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

Global Markets

• Asian shares stumble ahead of EU summit, US stimulus talks
• Concerns over rising coronavirus cases globally
• Eyes on fiscal support package talks in EU, US
• MSCI Asia-Pacific ex-Japan shares down 0.2%
• S&P 500 E-mini futures down 0.4%
• Australia, South Korean & HK shares down as well
• Brent down 25 cents at $42.89, WTI down 24 cents at $40.35
• Spot gold down 0.1% at $1,807.55/oz.

Oil Markets

• Oil eases amid rising coronavirus cases worldwide
• Brent down 0.6% at $42.89 a barrel (0353GMT)
• WTI down 0.5% at $40.37

Precious metals

• Gold eases on firmer dollar; virus fears limit losses
• Spot gold down 0.1% at $1,807.55/oz. (0242GMT)
• US gold futures down 0.1% at $1,808.30/oz.

Grains

• Soybeans rise for 5^th session on strong demand, corn eases
• Corn falls on concerns over energy demand amid coronavirus
• Soybean futures up 0.4% at $8.98-3/4 a bushel (0253GMT)
• Corn down 0.3% at $3.38-3/4 a bushel
• Wheat down 0.2% at $5.33-3/4 a bushel

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

• Central Bank of Nigeria decides interest rates [fcst. 12.5%, prev. 12.5%]
• South Africa state capture inquiry resumes
• Key African countries on lockdown or restricted; subdued economic activity
• Covid-19 updates by authorities across the continent

Key African events or data releases over the weekend & early a.m today

• Saudi King Salman, 84, admitted to hospital
• Pact to aid poor cocoa farmers in peril as covid-19 hits demand
• Mali opposition rejects ECOWAS proposals on ending political crisis
• Nigeria foreign minister Onyeama tests positive for coronavirus
• Four killed in Sierra Leone protest after police and army open fire
• Burundi arrests local administrators for robbing residents
• France, Germany, Italy threaten sanctions over arms for Libya
• Libya GNA fighters head for front as battle for Sirte looms
• G20 finance officials call for full, transparent debt freeze participation
• Sudan army launches legal action against ‘insulting’ activists
• IMF exploring additional tools to provide aid to pandemic-hit countries
• Egypt reports lowest daily coronavirus figure since late May
• Congo replaces sanctioned army chief with deputy also sanctioned for rights abuses
• US opens probe of phospate fertilizer imports from Morocco, Russia
• Total signs $14.9 bln debt financing for huge Mozambique LNG project
• South Africa farmers rap repeal of state of disaster for drought
• Libya’s NOC “deeply concerned” at using its institutions as “war posts”
• South Africa banks to allow their law firms to act for customers against them
• Public debt, populism and arrests as Tunisia faces crisis
• Turkey’s Erdogan says Egypt’s actions in Libya are illegal
• Mali PM apologises for security force ‘excesses’ during protests
• Deaths in South Africa mines fall to 51, lowest in a century, says Minerals Council
• Coronavirus fan flames of love in Nigeria’s online dating scene
• Ethiopia maids ‘dumped’ in the streets in Lebanon as covid hits

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