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

Global Markets

• Asian stocks set for best weekly gain in 9 years, ECB stimulus boosts euro; US jobs eyed
• US dollar slide continues
• Euro maintains strength
• US employment report in view

Oil Markets

• Oil dips on uncertainty over producers’ commitment to output cuts
• Brent down 0.1% at $39.94 a barrel (0051GMT)
• WTI down 0.4% at $37.27

Precious metals

• Gold gains as equity rally halts, dollar softens
• Spot gold up 0.2% at $1,714.78/oz. (0056GMT)
• US gold futures down 0.3% at $1,721.90/oz.

Grains

• Soybeans set to mark biggest weekly gain in 8 mths
• Soybean futures up nearly 3.5% so far this week
• Corn up nearly 1% for the week
• Wheat up 1% so far this week

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

• Nigeria releases covid-19 households socio-economic effects survey
• South Africa’s Ramaphosa in Cape Town to assess WC covid response
• Ghana eases restrictions on religious gatherings
• South Africa foreign exchange reserves May-20 [prev. $53B]
• South Africa SACCI business confidence May-20 [prev. 77.8]
• OPEC+ meets tomorrow
• Key African countries on lockdown or restricted; subdued economic activity
• Covid-19 updates by authorities across the continent

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

• South Africa dehorns dozens of rhinos to prevent lockdown poaching surge
• African Development Bank board stands by embattled chief
• Algeria to ease coronavirus restrictions on Sunday
• Guinea approves SMB-Winning deal for Simandou iron mine project
• Vaccines group raises $8.8 bln for immunisation plans for poor countries
• Uganda to allow firms to defer tax payments to buoy lockdown-battered economy
• Africa Oil – Nigerian trade slows as IOC results awaited
• Turkey vows more support to secure gains in Libya conflict
• WHO says its representative told to leave Equatorial Guinea
• Eastern forces quit Libya capital after year-long assault
• ‘I lost my mind’: Ethiopian migrants forced home empty-handed by coronavirus
• Profit-taking pauses rally in South Africa’s rand, stocks
• Zambia reviews 2020 budget after covid-19 hits revenue
• Egypt to prosecute doctor, father over genital cutting of three girls
• South Africa govt to appeal ruling declaring some covid-19 measures invalid
• Egypt pound slips to weakest in seven months
• South Africa miners seek return of foreign mineworkers
• Tunisia to allow resident firms to borrow from abroad in foreign currencies
• African countries secure 90 million coronavirus test kits for next six months
• African currencies seen stable next week
• Senegal to ease coronavirus curfew as protests spread to capital
• South Africa’s FirstRand warns profit could fall more than 20%
• South Africa’s Barloworld hits hurdle over Tongaat’s starch business deal
• South Africa – AngloGold Ashanti’s Mponeng mine restarts slowly after covid-19 closure
• South Africa’s FirstRand warns of over 20% profit fall
• Tunisians emerge from lockdown into mosques and cafes
• Two girls’ lockdown learning underlines South Africa’s educational divide
• Egypt bans white sugar imports for 3 months – document
• Villagers in Togo mourn homes swallowed by the sea
• Mali’s industrial gold production expected to slump in 2020
• ‘Hunger or murder”: Lockdown poverty exposes African sex workers to more violence
• Erdogan hosts Libya PM as Turkey looks to lock in gains
• Libya’s GNA says it regains control of capital Tripoli
• World food price index hits 17-mth low in May – UN
• Kenya private sector up slightly in May, outlook poor – PMI
• Mozambique expects Exxon gas project decision next year

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