By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji, @macroafrica

Global Markets

• Asia shares fall in fresh rout in crude prices
• End in sight for some lockdowns
• Oil suffers as USO ETF sells front-month futures
• Markets eye Fed, ECB meetings this week

Oil Markets

• Oil prices slide again as world runs low on storage capacity amid plunge in demand
• Brent down 1.4% at $19.72 a barrel (0110GMT)
• WTI down 6% at $12.01

Precious metals

• Gold slips as lockdown easing plans lift risk appetite
• Spot gold down 0.7% at $1,702.09/oz. (0139GMT)
• US gold futures down 0.3% at $1,719.20/oz.

Grains

• Corn flat as USDA planting report weighs on market
• Corn futures unchanged at $3.13-1/4 a bushel (0158GMT)
• Soybeans up 0.1% at $8.37-1/2 a bushel
• Wheat up 0.4% at $5.27 a bushel

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

• IMF decides on Nigeria $3.4 bln loan request
• Nigeria parliament resumes
• Nigeria’s Buhari chief of staff pick awaited
• Key African countries on lockdown; subdued economic activity
• Covid-19 updates by authorities across the continent

Key African events or data releases yesterday & early a.m today

• Nigeria to begin ‘phased and gradual’ easing of lockdownsin Lagos, Abuja
• Libya eastern leader Haftar says army to take formal control
• WHO chief says pandemic “far from over”, worried about children
• World Bank pandemic bonds will funnel $196 mln to 64 poor countries
• Algeria extends coronavirus restrictions to May 14
• Burundi vote campaign begins in shadow of violence & covid-19
• Virtually all Equatorial Guinea oil business on hold – hydrocarbons minister
• Rwanda in talks to delay debt payments as coronavirus hits economy – President
• Nigeria overnight rates drop after $3.9 bln liquidity squeeze
• US acknowledges killing 2 civilians in 2019 Somalia air strike
• Africa Oil – Traders seek clarity around Nigeria output
• IMF chief says expects Nigeria coronavirus aid by end of April
• Exxon Equatorial Guinea offshore workers test positive for coronavirus – sources
• Coronavirus stirs rancour in South Africa on democracy anniversary
• UN raises alarm about police brutality in lockdowns
• Uganda opposition presidential hopeful says allied lawmaker tortured, blinded
• Senegal groups get homeless children off streets amid coronavirus
• 30 workers on Equatorial Guinea offshore oil platform test positive for coronavirus
• Nigeria oil export plans delayed amid talks with majors on cuts – sources
• De Beers’ Namibia diamond venture boosts output by nearly 6% in Q1
• After beating coronavirus, a Zimbabwe survivor lives with the stigma

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