By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji, @macroafrica
Global Markets
- Asia stocks set to slip on coronavirus fears, vaccine timing
- Hong Kong Hang Seng up 0.37%
- Australia S&P/ASX down 1.26%
- Japan Nikkei down 0.05%
Oil Markets
- Oil falls amid concerns about new viral outbreaks, rise in inventories
- Brent down 1.6% at $29.49 a barrel (0034GMT)
- WTI down 1.6% at $25.37
Precious metals
- Gold gains as virus resurgence fears dampen risk
- Spot gold up 0.1% at $1,704.23/oz. (0030GMT)
- US gold futures up 0.1% at $1,708.10/oz.
Grains
- Soybeans fall to 5-day low, strong Chinese demand cuts losses
- Soybean futures down 0.2% at $8.50-3/4 a bushel (0111GMT)
- Corn down 0.5% at $3.20-3/4 a bushel
- Wheat down 0.7% at $5.11 a bushel
Key African events or data releases today
[Posts & comments at my Twitter handles @DrRafiqRaji, @macroafrica]
- Nigeria’s Buhari chief of staff pick awaited [Former UN scribe Gambari touted but yet to be officially confirmed]
- Nigeria’s Buhari cabinet holds first virtual meeting
- Lesotho PM Thabane expected to resign today
- Key African countries on lockdown or restricted; subdued economic activity
- Covid-19 updates by authorities across the continent
Key African events or data releases yesterday & early a.m today
- Saudi cabinet urges OPEC+ countries to further reduce production – SPA
- Lesotho PM Thabane says he will resign on Wednesday – report
- Angola dos Santos wants graft case dropped, cites documents she calls forged
- Mozambique court declares void two loans in ‘hidden debt’ scandal
- Bank of Central African States denies CFA franc devaluation rumours
- Tunisia to double external funding to 5 bln euros this year – PM
- Africa Oil – India refiners set to mop up some cargoes
- South Africa rand rises on US-China trade truce hopes
- Ghana fish factory partially reopens after swell of coronavirus cases
- Egypt receives $2.77 bln in IMF emergency financing – state news agency
- IMF chief says growth forecast cuts ‘very likely’ as coronavirus hits economies
- Violence in northwest Nigeria drives 23,000 into Niger – UNHCR
- South Africa firms get 5 years to repay coronavirus support loans
- “Madness” to hold Uganda vote if virus persists – Museveni
- Algeria extends coronavirus restrictions by 15 days
- South Africa Shoprite sees surging demand for DIY hair and beauty products
- South Africa publishes proposed mine safety rules for covid-19
- Ethiopia only ventilator expert races to train others as virus spreads
- Zambia shuts Tanzania border to fight covid-19, delaying copper exports
- IMF raises Kenya risk of debt distress to high from moderate
- South Africa strips Land Bank debt of high quality asset status
- Tanzania central bank lowers reserve requirements due to coroanvirus
- Uganda shilling holds steady against the dollar
- South Africa Sibanye Stillwater first-quarter earnings surge on strong metal prices
- South Africa Tongaat, Barloworld in deadlock over starch business deal
N.B. Full stories of above headlines are available on Reuters