By Rafiq Raji, PhD
Twitter: @DrRafiqRaji, @macroafrica
Global Markets
- Asia shares fall after Trump takes aim at China tech firms
- Trump’s ban on top China tech firms sours mood
- MSCI ex-Japan Asia down 1%, Tencent falls 9%
- Hopes of US stimulus bolster shares despite lack of progress
- Brent down 0.1% at $45.04
Oil Markets
- Oil prices slip on uncertainty over US recovery, stimulus
- Brent down 6 cents at $45.03 a barrel (0246GMT)
- WTI down 2 cents at $41.93
Precious metals
- Gold hits new record high, on track for ninth weekly rise
- Spot gold up 0.3% at $2,068.32/oz. (0035GMT)
- US gold futures up 0.5% at $2,078.70/oz.
Grains
- Wheat faces biggest weekly drop in 1 year, corn down for 5th week
- Wheat down more than 5% this week
- Corn down more than 1% this week
- Soybeans down more than 1.7% for the week
Key African events or data releases today
[Posts & comments at my Twitter handles @DrRafiqRaji, @macroafrica]
- 3rd term bids by Ivory Coast’s Ouattara & Guinea’s Conde to be in focus; after official declarations on Thursday
- Gambia declares state of emergency on Covid-19
- South Africa Fx reservers Jul-20 [prev. $52.32B]
- 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
- Africa’s cases of Covid-19 top 1 million – Reuters tally
- Ivory Coast President Ouattara says he will run for third term
- Zimbabwe again denies bail to journalist in protest case, govt denies crisis
- Around 40 migrants down in shipwreck off Mauritanian coast
- Egypt & Greece sign agreement on exclusive economic zone
- Nigeria to reopen for international air travel in weeks
- Guinea’s ruling party nominates President Conde for third term
- Afreximbank commits $400 mln to Mozambique LNG project
- South Africa regulator working to clarify companies rights in pandemic insurance claims
- South Africa’s Ramaphosa sets up body to probe Covid-19 corruption
- Turkey says Egypt-Greece deal falls in its continental shelf
- Container ships sent to Tripoli to keep Lebanon supply lines running
- US imposes Libya-related sanctions on individuals, company
- Mauritania names new PM after previous cabinet resigns amid corruption probe
- Egypt’s Suez Canal revenues up 4.7% in last 5 years – chairman
- South Africa’s MTN to exit Middle East to focus on Africa
- 10 countries account for 80% of Africa Covid-19 testing – Africa CDC
- Ivory Coast police fire teargas at supporters of former president
- Weather alerts at risk as Kenya’s radio stations struggle amid virus downturn
- South Africa animal rights group asks court to ban live sheep shipments by Kuwait firm
- South Africa’s funeral parlours turn to makeshift mortuaries as virus deaths rise
- Nigeria startup helps local churches digitize operations
N.B. Full stories of above headlines are available on Reuters
