Flash Briefing: Booming Ireland seeks Saffers; 3 African dictators pressured; Key trade talks; Gold demanded.

IN TODAY’S GLOBAL HEADLINES… Trade officials from the US are meeting their Chinese counterparts in Beijing today in an attempt to hammer out an agreement that will reverse escalating trade war tensions. A report today from Canada’s Scotiabank says gold exchange traded funds increased their holdings of the metal by 2.25m ounces during December, an increase of around 5%.  It’s been a rough start to the year for three African dictators. A lengthy article in today’s Financial Times of London says the economic boom in Ireland has resulted in the country looking to SA to meet a growing skills shortage.