By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji, @macroafrica
Global Markets
- Stocks run out of steam on US job jitters, yen gains
- US stimulus bill passed, jobless figures dreaded
- Nikkei falls 4%
- Dollar jumps vs Aussie & kiwi
Oil Markets
- Oil prices mixed as demand shrinks, but stimulus hopes support
- Brent up 0.4% at $27.51 a barrel (0018GMT)
- WTI down 0.2% at $24.45
Precious metals
- Gold falls on cash run
- Spot gold down 0.6% at $1,604.16/oz. (0038GMT)
- US gold futures up 0.3% at $1,639/oz.
Grains
- Wheat retreats from 2-mth peak on profit-taking
- Wheat hit a Jan 21 high of $5.83-1/4 on Wed.
- Consumers rush for staples such as bread, supporting prices
- Corn falls, soybeans edge lower
- Wheat down 1.6% at $5.71 a bushel
- Soybean down 0.7% at $8.75-3/4 a bushel
- Corn down 0.9% at $3.45-1/2 a bushel
Key African events or data releases today
[Posts & comments at my Twitter handles @DrRafiqRaji, @macroafrica]
- South Africa locks down for 21 days
- Kenya flight ban now in force
- South Africa producer inflation Feb-20 [fcst. 4.5% yy, prev. 4.6%]
- G20 emergency video summit by chair Saudi Arabia
Key African events or data releases yesterday & early a.m today
- Algeria confirms jail sentences for two former PMs
- Libya battles escalate as coronavirus arrives in country
- War-ravaged, impoverished Somalia starts on road to debt relief
- EU wheat resumes rally with Chicago despite small Algeria buy
- IMF, World Bank clear Somalia for debt relief, normal ties to world
- Africa Oil – As storage fills up, overhang lingers
- Kenya announces tax cuts and curfew in battle with coronavirus
- Nigeria army prepares for coronavirus lockdown, mass burials
- Uganda, usually welcoming to refugees, bars all new arrivals to contain coronavirus
- Nigeria central bank to stay open amid coronavirus outbreak
- Sudan frees thousands of prisoners as coronavirus precaution
- South Africa watchdog considers spectrum boost for telecoms companies
- Tunisia coronavirus cases jump by around 50%
- Zimbabwe nurses walk out, customs officials protest over coronavirus fears
- Kenya to cut VAT to 14% to cushion economy over impact of virus – president
- South Africa assets recover as central bank turns to QE
- Egypt deep cleans pyramids site emptied of tourists
- Guinea-Bissau confirms first two cases of coronavirus
- Air Namibia suspends all flights until 20 April
- Botswana hikes power tariffs by 22% to help loss-making utility
- IMF says coronavirus to hit sub-Saharan Africa’s growth hard
- South Africa prepares quarantine sites as coronavirus cases rise to 709
- Libya commander says probe of seized tanker to start after quarantine
- Militants kill nearly 100 Chad soldiers in attack
- Zimbabwe customs officials walk out over coronavirus fears
- Italy lends Tunisia 50 mln euros for coronavirus – sources
- Taking QE route, South Africa central bank starts buying bonds
- Zambia coronavirus cases increase to 12
- MTN Uganda eliminates mobile money charges amid coronavirus outbreak
- Mali reports first two cases of coronavirus – govt statement
- In coronavirus, Senegal rappers find a new enemy to fight
- South Africa reappoints Naidoo as central bank deputy governor
- Afreximbank creates $3 bln pandemic credit facility for Africa
- South Africa Eskom says coal stocks healthy ahead of lockdown
- Sudan defence minister dies of heart attck in South Sudan
- South Africa govt bonds jump after central bank launches bond buying
- Kenya shilling strengthens on reduced dollar demand
- South Africa largest refinery to minimise maintenance over coronavirus shutdown
- [Militants] claim Mozambique attack close to gas projects
N.B. Full stories of above headlines are available on Reuters