By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji, @macroafrica

Global Markets

• China stocks tumble on virus outbreak, but regional markets steady
• Markets on edge amid fears of China virus spreading
• Asian stocks, currencies mostly steady after risk-off shift
• WHO meets Wednesday to consider severity of virus outbreak
• Oil recovers from Libyan supply jitters

Oil Markets

• Oil falls again as ample global supply seen offsetting Libyan outage
• Brent down 0.2% at $64.46 a barrel (0119GMT)
• WTI down 0.3% at $58.22

Precious metals

• Gold eases as markets assess risks from China virus
• Spot gold down 0.3% at $1,553.27/oz. (0133GMT)
• US gold futures down 0.3% at $1,553.30/oz.

Grains

• Soybeans edge lower, linger near 1-mth low
• Soybean futures down 0.1% at $9.15-1/4 a bushel (0116GMT)
• Corn futures up 0.2% at $3.88-1/4 a bushel
• Wheat futures down 0.2% at $5.80-1/4 a bushel

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

• South Africa inflation Dec-19 [fcst. 3.9% yy, prev. 3.6%]
• Bank of Ghana MPC meeting; 22-24 Jan [decision on 27 Jan]
• South Africa ruling ANC post-NEC press briefing
• World Economic Forum in Davos; 21-24 Jan
• Police question Lesotho PM Thabane over ex-wife’s murder
• Court to rule on Kenya’s Nairobi governor Sonko assault case
• South Africa state capture inquiry continues

Key African events or data releases yesterday & early a.m today

• Australia’s FAR inks marketing deal with Glencore for Senegal’s Sangomar project
• Trump administration plans to add Nigeria & 6 other nations to travel ban list – reports
• Sudan doesn’t have foreign reserves to protect value of the pound – prime minister
• Maltreated tigers and lions, rescued from Guatemala circuses, arrive in South Africa
• Militants kill 36 civilians in Burkina Faso market attack
• Libya’s NOC says oil operations can only be resumed by ending closures – Tweet
• Ivory Coast leader says fears of age limit for presidential candidates unfounded
• Angola pleads for help to claw back assets lost to corruption
• Africa Oil – Nigerian glut appears to dwindle, offers steady
• South African Airways cancels flights in fight for survival
• African fintech Flutterwave gets $35 mln, partners with WorldPay
• Angola to kick off Sonangol IPO before 2022 – minister Azevedo
• Spain’s ACS withdraws from Inga 3 hydro project in Congo
• Angola says has reached out to other countries in corruption crackdown
• Weak growth outlook keeps South African rand on back foot
• South Africa appoints new board at state nuclear firm
• Nigeria’s Lekoil reaches deal to keep oilfield after loan fraud
• Ivory Coast gold output up 35% in 2019 after new mine starts
• Namibia looks to import cattle as drought decimates local herds
• Cameroonian soldiers go on trial over shooting of women and children
• Turkey says Libya’s Haftar must choose political solution
• Nigeria charges ex-attorney general with financial crimes in $1.3 bln oil deal
• South African Airways cancels some flights to Munich to save cash
• Ugandan shilling holds steady against the dollar
• Tunisia’s designated PM vows to tackle economic, social ills
• 9 injured in Somali bombing flown to Turkey for treatment

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