By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji
Global Markets
- Asia shares tick higher as China cuts repo rate
- China trims short-term interest rate, in surprise move
- Helps Asia share markets reverse early losses
- Markets look to Fed minutes, ECB Lagarde speech
- Pound inches up as opinion polls favour Tories
Oil Markets
- Oil prices flat with markets on hold for progress in US-China trade talks
- Brent down 0.1% at $63.25 a barrel (0119GMT)
- WTI crude unchanged at $57.72
Precious metals
- Gold inches lower on cautious optimism over US-China trade
- Spot gold down 0.1% at $1,465.62/oz. (0157GMT)
- US gold futures down 0.1% at $1,466.80/oz.
Grains
- Soybeans rise for 3rd session on China-US trade deal hopes
- Soybean futures up 0.1% at $9.19-1/2 per bushel (0135GMT)
- Corn futures unchanged at $3.71-1/4 per bushel
- Wheat futures little changed at $5.03 a bushel
Key African events or data releases today
[Posts & comments at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- Nigeria inflation Oct-19 [fcst. 11.7% yy, prev. 11.2%]
- South Africa state capture inquiry resumes; UK lawmaker Peter Hain to testify
- Global Business Forum Africa 2019 summit in Dubai; Zimbabwe’s Mnangagwa et al. attending
Key African events or data releases over the weekend & early a.m today
[Posted & commented on some headlines below at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- UK lawmaker to cast blame on global banks in South Africa Zuma corruption
- Sabotage on Nigeria’s oil-exporting NCTL pipeline causes significant production losses – Aiteo
- Unions threaten to ground South Africa’s aviation industry
- Tunisia’s PM-designate promises to revive hope for frustrated youth, reform state firms
- UN-backed Libyan authorities seize eastern Libyan plane
- Algerian protesters attack ‘garbage’ presidential campaign
- Ethiopian undecided whether to take more Boeing 737 MAX jets
- South Africa’s DA party picks veteran Steenhuisen as interim leader
- Ethiopian human rights boss battles scant resources
- NUMSA plans secondary strike in South Africa’s aviation industry after SAA talks go nowhere
- Egypt to reduce subsidised staple food prices
- Protest forces AngloGold Ashanti to suspend Guinea gold mine
- Last remains of Ethiopian plane crash victims buried, families say little notice given
- West Africa boot camp seeks artificial intelligence fix for climate-hit farmers
- South African Airways, unions meet for talks amid damaging strike
- US may remove Sudan from list of state sponsors of terrorism, but it’s a process – US official
- IMF agrees lending programme with DR Congo
- Ennahda’s choice Jemli tapped to be Tunisia PM, faces big challenge
- IMF expects Congo’s economy to grow 4.5% in 2019, 3.2% in 2020
- US calls on Libya’s Haftar to halt Tripoli war, warns against Russia’s role
- South African rand jumps to 1-wk high as trade hopes boost risk buying
- Savannah completes Seven Energy deal in Nigeria
- Africa Oil – Nigerian Qua, Bonny at 2013 high on solid demand
- South Africa’s SAA workers start strike that could cripple airline
- Congo president says ebola outbreak should be over this year
- Tunisia’s Ennahda names Habib Jemli as choice for PM
- Attack on Fulani village kills 20 in central Mali
- Standard Bank lists Namibian arm on local bourse
- Shell appoints Citi for $1 bln sale of Egypt assets – sources
- South Africa’s Steinhoff sells Blue Group to Alteri Investors
- South African Airways extends flight cancellations to Monday
- South Africa’s Telkom in talks about possible takeover of Cell C
- South Africa’s platinum mining firms, top union end ‘titanic battle’ as they seal wage deal
- Ugandan shilling a touch stronger on sagging appetite from banks, importers
- Renamo’s appeal to have election result annulled dismissed – Mozambique’s top court
- Zimbabwe October inflation soars to 38.75% m/m – Zimstats
- Investec Namibia MD resigns amid fishing bribery scandal
- South Africa rand at 1-wk high as trade hopes stoke risk appetite
- Hit by drought and power cuts, Zimbabwe steps up battery storage
N.B. Full stories of above headlines are available on Reuters
