NAIROBI: The following company announcements, scheduled economic indicators, debt and currency market moves and political events may affect African markets on Monday.

GLOBAL MARKETS Asian shares faltered on Monday as investors wait to see if U.S. earnings can justify sky-high valuations, while bond markets could be tested by what should be very strong readings for U.S. inflation and retail sales this week. 

WORLD OIL PRICES Oil rose on Monday amid hopes that fuel demand is picking up in the United States as the summer driving season approaches and the rollout of COVID-19 vaccinations there accelerates, though increasing case numbers in other countries are set to cap gains.

SOUTH AFRICA MARKETS The South African rand retreated from a six-week peak on Friday, taking a breather after dovish signals from the U.S. Federal Reserve spurred a rally in riskier assets. 

KENYA MARKETS The Kenyan shilling KES= strengthened to an eight and a half month-high against the dollar on Friday spurred by inflows from foreign investors interested in investing in a government infrastructure bond, traders said. 

ETHIOPIA DAM Egypt and Sudan on Saturday rejected an Ethiopian proposal to share data on the operations of its giant hydropower dam on the Blue Nile after negotiations between the three countries in Kinshasa this week ended without progress. 

UGANDA OIL Uganda, Tanzania and oil firms Total and CNOOC on Sunday signed agreements that will kickstart the construction of a $3.5 billion crude pipeline to help ship crude from fields in western Uganda to international markets. 

BENIN ELECTIONS Vote counting began in Benin on Sunday in a presidential poll that was boycotted by some opposition parties over violence triggered by objections to President Patrice Talon's quest for a second five-year mandate. 

CHAD ELECTIONS Vote counting has started in Chad after a tense presidential election on Sunday that is likely to see President Idriss Deby extend his three-decade rule, despite signs of growing discontent over his handling of the nation's oil wealth.

DJIBOUTI POLLS Djibouti’s President Ismail Omar Guelleh won a fifth five-year term on Saturday after an election boycotted by most of the opposition, securing over 97% of the votes cast, official data from the Interior Ministry on Saturday showed. 

For the latest crude oil report click on O/L ((Compiled by Nairobi Newsroom)) ((Email: nairobi.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com; tel: ++254 20 499 1232))