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