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

Global Markets

• Asia stocks rise on vaccine hopes, eyes on US payrolls
• MSCI ex-Japan rises, all major Asian indexes in black
• Shanghai copper at 6-mth highs on supply fears
• Investor focus on US employment data due later in the day
• Currencies tread water

Oil Markets

• Oil prices dip on demand worries as California reimposes restrictions
• Brent down 0.3% at $41.89 a barrel (0024GMT)
• WTI down 0.3% at $39.69

Precious metals

• Gold eases off near 8-yr peak after solid US data
• Spot gold down 0.2% at $1,767.11/oz. (0034GMT)
• US gold futures down 0.2% at $1,777.30/oz.

Grains

• Corn eases after rally, lower US planting stems fall
• Corn futures down 0.2% at $3.59-3/4 a bushel (0030GMT)
• Soybeans down 0.1% at $8.98 a bushel
• Wheat down 0.4% at $4.96-3/4 a bushel

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

• Nigeria raises fuel prices
• AfDB hosts Africa infrastructure finance webinar
• South Africa current account balance Q1-20 [fcst. -2.7% of GDP, prev. -1.3%]
• Electoral Commission Ghana voter re-registration continues
• South Africa state capture inquiry continues
• 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

• Burkina Faso probes bullet-ridden bodies discovered after army operation
• Nigeria to restart domestic flights July 8 in easing of coronavirus curbs
• Mali opposition seeks to curb president’s authority in reform plan
• Algeria president pardons protest movement activists
• Military deployed in Ethiopia capital after more than 80 killed in protests
• Egypt reopens airports and welcomes tourists to pyramids after covid closure
• Sierra Leone doctors treating covid-19 patients to go on strike
• ‘We are not guinea pigs’, say South Africa anti-vaccine protesters
• Egypt parliament approves $5 bln supplemental spending bill
• Monk’s death sentence commuted to life for murder of bishop at Egypt monastery
• Big South Africa insurers face $232 mln in claims from 500 virus-hit firms
• South Africa eases lockdown, eco-tourism community fears for future
• South Africa’s Sasol to sell Escravos gas-to-liquids plant to Chevron
• Sierra Leone doctors treating covid-19 patients to go on strike
• Mauritius investigates alleged round-tripping linked to Wirecard AG
• Portfolio inflows to emerging markets to continue to recover – IIF
• Morocco’s trade deficit narrows 12% y/y in Jan-May
• More than 40,000 people forcefully evicted in East Africa during coronavirus crisis
• Libya’s NOC says force majeure continues pending lifting of blockade
• Outflanked by China in Africa, Taiwan eyes unrecognised Somaliland
• South Africa’s Transnet names Dlamini as CFO
• South Africa – Johannesburg exchange fines Tongaat over non-compliance
• Child labour on Ivory Coast cocoa farms rises during pandemic, study finds
• Actis-backed African education group acquires Nigeria university – CEO
• Turkey business group plans Libya trip to set post-war plan – sources
• Congo and the chocolate factory: New producer hits the sweet spot
• Uganda shilling inches up against the dollar
• Easing lockdown lifts South Africa’s Absa PMI in June
• Congo vows zero tolerance over child soldiers after US anti-trafficking nod
• South Africa retailer Steinhoff posts bigger full-year loss

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