By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji
Global Markets
- World stocks pause at record peak as markets assess US-China deal
- MSC ACWI, S&P 500 at record high after Phase 1 deal inked
- Chinese shares little moved
- Bond yields dip on low inflation data
Oil Markets
- Oil gains after US-China trade deal, rise in inventories
- Brent up 0.7% at $64.45 a barrel (0310GMT)
- WTI up 0.7% at $58.20
Precious metals
- Gold steady as uncertainties linger after US-China trade deal
- Spot gold up 0.1% at $1,556.69/oz. (0140GMT)
- US gold futures up 0.2% at $1,556.40/oz.
Grains
- US soybeans fall to near 1-mth low on doubts about Chinese purchase
- Soybean futures down 0.1% at $9.27-3/4 a bushel (0138GMT)
- Corn futures down 0.2% at $3.86-3/4 a bushel
- Wheat futures down 0.4% at $5.71-1/4 a bushel
Key African events or data releases today
[Posts & comments at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji, @macroafrica]
- South Africa central bank decides interest rates [fcst. 6.5%, prev. 6.5%]
- Team South Africa pre-World Economic Forum breakfast meeting in Johannesburg
- South Africa mining production Nov-19 [fcst. 0.2% yy, prev. -2.9%]
- South Africa state capture inquiry continues
Key African events or data releases yesterday & early a.m today
- Erdogan, Trump discuss Libya developments in phone call
- Firm linked to Nigerian oil firm Lekoil welcomes loan scam probe
- Egypt, Ethiopia, Sudan to finalize Blue Nile dam agreement this month
- South African Airways flights at risk without $139 mln from govt – union
- Turkey summons Egypt diplomat after raid on Anadolu agency in Cairo
- Amid fears US will pull troops from Africa, French minister heads to Washington
- South Africa’s Telkom could cut 3,000 jobs – letter to unions
- Macron says wants “useful” meeting on Libya, unsure on attendance
- Mali’s gold production rises 7% in 2019 to record high
- Too early to say Libya ceasefire has collapsed – Turkish defence minister
- Africa Oil – Sonangol sells out, Nigerian glut mounts
- Egypt forms a new team to investigate the death of Italian student
- Egypt could resell Israeli gas to Europe within months – Israeli minister
- Makgoba appointed interim chair at South Africa’s Eskom
- Egypt issues new mining law regulations – cabinet
- South Africa’s rand firms on better-than-expected retail sales data
- Italian appeals court acquits Saipem, Eni in Algerian graft case
- Morocco begins talks to curb trade deficit with Turkey
- South Africa’s Eskom takes energy regulator to court over tariffs
- Ethiopian Airlines to start building new $5 bln airport this year – CEO
- Sudan reopens airspace after revolt quelled
- Ethio Telecom posts 32% rise in H1 revenue
- Egypt orders retrial of monks sentenced to death for bishop’s murder
- Ethiopia sets tentative August date for elections
- Germany sets out broad aims for Berlin Libya conference
- Scientists hope to revive near-extinct northern white rhino in Kenya
- EasyJet to restart UK flights to Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh resort
- Uganda shilling weakens on importer demand
- Kenya to ditch wide fiscal deficits – finmin
- South Africa’s retail sales up 2.6% y/y in November
- Mozambique leader Nyusi sworn in despite opposition boycott
- Trafficking risk high for hundred of migrants sent back to Libya
- Congo opens Chinese-owned Deziwa copper and cobalt mine
- South African nuclear firm Necsa’s board members resign
- Ghana sells 280,000 T of 2020/21 cocoa export contracts with LID by Jan. 7
- Ivory Coast sells around 720,000 T of 2020/21 cocoa export contracts with LID by Jan.3 – CCC
- Ivory Coast 2019/20 Q1 cocoa grind up 4.4% by end Dec.
- Kenya shilling trading in tight range against the dollar
- Kenya’s Treasury cuts 2019 growth estimate to 5.6%
N.B. Full stories of above headlines are available on Reuters