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

Global Markets

• Asia shares stymied by Sino-US spat, euro stays buoyant
• Euro near highest since late 2018 as dollar sinks
• Asia shares retreat on Sino-US tensions
• Gold approaching record peak amid covid uncertainty
• Brent up 16 cents at $43.47, WTI up 9 cents at $41.16

Oil Markets

• Oil rises on weaker dollar, but virus woes & US-China tensions weigh
• Brent up 0.4% at $43.46 a barrel (0137GMT)
• WTI up 0.3% at $41.19

Precious metals

• Gold poised for best week in more than 3 months on stimulus bets
• Gold up more than 4% so far this week
• Spot gold up 0.1% at $1,889.24/oz. (0410GMT)
• US gold futures down 0.3% at $1,884.60/oz.

Grains

• Soybeans set for second weekly gain on Chinese demand
• Soybean futures up 0.3% at $9.02-3/4 a bushel (0249GMT)
• Soybeans up nearly 1% so far this week
• Corn down 0.8% for the week
• Wheat has lost 0.3%

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

• South Africa’s Malema addresses EFF 7^th anniversary rally; 26 Jul
• Ghana central bank MPC meets; 22-27 Jul [fcst. 14.5%, prev. 14.5%]
• 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

• Prominent South Sudan critic says govt sent hit squad for him; Juba denies
• Tanzania’s former president Benjamin Mkapa dies, presidency says
• Sudan finds mass grave believed to have bodies of officers executed by Bashir
• West Africa leaders to hold extraordinary summit on Mali crisis
• South Africa public schools to close as coronavirus cases rise over 400,000
• Nigeria lawmakers recommend new board for Niger Delta body in corruption probe
• South Africa SAA rescue conditions met except state guarantee letter, administrators say
• French soldier killed in Mali combat operations – Elysee
• Kenya forest communities face eviction from ancestral lands – even during pandemic
• Egyptians crowd livestock market ahead of Eid holiday despite coronavirus
• South Africa 59% excess deaths imply hidden covid-19 toll
• Uganda reports its first death from novel coronavirus
• Zimbabwe politician denied bail in anti-govt protests case
• Solar keeps lights, phones on for rural Kenyans during pandemic blackouts
• Orange launches digital banking in Ivory Coast, eyes further expansion
• South Africa’s Impala Platinum expects 20% jump in annual earnings
• South Africa expands virus loan scheme, may stop lenders blacklisting borrowers
• South Africa’s Spur forecasts 40% fall in annual profit, hit by lockdowns
• South Africa – Investigations ongoing at Glencore’s Cape Town refinery after blast
• South Africa Sasol expects delay in last unit in US project to come onstream
• Family of slain Ethiopia singer mourns their “hero like a lion”

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