By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji

Global Markets

• Asian shares dart between gains and losses before key China data
• MSCI Asia ex-Japan up 0.1%
• China June trade, lending data due Friday, Q2 GDP due Monday
• Trump says China not living up to promises

Oil Markets

• Oil prices rise amid Gulf of Mexico storm, Middle East tensions
• Brent up 0.6% at $66.89 (0115GMT)
• WTI up 0.6% at $60.54

Precious metals

• Gold gains on US-China trade jitters, rate cut hopes
• Spot gold up 0.4% at $1,408.62/oz (0133GMT)
• US gold futures up 0.2% at $1,410/oz

Grains

• Wheat falss but set for first weekly gain in a month
• Most active CBOT wheat futures down 0.1% at $5.20-3/4 per bushel (0255GMT)
• Most active corn futures unchanged at $4.48 per bushel
• Most active soy futures nearly unchanged at $9.17 per bushel
• Most active rice futures down 0.3% at $11.90 per hundredweight

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

• South Africa state capture inquiry continues

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

• IMF approves $449 mln Congo Republic bailout after China debt deal
• Families and Ethiopian farmers feel in the dark over Boeing’s aid offer
• Sudan’s military rulers say coup attempt thwarted
• Egypt detains man behind pro-Mubarak Facebook page
• South Africa’s Eskom new funding bill expected July 23
• Death toll in migrant ship disaster off Tunisia coast rises to 58
• Egypt central bank keeps key rate unchanged
• UN chief calls for more support for cycolone-hit Mozambique
• Nigeria to force lending by capping deposits at central bank
• Africa Oil – Nigerian July spot cargoes remain, traders report Saturno outage
• South African Airways chairman has quit – minister Gordhan
• South African rand stronger with Fed seen cutting rates
• Zimbabwe lawmaker to spend more time in detention after court appearance
• Go-slow at port hits South African car and commodity exports
• OPEC sees lower 2020 demand for its oil, points to surplus
• Kenya’s NSE kicks off futures trading with most liquid stocks
• Tanzania says does not know whether missing journalist is dead or alive
• South Africa’s manufacturing, mining subdued as growth burden shifts to central bank
• Police fire guns during Shi’ite protest in Nigerian capital – witness
• South Africa’s Nampak has made significant progress in talks for glass unit sale
• South Africa’s manufacturing up 1% y/y in May
• Uganda shilling steady, importer demand low
• Kenya orders Safaricom to shut down betting payments in revenue blow
• Egypt’s arrears to foreign oil firms fall by end of June – minister
• Kenya shilling under pressure against the dollar

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