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

Global Markets

• Asian stocks falter as global growth fears temper tech boost
• MSCI Asia ex-Japan -0.22%; Nikkei -1.87%
• China, Japan post positive manufacturing data
• Brent up 0.5% at $43.17, WTI up 0.3% at $40.04
• Spot gld up 0.5% at $1,968.84/oz.

Oil Markets

• Oil rises further from 3-wk lows, but headwinds loom amid pandemic
• Brent up 0.3% at $43.08 a barrel (0358GMT)
• WTI up 0.5% at $40.13

Precious metals

• Gold set for best month in nearly 4-1/2 years as weak US data dents dollar
• Silver on track for best month on record
• Spot gold up 0.4% at $1,967.53/oz. (0458GMT)
• US gold futures up 1% at $1,961.30/oz.

Grains

• Corn set for monthly loss as US weather boosts crop outlook
• Corn has lost 4% in July
• Soybeans up more than 1% this month
• Wheat has risen 8% in July

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

• Eid holiday
• Anti-government protests in Zimbabwe; after arrest of journalists, crackdown
• Botswana reinstates 2-week Covid-19 lockdown in Gaborone
• South Africa’s Ramaphosa addresses summit on science & innovation response to Covid-19
• Kenya resumes international flights (1 Aug)
• South Africa trade balance Jun-20 [prev. ZAR15.94B]
• South Africa state capture inquiry continues
• 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

• Out of hospital, Saudi King tweets Eid greetings
• Botswana reinstates coronavirus lockdown in capital for two weeks
• IMF approves $171.9 mln to Madagascar to address Covid-19 pandemic
• Saudi King Salman leaves hospital – state news agency
• Kenya Unilever tea workers escalate fight for reparations to UN
• Zimbabwe govt minister died from Covid-19
• Diamond giant De Beers likely to cut jobs after Covid-19 hit
• Botswana says natural toxin could be behind elephant deaths
• Zimbabwe security forces clear streets ahead of planned protests
• South Africa probes medical suppliers over Covid-19 tender allegations
• AngloGold Ashanti CEO Dushnisky steps down after two years in the role
• Ivory Coast defence minister Bakayoko named prime minister
• Libya to impose full lockdown as pandemic cases grow
• South Africa insurers’ offer in Covid claims fight too little too late for some
• South Africa’s Steinhoff’s first-half loss more than doubles to $1.7 bln
• Tunisia’s parliament speaker narrowly survives confidence vote
• Nigeria expects to comply with 1.412 mln bpd output quota – oil minister
• Kenya central bank has ‘plenty of firepower’, governor says
• UN warns that 60% of Zimbabweans threatened by hunger
• Starved of dollars, Nigeria businesses struggle for survival
• Mali cleric says crisis can be resolved without president resigning
• ArcelorMittal South Africa falls deeper into half-year loss as steel demand falls
• Shell writes down Nigeria licence at heart of Italian bribery trial

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