By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji

Global Markets

• Asia stocks digest meaty gains, sterling starved for love
• MSCI Asia ex-Japan up slightly; up 1.2% week so far
• Nikkei up 0.1%, up 2.5% month thus far
• £ huddled at $1.3017, down from $1.3514 Boris win peak

Oil Markets

• Oil prices hold near 3-mth highs on US-China trade deal progress
• Brent, WTI hover near highest levels since mid-Sept
• Brent up 2 cents at $66.56 a barrel (0145GMT)
• WTI down 9 cents at $61.09

Precious metals

• Gold inches lower on trade optimism; all eyes on US GDP data
• Spot gold down 0.1% at $1,478/oz. (0135GMT)
• US gold futures down 0.2% at $1,482/oz.

Grains

• Soybeans firm, set to gain 2% for the week
• Soybean futures up 0.2% at $9.26 a bushel
• Corn futures up 1.5% for the week
• Wheat futures up 2.5% for the week

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

• France’s Macron visits Ivory Coast, Niger; 20-22 Dec
• 17^th annual Rwanda national dialogue (“Umushyikirano”); 19-20 Dec
• ECOWAS heads of state meet on single currency, etc. in Abuja; 21 Dec

Key African events or data releases yesterday & early a.m today

• Sudanese celebrate uprising anniversay, demand justice for victims
• Africa Oil – Nigerian OSPs raised, programmes begin to emerge
• AngloGold aims to produce 350,000 – 400,000 oz of gold a year from Ghana
• South Africa’s rand firms, stocks pause 3-day winning streak
• Libya’s internationally recognized govt ratifies security deal with Turkey
• Libya’s GNA activates security MoU agreed with Turkey – statement
• Algeria names Sabri Boukadoum interim PM – state TV
• South Africa’s Boris the BabyBot opens children’s eyes to digital privacy
• South Africa arrests 2 former Eskom managers for alleged $50 mln fraud
• Russia’s Putin seeks end to Libya conflict and talks between two sides
• Algeria swears in new president, protest movement debates response
• Kenya shilling, Zambian kwacha seen strengthening; in week ahead
• Japan’s Toyota Tsusho wins contract to build Egyptian vehicle terminal
• IMF approves lending program with Equatorial Guinea
• Kenyan shilling strengthens to 8-mth high
• Ethiopia to get $140 mln in loans from Saudi Arabia
• Uganda shilling little-changed amid thin importer demand
• Zambia suspends 15% export duty on gemstones – minister
• South Africa’s rand nearly unchanged after Fitch’s ratings decision

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