34 bln – GNA economy ministry
- Angola hopes key reforms will aid efforts to sell oil assets
- Burundi arrests dozens in currency market crackdown
- Guinea bauxite operations back to normal after political protests
- Ethiopia crash victims’ families to subpoena US operators of Boeing 737 MAX
- African refugee women report surge of sex attacks in Egypt
- Morocco govt expects growth to improve to 3.7% in 2020 – govt spokesman
- Zimbabwe cancels deal with Transnet to recapitalise state rail firm
- Africa FX – Ugandan shilling seen firmer, Tanzania’s to soften
- Despite Tunisia’s vote of change, enduring miseries drive youth exodus
- Barrick misses quarterly gold output estimates on Tanzanai curbs
- Kenya’s president refuses to sign the budget over rate cap
- Eyeing economic growth, South Africa seeks to renegotiate old renewables projects
- South Africa’s cabinet approves power plan
- South African mid-term budget may come a day early – finmin
- Shell aims to operate Egypt concessions in H2, 2020
- Zimbabwe cancels deal with Transnet JV to recapitalise state rail firm
- South Africa’s Eskom forced to cut power for a second day
- South Africa’s rand slides further as blackouts return
N.B. Full stories of above headlines are available on Reuters