By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji, @macroafrica
Global Markets
- Asian stocks grind higher as focus turns to earnings
- Investors hope for positive outlook from US firms on earnings
- China rally extends, CSI300 hits 5-yr high while yuan gains
- Gold steady above $1,800/oz.
Oil Markets
- Oil prices idle as coronavirus spike fears offset signs of gasoline recovery
- Brent up 3 cents at $43.32 a barrel (0035GMT)
- WTI unchanged at $40.90
Precious metals
- Gold holds above $1,800 level as virus casts long shadow
- Spot gold little changed at $1,808.44/oz. (0243GMT)
- US gold futures flat at $1,819.80/oz.
Grains
- Wheat hits 1-mth peak on supply concerns as production outlook dips
- Wheat futures up 0.5% at $5.19 a bushel
- Soybeans up 0.1% at $8.99 a bushel
- Corn up 0.1% at $3.54-1/4 a bushel
Key African events or data releases today
[Posts & comments at my Twitter handles @DrRafiqRaji, @macroafrica]
- Kenya & US negotiate bilateral trade deal (from 8 July)
- Nigeria govt clarification on reported detention of anti-graft chief expected
- South Africa releases manufacturing production data
- 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
- Nigeria’s confirmed coronavirus cases pass 30,000 – NCDC
- Ghana activists sue govt to save forest from mine
- Ivory Coast premier and would-be president Gon Coulibaly dies at 61
- Tunisia budget deficit in 2020 will be more than 5 pct of GDP
- Total secures $15.8 bln in funding for Mozambique gas project – FNB
- Egypt keeps domestic fuel prices unchanged – statement
- UN chief says foreign meddling in Libya conflict at ‘unprecedented levels’
- Malawi appoints Wilson Banda as new central bank governor
- Seven killed in oil platform ladder installation blast in southern Nigeria – NNPC
- Nigeria naira resumes official market trading as FX rates unify
- US, Kenya formally launch trade deal talks
- IMF must fine-tune lending instruments for poorest states – Georgieva
- Eni CEO commits to Libya after meeting with al-Sarraj
- Coronavirus tipping sovereign rating balance into junk – Fitch
- Nigeria naira resumes trading at 381 per dollar on official market
- France calls for release of Mali opposition leader Cisse
- South Africa’s Steinhoff agrees to sell stake in Conforama France to Mobilux
- South Africa Airways to offer training for up to 1,000 staff
- Russia working on intermediate Libya ceasefire with Turkey – Ifax
- With schools closed, child labour on the rise in lockdown Uganda
- Namibia to ground national carrier’s license over cash hole
- Kenya shilling under pressure agains dollar
- Somalia – Two policemen killed in roadside blast in Mogadishu – witness
- In Africa, lack of coronavirus data raises fears of “silent epidemic”
- Kenya sports minister Mohamed to bid for top WTO job
- Dozen of bodies found in Burkina Faso, and rights group suspects extrajudicial killings
N.B. Full stories of above headlines are available on Reuters