By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji

Global Markets

• Asian shares erase losses as Mideast tensions ease
• [Oil up after sharp fall on Wed.], stocks rise
• Safety rush turns to relief rally as Mideast tension ebbs
• Gold & yen give back gains

Oil Markets

• Oil edges up after plunge, as market recovers poise
• Brent up 0.8% at $65.99 a barrel (0109GMT); after tumbling 4.1% on Wed.
• WTI up 1% at $60.22; after nearly 5% drop on Wed.

Precious metals

• Gold inches up as investors still wary of US-Iran conflict risk
• Spot gold up 0.3% at $1,560.36/oz. (0300GMT)
• US gold futures flat at $1,560.50/oz.

Grains

• Soybeans flat ahead of USDA report
• Soybean futures steady at $9.47-3/4 a bushel (0201GMT)
• Corn futures unchanged at $3.84-1/4 a bushel
• Wheat futures up 0.2% at $5.53-3/4 a bushel

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

• Ethiopia’s Abiy Ahmed in Guinea on state visit
• South Africa manufacturing production Nov-19 [fcst. -0.6% yy, prev. -0.8%]
• South Africa SACCI business confidence Dec-19 [prev. 92.7]
• Kenya’s Nairobi county assembly special sitting on Sonko crisis; county executive meeting also called
• South Africa’s Ramaphosa in Northern Cape for ANC Pre-Jan. 8 mass mobilization drive

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

• Turkey, Russia seek Libya ceasefire on Jan. 12 as rivals clash
• Militant attack in Nigerian town kills 20 soldiers, displaces 1,000 residents
• Norway to take 600 Libya evacuees from Rwanda camp
• Libya’s NOC Sanalla says production rates reached 1.174 mln bpd – NOC Facebook
• Niger urged to work with traffickers to curb violence
• US imposes sanctions on South Sudan vice president
• Sudan seizes assets of Bashir’s former ruling party
• South Africa’s Eskonm cuts power for 2^nd night in a row
• Africa Oil – More Angolan crude trades, but cargoes linger
• EU pushes Libya’s PM Serraji for ceasefire, warns on Turkey deal
• South African edges up after Iran-US fears abate
• Libyan PM Serraj to meet Italy PM – Italian govt source
• Algeria names panel to amend constitution as protests persist
• Stowaway found dead at Paris airport after Ivory Coast flight – airline
• Rival Libyan forces clash west of Sirte
• EM stocks fall as Iran retaliates against US; South African rand firms
• Kenyan shilling holds steady against dollar
• Loud explosion heard in Somalia’s Mogadishu at a busy junction
• South Africa’s net foreign reserves rise to $44.897 bln in December

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