Economy
Oil Mixed as Chinese Demand Improves, US Interest Rate Cut Remains Unclear
By Adedapo Adesanya
The oil market was mixed on Monday amid hopes of stronger demand backed by higher factory activity in China as concerns emerged that the US Federal Reserve would not cut interest rates again at its December meeting.
Yesterday, Brent crude futures depreciated by 1 cent to trade at $71.83 a barrel, while the US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose by 10 cents or 0.15 per cent to $68.10 per barrel.
New data showed China’s factory activity expanded in November at the fastest pace in five months as the Caixin/S&P Global manufacturing PMI rose to 51.5 in November from 50.3 the previous month, the highest since June.
This boosted Chinese business optimism after US President-elect Donald Trump pledged an additional 10 per cent tariff on imports from China.
He had previously threatened to end China’s most-favoured-nation trading status and slap tariffs on Chinese imports as high as 60 per cent, which is much higher than those imposed during his first term.
On the geopolitical front, a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, which took effect last Wednesday, appeared to be shaky as it has not halted fighting.
Israel said on Monday that it was currently striking terror targets in Lebanon amid mutual accusations of ceasefire violations between Israel and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.
Meanwhile, the US, which was instrumental in the deal said the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanese armed group Hezbollah was holding.
Traders also watched developments in Syria, weighing whether recent escalation could widen tensions across the Middle East and affect supply.
Rebels linked to Al-Qaeda took some territories in the high-conflict country over the weekend, and this has added to more worries about the stability of the Middle East region. This may trigger another spate of crises after years of civil war in the country.
The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies, together known as OPEC+, postponed the group’s next meeting to December 5.
The meeting will discuss delaying a planned oil output increase scheduled to start in January.
Market analysts noted that attention will be on the potential delay of the planned production hike, as an indefinite delay could alleviate downward pressure on prices.
This Thursday’s meeting will decide policy for the early months of 2025.
There are also signals that the US may decide not to cut interest rates again at the Federal Reserve’s December meeting, with upcoming data on jobs important in shaping the decision.
Higher interest rates increase the cost of borrowing, which can slow economic activity and dampen demand for oil.
Pressure also came as the Dollar strengthened after Mr Trump on Saturday threatened 100 per cent tariffs on BRICS member countries if they create a new currency or support another currency that could replace the Dollar in trade.
A stronger greenback makes Dollar-denominated oil more expensive for investors holding other currencies, hurting demand.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Naira appreciated on the US Dollar at the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM) by 1.8 per cent or N29.54 on Tuesday, December 3.
At the official market yesterday, the exchange rate stood at N1,643.15/$1, in contrast to Monday’s closing price of N1,672.69/$1, according to data obtained by Business Post from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Also, the Nigerian currency traded flat against the greenback during the session at N1,730/$1.
This development followed the launch of the apex bank-backed Electronic Foreign Exchange Matching System (EFEMS), which began operations this week.
The implementation of the forex system comes with diverse implications for all segments of the financial markets that deal with FX, including an expected rebound in the value of the Naira across markets.
The system is expected to instantly reflect data on all FX transactions conducted in the interbank market and approved by the CBN.
The central bank also said it would publish real-time prices and buy-sell orders data from this system.
Meanwhile, Nigeria has successfully raised $2.2 billion in Eurobonds maturing in 2031 and 2034 in the international capital markets to finance deficits from the 2024 budget.
The Debt Management Office (DMO) said that the two Eurobonds, with 6.5 years and ten years tenors, have $700 million placed in the 2031 maturity, and $1.5 billion placed in the 2034 maturity.
It said that the notes were priced at a coupon and re-offer yield of 9.625 per cent and 10.375 per cent, respectively.
Meanwhile, the cryptocurrency market was majorly positive, with Binance Coin (BNB) growing by 18.1 per cent to an all-time high (ATH) price of $774.92 amid a mix of technical signs and bullish market sentiment.
Further, Solana (SOL) jumped by 4.2 per cent to trade at $236.64, Ethereum (ETH) gained 2.8 per cent to settle at $3,716.76, Litecoin (LTC) expanded by 2.5 per cent to finish at $132.16, Bitcoin (BTC) appreciated by 1.0 per cent to $96,567.61, Dogecoin (DOGE) increased by 0.9 per cent to $0.4208, and Ripple (XRP) rose by 0.2 per cent to $2.63.
However, Cardano (ADA) depreciated by 2.7 per cent to sell at $1.23, while the US Dollar Tether (USDT) and the US Dollar Coin (USDC) remained unchanged at $1.00 each.
Economy
Zurich Resilience Solutions and GoImpact Capital Partners forge strategic alliance to bolster climate resilience across Asia Pacific
This collaboration integrates ZRS’ advanced physical climate risk analysis, proprietary climate and financial loss data, and specialized tools with GoImpact’s sustainability education expertise, delivering a comprehensive solution to help businesses identify, assess, and adapt to climate risks.
Enhancing climate resilience with ready-to-go solutions
The partnership offers a ready-to-go suite of solutions that address the urgent need for actionable climate adaptation strategies. Businesses can benefit from:
- Data-driven climate risk assessments: ZRS’ proprietary tools to evaluate exposures to physical climate risks like extreme weather and supply chain disruptions.
- Climate resilience guidance and training: Support for organisations to build resilience in their assets, operations, and people.
- ESG knowledge upskilling: GoImpact’s structured sustainability learning programmes to keep companies informed about market trends and regulatory requirements.
- Regulatory reporting support: Assistance in meeting disclosure and reporting requirements related to physical climate risks.
By combining ZRS’ technical expertise with GoImpact’s practical learning resources, the alliance delivers a robust toolkit for businesses to enhance resilience and seize opportunities in the sustainability landscape.
Driving climate resilience and sustainability in business
Initially targeting businesses in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia, the strategic alliance aims to address key climate risks such as extreme weather events, supply chain disruptions, and operational vulnerabilities. Leveraging ZRS’ deep knowledge in climate resilience and GoImpact’s strong regional presence in sustainability advocacy, the alliance is well-positioned to empower companies to implement effective climate adaptation solutions.
Commenting on the partnership, Dr Amar Rahman, Global Head Climate & Sustainability Solutions, Zurich Resilience Solutions said: “Zurich Resilience Solutions’ partnership with GoImpact highlights the critical role of education in fostering climate resilience. The appetite for implementing effective solutions hinges on understanding the challenges at hand and the potential impact of inaction on business operations.”
“Through this collaboration, we aim to elevate awareness and empower public and private sector entities to take meaningful steps toward sustainability, developing solutions that protect their operations and strengthen their resilience against climate change.”
With better knowledge of the latest ESG trends, organizations can be better positioned to take advantage of market conditions and build a sustainable future for themselves and increase the resilience of the communities in which they operate.
“We are excited about this timely partnership between Zurich Resilience Solutions and GoImpact. Our combined strengths are complementary and form a holistic toolkit of offering on risk assessment, learning and advocacy that bridges a significant market gap, for large corporations and small medium enterprises alike,” said Helene Li, CEO and Co-Founder of GoImpact.
Hashtag: #ZurichResilienceSolutions
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Zurich Resilience Solutions
Zurich Resilience Solutions, the risk advisory business of Zurich Insurance Group, leverages 150 years of industry experience and 75 years of risk engineering expertise to address the risk management needs of both existing and new customers. The unit offers specialized insights, tools, and solutions to help businesses tackle traditional and evolving risks, such as climate change and cybersecurity.
As a global entity, Zurich Resilience Solutions has over 950 risk experts stationed in 40 countries, bringing local expertise and industry specializations to clients worldwide. Its capabilities and solutions are available to any organization seeking a proactive approach to risk management and long-term resilience.
GoImpact Capital Partners
Bridging the great divide between the talk and action, accelerating the Sustainable Development agenda from intention to implementation – GoImpact means impact made easy and actionable.
GoImpact has established significant market footprint on its mission to drive the sustainability agenda forward, bridging the knowledge gap between talk and action. We offer the best ESG learning experience in the market, providing case-based, experiential learning courses which are crafted and delivered by a group of world-class experts in sustainable finance and ESG.
Through its partners network across Asia Pacific which includes regulators, financial institutions and large corporations, delivering online-to-offline initiatives, GoImpact connects stakeholders across sectors and provide learning and advocacy opportunities to drive real change by example for everyone who is keen to understand more about the full spectrum of Sustainability and Resilience agenda.
As part of its contribution to the Fifth Review Conference, Prince Foundation designed ARMAC’s exhibition booth, which was widely praised as the “best in show” by attending delegates. The campaign also resulted in a notable boost to ARMAC’s social media presence and increased engagement across its platforms.
The immersive display effectively conveyed ARMAC’s mission through visually striking elements, compelling storytelling, and innovative presentations of key initiatives, including the groundbreaking SAFE (Saving All From EO) chatbot.
Prince Foundation also worked closely with ARMAC leadership to craft strategic messaging that spotlighted the organization’s victim assistance programs, particularly the ASEAN Regional Victim Assistance Network (VAN), which provides comprehensive care for survivors of explosive ordnance and their families.
“Our role was to ensure ARMAC’s vital work received the attention it deserves,” said Gabriel Tan, Chief Communications Officer of Prince Holding Group and Head of Prince Foundation. “Through strategic communications and innovative exhibition design, we have helped amplify ARMAC’s message of hope and action to a global audience.”
Creating Impact Through Strategic Communications
The Foundation’s communications strategy highlighted ARMAC’s technological innovations, including the SAFE chatbot, an artificial intelligence-powered platform that delivers critical safety information to at-risk communities through accessible messaging systems.
“Prince Foundation’s strategic communications expertise has been instrumental in helping us convey the urgency and importance of our mission,” said Rothna Buth, Executive Director of ARMAC. “Their innovative approach to exhibition design and messaging strategy enabled us to effectively showcase our work, particularly in victim assistance and technological solutions, to a global audience.”
“By crafting compelling narratives around ARMAC’s initiatives, we’re fostering broader understanding and support for mine action efforts,” Tan added. “Our goal was to make complex technical information accessible and engaging for all attendees through our exhibition design and communications strategy.”
Comprehensive Communications Support
Prince Foundation’s contributions to ARMAC’s success at the summit included:
- Design and Execution: Development of ARMAC’s flagship exhibition booth, ensuring a captivating and interactive experience for delegates.
- Strategic Messaging: Creation of key communications materials that effectively conveyed ARMAC’s mission and initiatives.
- Multimedia Content: Production of dynamic content showcasing ARMAC’s programs, including the SAFE chatbot and the VAN network.
Through its partnership with ARMAC, Prince Foundation has played a key role in advancing mine action efforts by delivering effective communications support and promoting collaboration among key stakeholders. By amplifying ARMAC’s initiatives and raising awareness of critical programs, the Foundation is contributing to tangible progress toward the shared goal of a mine-free world. This collaboration reflects Prince Foundation’s ongoing commitment to building safer communities and driving meaningful change in Cambodia and across the ASEAN region.Hashtag: #PrinceFoundation #ARMAC #PrinceHoldingGroup
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Prince Foundation
Prince Foundation, founded in 2015, is one of Cambodia’s leading philanthropic foundations. A member of Prince Holding Group, which is one of the largest business groups in Cambodia, the Foundation aims to work with local communities to build thriving living and working environments that elevate people’s well-being and livelihoods, following the vision: “Together, Building a Better Future for Cambodia.”
Focusing on education and youth development, healthcare, and community engagement and sports, and healthcare initiatives, Prince Foundation works with partners to deliver sustainable programs that enhance opportunities for Cambodia’s youths, build resilience in communities, and contribute to sustainable infrastructure.
The Foundation’s flagship projects are the Chen Zhi Scholarship, offering full scholarships, stipends, internships, and work opportunities to 400 Cambodian university students over a period of seven years, and Prince Horology, where aspiring Cambodian watchmakers learn the art of Swiss-style watchmaking in a state-of-the-art facility. Prince Foundation has launched more than 250 philanthropic initiatives, benefiting over 1.3 million people, with donations exceeding US$16 million
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