By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji
Global Markets
- Asian stocks edge higher after Fed rate cut
- Fed cuts rates as expected but signals pause
- BOJ keeps policy on hold
- Policymakers struggle to dead with risks to growth
Oil Markets
- Oil prices extend fall after surprise inventory build
- Brent down 6 cents at $60.55 a barrel (0033GMT)
- WTI down 16 cents at $54.90
Precious metals
- Gold inches up on Fed rate cut cheer, sombre dollar
- Spot gold up 0.3% at $1,499.06/oz. (0137GMT)
- US gold futures up 0.3% at $1,501.40/oz
Grains
- Corn falls more than 1-wk high, but harvesting delay fears cap losses
- Wheat futures up 0.3% at $5.10-1/2 per bushel (0048GMT)
- Corn futures down 0.1% at $3.90-1/2 per bushel
- Soy futures up 0.3% at $9.33 per bushel
- Rice futures unchanged at $12.0 per hundredweight
Key African events or data releases today
[Posts & comments at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- South Africa producer inflation Sep-19 [fcst. 4.3% yy, prev. 4.5%]
- South Africa trade balance Sep-19 [prev. ZAR6.84B]
- Kenya consumer inflation Oct-19 [fcst. 4.9% yy, prev. 3.8%]
- Uganda consumer inflation Oct-19 [fcst. 2.8% yy, prev. 1.9%]
- 4th AU Judicial Dialogue in Kampala, Uganda; 30 Oct-1 Nov
- South Africa’s Mabuza in China for bi-national commission; 31 Oct – 3 Nov
- 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]
- Russia’s VTB hopes Mozambique will repay $500 mln loan on scandal-ridden project
- Kenya’s economy to grow at a faster pace next year – World Bank
- EU countries to give Sudan 466 mln euros in grants, aid – SUNA
- Nigeria supreme court dismisses appeal against Buhari election win
- Senegal launches online database to track the traffickers
- South African union threatens more power cuts over Eskom split
- South Africa CDS jump after budget flags wider deficits
- Africa Oil – Angolan offered at high levels
- Egyptian ticket collector held after ordering men off moving train, 1 dead
- Facebook says it suspends accounts tied to Putin ally for meddling in Africa
- Nigeria’s revenue quest could crush offshore oil golden egg – industry group
- South African rand plummets on bleak budget projections
- Egypt external debt climbs 17.3% in year to June – cbank
- Algerian protesters march on in defiance of ‘The Power’
- South Africa sees budget deficit and debt soaring as economy flags
- Total not ready to make final investment decision on Uganda project – CFO
- South Africa dollar bonds drop after medium term budget flags wider deficits
- South Sudan’s Machar urges delay to unity govt as peace efforts stall
- IOM suspends some ebola screening after 3 aid workers killed in South Sudan
- Nigerian Supreme Court dismisses appeal against Buhari election win
- South Africa police arrest 100 people in protest against xenophobia
- Uganda says telecoms operators must list on local bourse
- Kenyan shilling inches up due to offshore investor inflows
- South Sudan’s Machar calls for delay to unity govt as peace efforts stall
- Kenyan parliamentary panel backs lifting cap on lending rates
- Egypt selects 5 lenders for dollar-denominated bond – ministry
- Kenyan bank shares surge after house panel embraces rate cap appeal
- Senegal’s SNE oil field project cost jumps 40% to $4.2 bln
N.B. Full stories of above headlines are available on Reuters