By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji
Global Markets
- Hopes of ECB, Fed rate cuts boost stocks, British pound sags
- MSCI Asia-Pacific index gains 0.15%, Nikkei adds 0.95%
- Prospect of Fed, ECB easing support global equities
- Pound sags with eurosceptic Johnson seen becoming new UK PM
Oil Markets
- Oil prices ease as traders weigh Middle East tensions, demand
- Brent down 2 cents at $63.24 a barrel (0121GMT)
- WTI down 6 cents at $56.16 a barrel
Precious metals
- Gold dips as dollar hits near 1-wk high
- Spot gold down 0.5% at $1,417.11 per ounce (0120GMT)
- US gold futures down 0.5% at $1,419.30 an ounce
Grains
- Corn edges up from 19-day low on USDA crop report
- Most active CBOT wheat futures up 0.4% at $4.89-1/4 per bushel (0039GMT)
- Most active corn futures up 0.6% at $4.29-1/4 per bushel
- Most active soy futures up 0.3% at $9.08-3/4 per bushel
- Most active rice futures unchanged at $11.92 per hundredweight
Key African events or data releases today
[Posts & comments at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- Nigeria central bank interest rate decision [fcst. 13.0%, prev. 13.5%]
- South Africa’s Ramaphosa to open “25 years of democracy” conference at University of Johannesburg; 23-24 Jul
- Kenya cabinet reshuffle, finimin et al. arraignment expected
- 9th session of Namibia-Zimbabwe joint commission in Windhoek; 22-34 Jul
- Botswana’s Masisi in Kenya for 3-day state visit; arrived yesterday
- West Africa ports & rail evolution forum in Lagos; 22-23 Jul
- South Africa state capture inquiry continues
- South Africa PIC inquiry continues
Key African events or data releases yesterday & early a.m today
[Posted & commented on some headlines below at my Twitter handle @DrRafiqRaji]
- Morocco lawmakers vote to bolster French in education system
- ‘This is our land’: Uncertain futures for Ugandans facing eviction from wildlife reserve
- Nigeria police, Shi’ite group clash in capital, at least 3 dead
- Libya’s Mitiga airport halts air traffic after air strike – statement
- Nigeria police say senior officer killed as Shi’ite protest turns violent
- Congo minister’s resignation over ebola snub could unblock new vaccine
- Guinea seeks developers for Simandou iron ore deposit
- Africa Oil – Activity slow despite OSP price drop
- South African rand firmer as carry trade trumps political wrangling
- Eastern Libya forces warplane makes emergency landing in Tunisia, pilot held – LNA
- Zimbabwe vice president in China to receive treatment for unknown illness
- Kenya finance minister arrested on graft charges
- South African court ruling could undermine public protector
- Congo health minister resigns in protest over govt handling of ebola response
- Nigeria agrees plan with Siemens to nearly triple power supply by 2023
- At least 17 killed in bomb attack in Somalia capital
- South Africa allcoates extra $4.2 bln for cash-trapped Eskom
- South Africa’s top court says public protector acted in bad faith
- Libya warplane lands on road in southern Tunisia
- Uganda shilling little-changed amid limited importer demand
- Kenya shilling weakens against the dollar
- UK to send 250 troops to Mali for peacekeeping operations
- Libya’s Sharara oilfield resumes output after brief outage
- Zimbabwe’s Econet weighs drastic measures over ‘untenable’ power cuts
- Kenya police arrest finmin on corruption charges, official says
- Kenya dollar bonds slip after finmin to be arrested and charged over graft
- Morocco’s CPI slows to 0.2% in June – Planning agency
- Zimbabwe increases fuel prices again, but pumps remain dry
- Kenya’s TransCentury, EA Cables say complete debt restructuring
- Kenya’s Consolidated Bank extends its bond maturity by 3 months
N.B. Full stories of above headlines are available on Reuters
