By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji

Global Markets

• Stock losses deepen as US puts yuan in crosshairs
• MSCI Asia-Pacific index down 0.85%, Nikkei loses 1.2%
• Washington determines China a currency manipulator
• Yuan still weak but retreat stalls on firmer-than-expected fix
• US treasury 10-yr yield drops to lowest since Oct 2016

Oil Markets

• Oil pirces edge up but US-China trade war drags
• Brent up 0.17% at $59.91 a barrel (0149GMT)
• WTI up 0.13% at $54.76

Precious metals

• Gold firms near 6-yr peak as trade tensions trigger safe-haven bets
• SPDR Gold holdings up 0.5% on Monday
• Dollar slips to 2-wk low
• Spot gold may fall into $1,441-$1,449/oz range – techs
• Spot gold steady at $1,462.50 per ounce (0445GMT)
• US gold futures down 0.1% at $1,475.30/oz

Grains

• US soybeans fall on USDA crop report
• Most active CBOT wheat futures down 0.5% at $4.92-1/4 per bushel (0103GMT)
• Most active corn futures unchanged at $4.14-3/4 per bushel
• Most active soy futures down 0.1% at $8.67-1/2 per bushel
• Most active rice futures down 0.2% at $11.41 per hundredweight

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

• Mozambique election peace pledge agreement signing in Maputo; Namibia’s Geingob attending
• SADC industrial week & exhibition in Tanzania; 5-9 Aug
• 2019 AGOA forum in Abidjan, Ivory Coast; 3-6 Aug
• Malawi opposition mass protest to demand resignation of electoral commission chair

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

• South Africa’s Royal Bafokeng Platinum H1 loss widens
• South Africa’s Nedbank posts higher half-year profit
• Eastern Libya force strikes Misrata air college – source, witness
• Drone strike on town in southern Libya kills at least 43 – official
• Nigeria to allow Shi’ite leader to seek medical treatment abroad
• Uganda presidential hopeful says ally dead after abduction, torture
• Algeria court orders former ministers held over corruption allegation – state TV
• Uganda says starts its largest-ever ebola vaccine trial
• Nigeria’s Access, Union Bank tap local bond market, issue 30 bln naira bonds, as yields fall
• Tunisia annual inflation eases to 6.5% in July
• Egypt digital payments company Fawry IPO oversubscribed 30 times
• Africa Oil – Higher fuel oil margin buoys Angolan, IOC takes Nigerian
• Gambia to release 3 hitmen who confessed to high-profile killings – minister
• Tanzania charges journalist, rights groups say case politically motivated
• South Africa’s rand hits 7-wk low as trade tensions heat up
• Zimbabwe secures more electricity imports to ease outages
• Libya’s NOC completes Bouri oil field maintenance – statement
• Kosmos Energy sees Mauritania, Senegal deal by year-end
• South Africa’s private-sector activity slips further in July – PMI
• Kenya shilling holds steady against the dollar
• Egypt’s non-oil private sector grows for the second time in 2019 – PMI
• Egypt – 17 dead in car explosion in central Cairo – health ministry

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