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Sudan Bids to Import Flour, Wheat

Supporters gather outside the National Prison during the release of politicians and journalists, after demonstrations in Khartoum, Sudan February 18, 2018. REUTERS/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah
Supporters gather outside the National Prison during the release of politicians and journalists, after demonstrations in Khartoum, Sudan February 18, 2018. REUTERS/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah
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Sudan Bids to Import Flour, Wheat

Supporters gather outside the National Prison during the release of politicians and journalists, after demonstrations in Khartoum, Sudan February 18, 2018. REUTERS/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah
Supporters gather outside the National Prison during the release of politicians and journalists, after demonstrations in Khartoum, Sudan February 18, 2018. REUTERS/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah

The Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning launched Sunday an open tender on the supply of 500,000 tons of wheat and flour, in response to a wave of protests Sudan witnessed in the past days.

Days earlier, Sudan's Prime Minister Moataz Moussa announced budget 2019 that encapsulates subsidies allocations of SDG66 billion (USD1.4 billion) and SDG53 billion out of them are for bread and fuel.

Sources told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that the wheat and flour bid is meant to calm protesters and easing living conditions that are affected by bread prices and scarcity of wheat.

Economist Prof. Mohamed Jack Ahmad told Asharq Al-Awsat that the success of the public budget is hinged to negative economic indicators including the inflation rate, foreign currencies exchange, the rise of services and commodities prices, and the recession in Sudanese markets.

Director-General of the Agricultural Bank of Sudan Salah al-Din Hassan said that the amount of the tender is to be determined later after the closing date of submission, pointing out that the last tender for the supply of wheat issued by the Ministry of Finance was about two years ago.

Former deputy minister of foreign trade and former official of the wheat file Al-Kindi Yusuf pointed out that the scarcity of strategic commodities, including wheat and bread flour, has become a phenomenon associated with the economies of developing countries, which is always paid to plan for self-sufficiency.

Yusuf pointed out that the tender for wheat and bread flour at this particular time means that the government has renewed the support that stopped the commodity to absorb the political turmoil caused by citizens in protest against the high prices of bread.

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Dollar Slips before Inflation Report, US-China Tariff Deadline

An employee counts US dollar notes at a money changer in Jakarta, Indonesia, Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)
An employee counts US dollar notes at a money changer in Jakarta, Indonesia, Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)
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Dollar Slips before Inflation Report, US-China Tariff Deadline

An employee counts US dollar notes at a money changer in Jakarta, Indonesia, Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)
An employee counts US dollar notes at a money changer in Jakarta, Indonesia, Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)

The US dollar extended declines on Monday as investors watched for the outcome of events due this week, from Tuesday's key July US CPI data and deadline for Washington and Beijing to strike a tariff deal, to a Russia-US summit on Friday.

The dollar index fell 0.2% to 98.073 after last week's fall of 0.4%. Against the yen, it traded at 147.46 , or 0.20% weaker than late US levels, with Japanese markets closed for the Mountain Day holiday.

"If I'd be playing it any way, I'd be long volatility this week," said Tim Kelleher, head of institutional FX Sales at Commonwealth Bank in Auckland, citing the unpredictability of the looming events.

Crypto markets surged, with bitcoin rising 3% to $121,909.06, not far from its July 14 record of $123,153.22, after President Donald Trump's executive order on Thursday freed up cryptocurrency holdings in US retirement accounts.

Ether was up 2.1% at $4,307.25, after touching its highest since December 2021 earlier in the session.

Trade talks were also in focus as Trump's August 12 deadline for a deal between the US and China neared, particularly on chip policy.

"The market has fully priced in the idea that we're going to get an extension," said Chris Weston, head of research at Pepperstone Group Ltd in Melbourne, adding that another 90-day truce was most likely.

With the US and China seeking to close a deal averting triple-digit goods tariffs, a US official told Reuters that chip makers Nvidia and AMD agreed to allocate 15% of China sales revenues to the US government, aiming to secure export licenses for semiconductors.

"I don't know if that's going to be a good thing or a bad thing, but if it puts closure on the matter, it's not a bad outcome," Weston said.

"If this is Trump says 15% and we'll call it a day, that may not be too bad."

The report followed a warning that Nvidia's H20 chips pose security concerns for China, a social media account linked to state media said on Sunday.

The offshore yuan fluctuated between gains and losses, trading at 7.184 to the dollar, after weekend data showed China's producer prices fell more than expected in July, while consumer prices were unchanged.

The Australian dollar fetched $0.6526, trading flat ahead of a rate decision by the central bank on Tuesday, in which it is widely expected to cut interest rates by 25 basis points to 3.60%, after second-quarter inflation missed expectations and the jobless rate hit a 3-1/2-year high.

The kiwi was little changed at $0.59545, while the British pound traded at $1.3465, up 0.1% so far on the day.

Elsewhere, personnel moves at key US monetary policy institutions were also in focus.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the new Federal Reserve chair should be someone "who can examine the whole organization" as the Fed's mission covered many things outside of monetary policy and put its independence at risk, Japan's Nikkei newspaper said.

Among candidates the Trump administration is interviewing to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics is E.J. Antoni, chief economist at the conservative Heritage Foundation, the Wall Street Journal said, citing a senior administration official.