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

Global Markets

• Asia stocks grind higher, dollar slips as US data brightens mood
• US inflation beat expecations, virus looks to be stalling
• Nikkei surges to 6-mth top
• USD back under pressure; gold bounces
• Brent down 0.3% at $45.28, WTI at $42.54

Oil Markets

• Oil edges lower after jump on US stocks draw
• Brent down 8 cents at $45.35 a barrel (0150GMT)
• WTI down 6 cents at $42.61

Precious metals

• Gold rises 1% as weaker dollar bolsters appeal
• Spot gold up 1% at $1,936.99/oz. (0314GMT)
• US gold futures down 0.1% at $1,947.60/oz.

Grains

• Corn jumps 1% to hit over 2-wk high on USDA report
• Corn futures up 1.3% at $3.31-1/2 a bushel
• Soybeans up 0.5% at $8.87 a bushel
• Wheat little changed at $4.91-1/2 a bushel

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

• Ivory Coast rallies for & against Quattara 3^rd term bid
• Egypt counts votes of senate polls
• South Africa mining production Jun-20 [fcst. -31.7% yy prev. -29.8%]
• UK hosts Nigeria technical conference on right of way webinar
• 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

• US military accuses Iran forces of boarding Liberia-flagged civilian ship
• Sudan boosts security in port city after 32 die in tribal clashes
• Killing of Cameroon woman by alleged separatists sparks outcry
• Congo to meet miners to debate copper concentrate export waivers
• Africa e-commerce group Jumia takes lockdown revenue hit
• Cameroon cancels logging plan that threatened rare apes
• Kenya elephant numbers more than double in 1980-2018 – tourism minister
• Mauritius says almost all oil removed from damaged Japan ship
• South Africa rand extends gains, stocks rally for 2^nd day
• Mauritius tourism, reeling from Covid, now hit by oil spill
• Mali police use tear gas, water cannon to disperse protesters
• South Africa mines minister drops challenge to court ruling on black ownership threshold
• Nigeria convicts first pirates under new maritime law
• South Africa’s Northam Platinum sees higher annual profit

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