By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji
Global Markets
- Asia shares touch new 19-mth highs ahead of US-China trade deal
- Asia shares ex-Japan up 0.47%; Tokyo on holiday
- US & China due to sign trade deal on Wednesday
- Sentiment cautious after wild swings last week
- China economic data due Friday in focus
Oil Markets
- Oil dips on easing US-Iran tensions, eyes on China trade deal
- Brent down 0.2% at $64.85 per barrel (0120GMT)
- WTI down 0.2% at $58.95
Precious metals
- Gold dips on Sino-US trade optimism, firm dollar
- Spot gold down 0.4% at $1,555.76/oz. (0131GMT)
- US gold futures down 0.2% at $1,556.30/oz.
Grains
- Soybeans firm as US-China trade deal signing day nears
- Soybean futures up 0.2% at $9.47-3/4 a bushel (0149GMT)
- Corn futures up 0.5% at $3.87-1/2 a bushel
- Wheat futures down 0.2% at $5.63-1/4 a bushel
Key African events or data releases today
[Posts & comments at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- Sahel G5 leaders to meet Macron in France
- Egypt, Ethiopia & Sudan meet over Nile dam in Washington DC
- China’s foreign minister Wang Yi in Zimbabwe; already visited Egypt & Djibouti in Africa tour (7-13 Jan), Eritrea & Burundi also on itinerary
- Rwanda’s Kagame in Abu Dhabi for Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
- Guinea-Bissau’s president-elect Emballo expected in The Gambia
- Egypt & Sudan start joint 50MW electricity grid (12 Jan)
- Ethiopia’s Abiy state visit to South Africa (11-12 Jan)
Key African events or data releases over the weekend & early a.m today
- Guinea-Bissau Supreme Court rejects challenge to presidential election result
- Ethiopian PM Abiy expects parliamentary election in May or June
- Libya ceasefire call brings lull in heavy fighting
- Both sides accuse each other of violating ceasefire in Libya
- Equatorial Guinea to add 20,000 bpd of oil production this year
- Libyan forces loyal to Haftar announce ceasefire, GNA agrees to truce
- Niger army base attack death toll rises to at least 89 – security sources
- German chancellor Merkel says Berlin will host Libya peace talks
- Russia’s Putin: Russians fighting in Libya do not represent the state
- Tunisia parliament rejects govt, coalition building must restart
- Member of Kenya’s Akasha organization sentenced to 23 years in prison in US
- Chairman of South Africa’s Eskom quits after holiday power cuts
- Nigeria revokes $2 bln tax case against telecoms firm MTN
- Interim chair for South Africa’s Eskom to be announced in due course – president
- Zimbabwe public workers reject govt offer to double pay
- Africa Oil – Angolan cargoes sell, tender results emerge
- Niger sets new offensive against militants after 25 soldiers killed
- I’m a scapegoat: Angola’s Isabel dos Santos decries corruption ‘witch hunt’
- Congo ethnic killings may amount to crimes against humanity – UN
- Kenya warns locust swarm is spreading, threatening food security
- Turkey aims to sign deal with Libya over Gaddafi-era compensation
- Egypt, Ethiopia, Sudan deadlocked over giant Nile dam, look to Washington talks
- Kenya’s tourism earnings, arrivals rise in 2019
- South Africa’s Eskom scales back power cuts, system still vulnerable
N.B. Full stories of above headlines are available on Reuters