By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji

Global Markets

• Asian shares down from 18-mth top; oil steady after US strikes
• MSCI Asia ex-Japan -0.09%
• Brent crude higher after US strikes in Syria, Iraq
• Gold continues push higher

Oil Markets

• Oil steady on trade pact optimism, stock draw; eyes on MidEast
• Brent up 12 cents at $68.28 a barrel (0210GMT)
• WTI up 1 cent at $61.73

Precious metals

• Gold edges up, holds near 2-mth peak in thin-volume trade
• Spot gold up 0.3% at $1,514.56/oz. (0112GMT)
• US gold futures unchanged at $1,517.50/oz.

Grains

• US wheat, soybeans maintain trade around over 1-yr highs
• Soybeans futures up 0.2% at $9.43-1/4 a bushel (0150GMT)
• Wheat futures up nearly unchanged at $5.56-3/4 a bushel
• Corn futures down 0.3% at $3.89 a bushel

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

• Guinea-Bissau runoff presidential election vote-counting
• Protests expected in Liberia
• Turkey’s foreign minister Cavusoglu to meet opposition leaders on Libya troop deployment
• Kenya inflation Dec-19 [fcst. 5.6% yy, prev. 5.4%]
• Uganda inflation Dec-19 [fcst. 3.4% yy, prev. 3.0%]
• South Africa PSCE Nov-19 [fcst. 7.7% yy, prev. 7.3%]
• South Africa M3 Nov-19 [fcst. 6.9% yy, prev. 7.3%]
• Nigeria manufacturing PMI Dec-19 [prev. 59.3]
• Nigeria non-manufacturing PMI Dec-19 [prev. 60.1]

Key African events or data releases over the weekend & early a.m today

• Sudan passes 2020 budget with anticipated deficit of $1.62 bln
• Ghana wants to join new West African currency but ditch euro peg
• Guinea-Bissau tallies votes from run-off to choose new president
• Egypt lowers gas grid usage fees by 24% to $0.29 per mmbtu – gas regulator
• ‘World’s oldest rhino’ dies in Tanzania at 57
• Egypt competition watchdog approves Uber acquisition of Careem with conditions
• Egypt & Sudan to operate joint electricity grid from Jan. 12 – agency
• Turkey to evacuate wounded after deadly Mogadishu blast
• Turkey speeds up Libya troop deployment deal to prevent slide into ‘chaos’
• Egypt awards oil and gas exploration concessions in Red Sea – statement
• Ivory Coast presidential candidate Soro rejects coup allegations
• Sudan to postpone lifting of fuel subsidies – minister
• Libya’s NOC may evacuate Zawiya refinery due to fighting nearby
• Ivory Coast leader says Soro must face full force of the law
• Truck bomb kills at least 90 in Mogadishu – international organisation
• Algeria names Abdelaziz Djerad as its new prime minister
• Ivory Coast opposition says Soro case is attempt to stifle dissent
• Sudan to lift fuel subsidies gradually in 2020 – minister
• [Terrorists] kill 10 in Nigeria attack targeting aid workers, Christians – witnesses
• Tunisia central bank keeps benchmark rate stable at 7.75% – state news agency
• Loadings at western Libya oil port undisrupted by nearby missile strike
• Zambia’s energy regulator allows state power utility to hike prices
• Africa Oil – High freight rates weigh on offers
• Ethiopia charges former head of state electricity firm, others with corruption
• South Africa’s rand powers to new 5-mth high
• Nigeria inks major LNG expansion with oil majors
• Namibian ex-ministers enmeshed in fish scandal in jail for New Year

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