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

Global Markets

• Asian markets push higher after US bounce
• MSCI Asia ex-Japan up 0.4%, Nikkei down 0.6%
• Australia shares up 0.2%
• Gold up 0.2% at $1,884.77/oz.

Oil Markets

• Oil slips as demand worries offset hopes for stimulus
• Brent down 0.4% at $42.26 a barrel (0120GMT)
• WTI down 0.4% at $40.43

Precious metals

• Gold nudges up as dollar tepid ahead of Trump-Biden debate
• Spot gold up 0.1% at $1,883.51/oz. (0313GMT)
• US gold futures up 0.3% at $1,888.40/oz.

Grains

• Soybeans ease as rapid pace of US harvest weighs, wheat falls
• Soybean futures down 0.1% at $9.95 a bushel (0334GMT)
• Corn down 0.3% at $3.65-1/2 a bushel
• Wheat down 0.5% at $5.47-3/4 a bushel

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

• South Africa releases Q2 labour statistics
• Nigeria parliament resumes
• Central Bank of Kenya decides on rates [fcst. 7.0%, prev. 7.0%]
• Ghana’s ruling NPP flagbearer Akufo-Addo campaigns in Ashanti region
• Ghana’s NDC flagbearer Mahama campaigns in Bono region
• 75^th session of UN General Assembly (15-30 Sep); speeches & engagements by African leaders
• Potential constitutional crisis in Kenya in focus; 12^th Oct deadline by lawyers’ body LSK for dissolution of parliament
• South Africa state capture inquiry continues
• Covid-19 updates by authorities across the continent
• South Africa consumer inflation Aug-20 (30 Sep) [fcst. 3.7% yy, prev. 3.2%]
• South Africa PSCE Aug-20 (30 Sep) [fcst. 3.5% yy, prev. 5.1%]
• South Africa M3 Aug-20 (30 Sep) [fcst. 10.1% yy, prev. 10.5%]

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

• Illegal money flows from Africa near $90 bln, UN study says
• Poorer countries to get 120 million $5 coronavirus tests, WHO says
• Nigeria would turn NNPC into LLC, amend royalties under draft oil reform bill
• Zimbabwe accuses opposition of gun-smuggling plot
• Nigeria’s senate confirms it received oil reform bill – senate president
• Several hundred arrests amid protest calls in Egypt – rights group
• Nigeria says Mali transition govt yet to satisfy regional demands
• Togo president names Victoire Tomegah-Dogbe as prime minister
• Kenya extends Covid curfew for 2 months but reduces hours
• Ivory Coast rains boost cocoa main crop, farmers say
• UN experts urge Nigeria to lift singer’s blasphemy deat sentence
• Zambia chamber of mines says double taxation hurting investment

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