By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji
Global Markets
- Japanese shares rally in final trades for the year
- Nikkei up 0.4%, gains YTD 18.8%; Topix up 0.4%
- Dollar ticks higher vs yen as confidence stays intact
- Markets remain in holiday mood; several still closed for Boxing Day
Oil Markets
- Oil rises, supported by trade deal, OPEC cuts
- Brent up 0.2% at $67.36 a barrel (0155GMT)
- WTI up 0.3% at $61.31
Precious metals
- Gold steady as markets await trade deal signing details
- Spot gold unchanged at $1,499.18/oz. (0132GMT)
- US gold futures down 0.1% at $1,503.10/oz.
Key African events or data releases today (25-26 Dec)
[Posts & comments at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- Egypt central bank MPC meeting; postponed to 16 Jan
- Eritrea’s Afwerki working visit to Ethiopa (25 Dec)
- Turkey’s Erdogan surprise visit to Tunisia on Libya (25 Dec)
Key African events or data releases previously (24-25 Dec) & early a.m today
- YEARENDER – From medicine to recycling, 6 African start-ups doing business for good in 2019
- Egypt’s current account deficit narrows, FDI up in July-Sept 2019
- Egypt’s central bank postpones policy meeting to Jan. 16
- Hundreds of thousands turn out to mourn Algeria’s powerful army chief
- Turkey-Libya maritime deal rattles East Mediterranean
- Turkey’s Erdogan discusses Libya ceasefire during surprise Tunisia trip
- Nigeria releases Sowore and Dasuki after AG orders bail
- 35 civilians killed in Burkina Faso after army repels militant attack
- After Ethiopia crash, victims’ relatives say they were hounded by US law firms
- Turkish parliament readying bill to allow sendin troops to Libya
- Nigeria’s NNPC to raise Chevron-operated GTL plant stake to 60%
- Botswana court dismisses challenge to October election result
- Tanzania charges rights activist with economic crimes
- Eritrean soccer players go missing in Uganda again
- Russia’s Zarubezhneft says joins 2 offshore oil blocks in Egypt
- Algerian students still pushing for change after general’s death
- Africa Oil – Margins recover, spot trade muted
- Kenyan shilling firm ahead of holiday season
- South Africa’s Bidvest to acquire British-based PHS Group
- Rhino poaching at record levels in Botswana
- Vietnam seizes two tonnes of ivory, pangolin scales
- Flushed with fear: South Africa’s sewage system collapse a ‘time bomb’
N.B. Full stories of above headlines are available on Reuters