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

Global Markets

• Asian stocks set to rise on optimism of post-lockdown recovery, stimulus
• Hang Seng up 0.16%
• S&P/ASX up 0.85%, Nikkei down 0.15%
• DJIA closed up 1.62%, S&P 500 up 1.15%

Oil Markets

• Oil mixed as coronavirus risks offset hopes that crude stockpiles will shrink
• Brent up 1 cent at $31.13 a barrel (0115GMT)
• WTI down 13 cents at $27.43

Precious metals

• Gold rises on stimulus optimism, renewed US-China tensions
• Spot gold up 0.1% at $1,730.56/oz. (0142GMT)
• US gold futures up 0.1% at $1,742.30/oz.

Grains

• Soybeans set to see biggest weekly slide in a month
• Soybean futures up 0.2% at $8.38-1/2 a bushel (0106GMT)
• Soybeans down nearly 1.5% for the week
• Corn down 0.5% for the week
• Wheat down nearly 4% for the week

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

• Bank of Ghana decides on interest rates [fcst. 14.0%, prev. 14.5%]
• South Africa’s Ramaphosa chairs consultation meeting on potential easing to covid-19 alert level 3
• South Africa’s opposition DA files court papers to challenge lockdown
• South Africa’s Mabuza chairs virtual Eskom task team meeting
• 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

• Mozambique govt kill 50 insurgents in recent days – minister
• Sudan plans cash transfer to poor after removal of fuel subsidies
• Zimbabwe to circulate higher bank notes as inflation soars
• Morocco’s Royal Air Maroc mulls state loan guarantees to withstand coronavirus losses – CEO
• Hundreds of child weddings thwarted in Ethiopia as coronavirus locks girls out of schools
• Debt relief for poorest countries will not penalise MDB’s ‘preferred creditor’ status – Moody’s
• Zimbabwe opposition says activists missing, police deny holding them
• Walk-through sanitising booth sprays South Africa commuters
• South Africa to assign coronavirus restrictions by district
• South Africa rand weaker as global economic worries weigh
• South Africa food aid draws thousands for second time in 2 weeks
• First war, now covid-19 threatens South Sudanese in crowded camp
• South Sudan says records its first coronavirus death – statement
• Sasol aims to procure 600MW of renewable energy to cut emission at South Africa operations
• Egypt central bank keeps interest rates steady
• Facebook, telcos plan subsea cable to connect Africa, Middle East and Europe
• Burundi expels WHO team as it prepares for presidential election
• Egypt unemployment falls in 1^st quarter – agency
• Nigeria naira to weaken, Kenya shilling seen steady; in week ahead
• Uganda plans to open power transmission to private investment – regulator
• South Africa MTN sticks to medium term forecast as earnings rise
• Congo citizens bring civil action in Belgium against passport maker
• Kenya shilling inches down against the dollar
• Sierra Leone mining revenue sinks as pandemic hits production and prices

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