By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji
Global Markets
- Asian stocks see brighter world as trade, UK clouds lift
- Pound surges as exit polls show Tories with majority
- [Labour’s Corbyn to quit before next election, after poor polls]
- Nikkei highest since Oct 2018 on reports of Sino-US trade deal
- Markets scale back risk of rate cuts around the world
- Safe-haven bonds, yen fall away
Oil Markets
- Oil prices hit highest in 3 mths as US-China trade deal takes shape
- Brent up 0.8% at $64.68 a barrel (0221GMT)
- WTI up 0.6% at $59.54
Precious metals
- Gold prices slip as trade euphoria lifts risk appetite
- Spot gold down 0.2% at $1,466.35/oz. (0051GMT)
- US gold futures down 0.2% at $1,469.60/oz.
Grains
- Soybeans jump 1% , set for biggest weekly gain in over 2 months
- Soybean futures up more than 2% for the week; hit high of $9.14-1/2
- Corn futures up over 1% for the week; hit high of $3.84 a bushel
- Wheat futures up more than 1% for the week
Key African events or data releases today
[Posts & comments at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- Ghana’s Akufo-Addo press conference
- Preliminary results of Algeria’s presidential poll expected
- South Africa’s EFF 2nd national people’s assembly; 13-16 Dec
Key African events or data releases yesterday & early a.m today
- Algerians protest through day of disputed election
- Libyan commander urges forces to advance towards central Tripoli
- Namibia rushes to drill boreholes as worst drought in a century bites
- Voting ends in disputed Algerian election
- Head of Libya parliament says Turkey-Libyan deal invalid
- West African court voids Sierra Leone’s ban on pregnant schoolgirls
- Wintershall to carry out Sirte exploration in Libya at own cost – NOC
- US threatens visa restrictions over South Sudan peace process
- Africa Oil – Freight rise set to bite in February but diffs still high
- South African rand climbs to 6-week best as flat Fed overshadows local data
- IMF deal lifts Ethiopia bonds as currency slides to record low
- Turnout in Algeria election 20% at 3pm – official
- South Africa’s MTN to defend views on data prices if referred to competition tribunal – CEO
- Most African currencies seen firm; in week ahead
- Women want in as internet revolution creeps into Chad
- IMF preliminary deal lifts Ethiopia dollar bonds to near 2-yr high
- Flights resume at Libya’s Mitiga airport in Tripoli
- Famine stalks millions in South Sudan after droughts, floods – UN
- Zambia’s power supply deficit worsens as water levels sink
- Egypt’s strongman extends crackdown to a new foe: soap operas
- Ivory Coast farmers push back against cocoa output cap
- Rwanda GDP growth rises to 11.9% y/y in Q3 2019
- Hundreds protest in central Algiers against disputed election
- Turkey sends Libya maritime accord to UN for approval – source
- Vitol signs 10-yr deal to buy Nigeria’s LNG from 2021
- Ugandan shilling firmer on central bank liquidity mop-up
- South African power cuts set to continue as some Eskom units still down
- Uganda’s Umeme power company gets $70 mln loan for national grid expansion
N.B. Full stories of above headlines are available on Reuters
