By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji, @macroafrica

Global Markets

• Asian stocks cheer upbeat data but temper appetite ahead of Fed
• MSCI Asia ex-Japan +0.5%
• Yen hits 2-wk high, dollar treads water
• Gold, US treasury yields flat before Fed statement
• Brent up 0.8% at $40.85

Oil Markets

• Oil gains as hurricane shuts US output, stockpiles fall
• Brent up 0.4% at $40.68 a barrel (0055GMT)
• WTI up 0.5% at $38.46

Precious metals

• Gold off 2-wk high as dollar firms ahead of Fed decision
• Spot gold down 0.2% at $1,952.15/oz. (0026GMT)
• US gold futures down 0.3% at $1,960.50/oz.

Grains

• Soybeans extend decline on lower US crush; corn falls
• Soybean futures down 0.2% at $9.89-3/4 a bushel (0226GMT)
• Corn down 0.5% at $3.64-1/4 a bushel
• Wheat down 0.5% at $5.35-3/4 a bushel

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

• Nigeria banking & finance industry conference; day 2
• South Africa retail sales Jul-20 [fcst. -6.6% yy, prev. -7.5%]
• South Africa business confidence Aug-20 [prev. 82.8]
• South Africa’s SARB decides on interest rates [fcst. 3.5%, prev. 3.5%]
• Covid-19 updates by authorities across the continent

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

• South Sudan fighter for women’s voices honored by US peace group
• West Africa bloc fails to reach agreement with Mali junta
• UN chief to appoint special envoy to broker peace in Libya
• Mozambique army condemns ‘horrifying’ shooting of naked woman at hands of fighters
• Moussa Traore, who led Mali’s first military coup, dies at 83
• Zimbabwe eases Covid-19 restrictions as exam classes start
• Gambia’s former first lady Zineb Jammeh hit with US sanctions
• Egypt TV host’s comments on hijab spark debate, probe by media watchdog
• AstraZeneca resumes Covid-19 vaccine trials in South Africa, health dept says
• More than 50 prisoners starve to death in east Congo prison
• UK says following court case of Zimbabwe journalist
• Egypt cuts highways across pyramids plateau, alarming conservationists
• Algeria upholds conviction of journalist; rights groups fear new crackdown
• At least 24 migrants drowned off Libya – IOM
• Kenya’s budget deficit likely to swell, finance minister says
• Mali must appoint civilian govt immediately, says regional bloc
• ‘There’s nothing we can do’, striking South Africa undertakers tell bereaved
• Guinea-Bissau migration agency boss arrested for alleged cocaine trafficking
• Millions of Africa children rely on TV education during pandemic
• Nigeria health workers strike over coronavirus allowance
• South Africa coronavirus loan scheme lags, hobbling govt relief package
• Nigeria’s petrol and power price rises upset business owners

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