By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji, @macroafrica
Global Markets
- Asian stocks rebound, Fed soothes with boundless QE
- S&P 500 futures bounce in Asia, Nikkei jumps
- Dollar off peaks on promise of bottomless liquidity
- Factory surveys to show extent of economic damage
Oil Markets
- Oil prices climb as US ramps up economic support measures
- Brent up 2.3% at $27.65 a barrel (0346GMT)
- WTI up 3.3% at $24.12
Precious metals
- Gold jumps 2% as Fed bonanza stalls cash rush
- Spot gold up 1.3% at $1,573.17/oz. (0333GMT)
- US gold futures up 1.5% at $1,590.50/oz.
Grains
- Wheat retreats 1% on strong US dollar
- Wheat futures down 1.2% at $5.55-1/2 a bushel (0053GMT)
- Soybean futures down 0.1% at $8.83-1/4 a bushel
- Corn futures down 0.6% at $3.41-1/2 a bushel
Key African events or data releases today
[Posts & comments at my Twitter handles @DrRafiqRaji, @macroafrica]
- Inter-ministerial briefing on South Africa 21-day lockdown
- Central Bank of Nigeria MPC decision [fcst. 13.5%, prev. 13.5%]
Key African events or data releases yesterday & early a.m today
- DR Congo locks down mining area, workers sent home over coronavirus
- Virus-control measures to hit Rio Tinto operations in South Africa, Canada
- Ivory Coast, Senegal declare emergencies, impose curfews in coronavirus response
- China Moly to isolate TFM copper mine in Congo due to coronavirus – note
- Egypt reports 5 more coronavirus deaths for a total of 19 – health ministry
- Tunisia discussing new IMF programme – finmin
- South Africa to impose 21-day lockdown from midnight Thursday as coronavirus cases jump
- Nigeria closes land borders to fight coronavirus spread
- Currency black market re-emerges in Egypt as coronavirus spreads
- Algeria imposes curfew in capital
- WHO warns of ‘accelerating’ pandemic, expects Olympics decision soon
- Former DR Congo health minister convicted of embezzling ebola funds
- Sudan imposes 10-hr night-time curfew to curb coronavirus spread
- UN chief wants $2 bln to help poor countries combat coronavirus
- Africa Oil – Nigeria programmes emerge after OSPs slashed
- South Africa’s Eskom invites bids to plug short-term power gap
- Libya combatants resume fighting despite coronavirus truce call
- Egypt postpones sessions till April 12 over coronavirus – MENA
- Mozambique army, insurgents battle in town close to gas projects – police
- Nigeria’s Seplat cuts costs and drilling plans amid oil price crash – CFO
- South Africa’s Sibanye-Stillwater cuts US workers in response to virus
- South Africa’s rand on the ropes as virus fears mount
- Despite OPEC+ deal collapse, Saudi oil exports yet to rise – sources
- Coronavirus hits Botswana’s first elephant hunting season since 2014
- Egypt central bank tells commercial banks to cut interest on dollar deposits – bankers
- South Africa – Fired Old Mutual boss Moyo’s appeal dismissed – Old Mutual
- Kenya central bank cuts rates sharply, lowers banks’ cash ratio
- South Africa’s Sibanye-Stillwater temporarily cuts workers at US operations on COVID-19 outbreak
- Zimbabwe records first coronavirus death – health minister
- African finance ministers call for $100 bln stimulus, debt holiday
- Malawi to hold another presidential election in July
- Tunisia orders army into streets to enforce coronavirus lockdown
- Endeavour Mining swoops on Semafo to create top Burkina Faso gold miner
- East Libya imposes full curfew over coronavirus
- Saudi Arabia CDS climb to record high, Russia, South Africa at multi-year peaks
- South Africa’s confirmed coronavirus cases jump by 128 to 402
- Former oil official is Nigeria’s first coronavirus fatality – NCDC
- Ford decides to halt production in India, South Africa on coronavirus impact
- Nigeria 1-yr naira forward records biggest fall in over 10-years after devaluation
- Tunisia says IMF will disburse $400 mln to help it face coronavirus effects
- Second Egypt military official dies of coronavirus
- Coronavirus provides unexpected boost for Kenya fishermen
- Congo imposes 48-hr lockdown on mining province over coronavirus
- In the shadow of ebola and covid-19, measles rips through Congo
- Kenya farmers brace for second onslaught of crop-devouring locusts
- Kenya shilling edges down as investors flee to safety
- Mining company Katanga sues China MMG’s Kinsevere mine in Congo
- Uganda shilling extends losing streak amid demand by banks, offshore investors
- South Africa’s Alexander Forbes cancels $56 mln plan to buy out shareholder
N.B. Full stories of above headlines are available on Reuters