By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji, @macroafrica
Global Markets
- Global shares extend gains on US stimulus, upbeat data
- S&P 500 up 0.6% in Asia
- MSCI Asia ex-Japan up 0.3%
- Australia shares up 1.4%
Oil Markets
- Oil holds steady on hopes for US stimulus agreement
- Brent up 3 cents at $42.33 a barrel (0146GMT)
- WTI down 1 cent at $40.21
Precious metals
- Gold firms on dollar slide, US stimulus hopes
- Spot gold up 0.3% at $1,891.10/oz. (0334GMT)
- US gold futures up 0.1% at $1,897.30/oz.
Grains
- Corn gains, lingers near 7-mth high on USDA stockpile estimates
- Corn futures up 0.4% at $3.80-1/2 a bushel (0119GMT)
- Soybeans up 0.8% at $10.31-3/4 a bushel
- Wheat up 0.6% at $5.81-1/4 a bushel
Key African events or data releases today
[Posts & comments at my Twitter handles @DrRafiqRaji, @macroafrica]
- Nigeria independence day; Buhari addresses nation, some protest actions possible
- South Africa opens borders; travellers from high-risk countries UK, US, France, etc. still barred
- Kenya’s Kenyatta meets France’s Macron in Paris; signs PPP infrastructure deals
- South Africa ABSA manufacturing PMI Sep-20 [prev. 57.3]
- South Africa state capture inquiry continues
- Covid-19 updates by authorities across the continent
Key African events or data releases yesterday & early a.m today
- Bank of Central African states says regional GDP to shrink 3.1%
- South Africa to launch long-awaited tender for mobile broadband spectrum
- Congo ‘jobs-for-sex’ expose prompts calls for greater scrutiny of aid workers
- Namibia fishing auction for Covid-19 cash flops
- Proposal to ease Malawi’s strict abortion laws faces religious opposition
- South Africa invites applications for broadband spectrum bidding
- South Africa says tourists from high-risk countries still barred from Oct. 1
- Flooding devastates farms in parts of Sudan – UN
- Sierra Leone anti-graft body summons ex-president Koroma for questioning
- OPEC Sept oil output rises for 3rd month on Libya restart, Iran
- Nigeria’s cabinet proposes 3% economic growth target for 2021 budget
- Rwanda genocide suspect Kabuga can be sent to UN court
- Libya rivals agree to further military talks, UN says
- Rwanda genocide suspect can be extradited to UN tribunal, France court says
- Poorest countries face tough choice over G20 debt relief plan
- Kenya’s economy likely to expand by 3.1% this year – central bank
- Hackers hit South Africa govt fund for children and missing people
- Pandemic pushes forward new generation of Africa cyclists
- ‘God chose me’: Congo ebola survivor finds new purpose
- Nigeria’s pioneering gas flaring plan risks going down in flames
- South Africa’s Capitec interim profit plunges 78%
N.B. Full stories of above headlines are available on Reuters