By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji

Global Markets

• Asian shares, euro trampled as Turkish rout spreads
• Turkish lira hits new lows, govt promises it has a plan
• Selling spreads to South African rand, Argentine peso
• Euro slips as safe haven yen, Swiss franc, dollar bid
• Asian stocks fall further, emerging markets under pressure

Oil Markets

• Oil edges up on Iran sanctions, but trade tensions drag
• Brent crude oil futures up 7 cents at $72.88 per barrel (0053GMT)
• US WTI crude futures up 16 cents at $67.79 per barrel

Precious metals

• Gold prices subdued as dollar stands firm near 13-mth high
• Spot gold slips 0.1 pct at $1,209.53 an ounce (0102GMT)
• US gold futures down 0.2 pct at about $1,216.80 an ounce

Grains

• Soybeans fall nearly 1 pct to 3-wk low
• Most active CBOT wheat futures unchanged at $5.46-3/4 per bushel (0108GMT)
• Most active corn futures down 0.7 pct at $3.69 per bushel
• Most active soy futures down 0.8 pct at $8.54-3/4 per bushel
• Most active rice futures unchanged at $10.55 per hundredweight

Key African events or data releases today & during the week
[Posts & comments at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]

• SADC summit ongoing [Council of ministers meet today]
• Uganda central bank decision tomorrow (14 Aug) [fcst. 9.0%, prev. 9.0%]
• Nigeria inflation data for July due on 14 Aug [fcst. 11.0% yy, prev. 11.2%]
• South Africa mining production data for June expected on 14 Aug [fcst. -3.1% yy, prev. -2.6%]
• South Africa retail sales data due on 15 Aug [fcst. 2.0% yy, prev. 1.9%]
• Bank of Namibia MPC decision on 15 Aug [fcst. 6.75%, prev. 6.75%]

Key African events or data releases over the weekend & early a.m today
[Posted & commented on some headlines below at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]

• Hippo kills Taiwan tourist visiting Kenyan lake
• Mali votes in run-off amid heavy security to counter militant threat
• Protesting Nigerian troops fire into air at northeastern airport
• Eastern Libyan oil firm AGOCO producing 190,000 bpd – official
• Egypt arrests seven alleged militants tied to failed church bombing
• Court jails Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood leader for life – sources
• Ethiopian rebels declare ceasefire amid govt reforms
• Egyptian forces kills 12 suspected militants in Sinai – agency
• Former monk held on charges of killing bishop at Egyptian monastery
• Egypt security forces thwart church bombing – state tv
• Kenya arrests two top officials for suspected corruption over new $3 bln railway
• Four new Congo ebola cases as medics prepare experimental treatment
• Cameroon probes video showing security forces apparently executing civilians
• Zimbabwe’s Chamisa challenges election result; inauguration halted
• Zimbabwe ruling party confident Chamisa has no case after election challenge
• South Africa’s rand weakens nearly 3 pct as emerging market currencies slip
• Zimbabwe Mnangagwa inauguration deferred after court challenge – justice minister
• Africa Crude – Nigerian diffs sink as cheap alternatives weigh
• Ethiopian Airlines frontrunner in tender for planned Nigerian airline – CEO
• Zimbabwe’s opposition leader Chamisa wants court to declare him winner or call fresh election – lawyer
• Ethiopian Airlines net profit up in FY 2017/18 – CEO
• Sudan’s ruling party backs Bashir for 2020 election – SUNA
• Malawi tobacco revenue rises 35 pct
• Kenyan shilling steady on debt inflows
• Ugandan shilling weakens as commercial banks exert demand
• UAE to build oil pipeline between Eritrea and Ethiopia – Fana Broadcasting
• Kenya’s Safaricom resists tariff cuts to avoid price war
• Kenya parliament rejects committee’s call to probe ministers over sugar imports – papers
• Kenya’s Safaricom wants to avoid price war after competitor Airtel cuts call rates
• Refugees sow crops with Kenyan hosts – and reap integration
• Tunisia’s tourism revenues jump by 42 pct until July 31
• Ghana replaces sacked energy chief in reshuffle of huge cabinet
• Zimbabwe opposition leader charged over post-election violence
• US concerned about Zimbabwe violence, opposition leader return
• Blockchain firm Soluna to build 900MW wind farm in Morocco – CEO
• Suspected Boko Haram militants kill at least 15 soldiers and disaster worker – sources
• World powers praise Congo’s Kabila for agreeing to bow out
• Zimbabwe opposition leader Biti charged with role in post-election violence
• Uganda leader says South Sudan refugees should return by January
• Mali opposition leaders refuse to back challenger in presidential run-off
• Vedanta suspends operations at Zambian unit after worker killed in accident
• Egypt’s core inflation falls to 8.54 pct in July – central bank
• Nigerian stocks drop to 9-mth low on mixed earnings, political risk
• Nigeria’s Notore drops 8.8 pct in one week after debut listing
• UN gravely concerned at Zambia’s refusal of asylum for Zimbabwe’s Biti
• When bits meet bites: Kenya’s farm-to-fork online delivery cuts waste, boosts earnings
• Ethiopian Airlines to fly seafood from Norway to China
• South Sudan president Kiir grants Machar, other rebels amnesty
• South Africa’s Eskom reaches “in principle” wage deal with unions
• Kenya seeks to raise 40 bln shillings with 10-yr bond in August
• Egypt’s annual urban consumer price inflation eases to 13.5 pct in July – CAPMAS
• In peace between Ethiopia and Eritrea, UAE lends a helping hand
• Egypt students design car that runs on air
• Congo’s Kabila will not stand for election in December
• Uganda police urged to act after series of attacks on charities
• Suspected al Shabaab militants kill five soldiers in Kenya’s Lamu – county official
• Libya’s sovereign wealth fund to move offices over abductions, threats
• Tanzania plans to suspend Naspers’ Multichoice telecoms licence
• Naspers’ unit Mulitchoice concerned about Tanzania suspension notice
• Congo starts vaccinating health workers against ebola
• Nigeria Senate president urges parliamentary blockade probe
• Campaign on fistula brings renewed hope for rural Nigerian women
• Sanctions make it harder for South Africa’s MTN to repatriate Iran cash
• Former Nairobi governor arrested on corruption allegations
• Nigeria approves $150 mln World Bank loan to fight polio
• Ivory Coast’s Simone Ggagbo leaves detention after amnesty
• Congo’s Kabila to step down ahead of presidential election
• Kenya arrests suspect in killing of black rhino
• Glencore says mining industry considers legal action on new DRC mining code
• Internet in eastern Ethiopia shut down after regional violence
• African migrants protest in Italy after road deaths
• South Africa’s business confidence index rises in July
• Uganda’s Stanbic Bank pre-tax profit rise, sees credit growth
• South Africa’s Murray & Roberts drops Aveng merger plan
• Tullow Oil, Kenya agree to resume oilfields activity
• South Africa plastics company Mpact H1 profits falter, shares fall
• South Africa’s MTN H1 profit down 7 pct

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