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