Economy
Economic Data, Earnings News In Focus On Wall Street
The major U.S. index futures are pointing to a higher opening on Friday following the modestly pullback seen in the previous session.
The upward momentum on Wall Street comes following the release of a report from the Commerce Department showing substantial increase in retail sales in the month of September.
Traders are also digesting the latest earnings news, including results from financial giants Bank of America (BAC) and Wells Fargo (WFC).
Extending the lackluster performance seen over the past few sessions, stocks showed a lack of direction during trading on Thursday. The major averages spent much of the day bouncing back and forth across the unchanged line before closing modestly lower.
With the modest drops on the day, the major averages pulled back off Wednesday’s record closing highs. The Dow edged down 31.88 points or 0.1 percent to 22,842.01, the Nasdaq dipped 12.04 points or 0.2 percent to 6,591.51 and the S&P 500 dipped slipped 4.31 points or 0.2 percent to 2,550.93.
The modestly lower close on Wall Street was partly due to profit taking following the upward trend seen over the past several sessions.
A negative reaction to earnings news from Citigroup (C) and JPMorgan (JPM) also weighed on the markets, with both financial giants moving lower despite reporting better than expected third quarter earnings.
Nonetheless, traders seemed somewhat reluctant to make more significant moves ahead of the release of some key economic data this morning.
On the U.S. economic front, the Labor Department released a report showing producer prices increased in line with economist estimates in the month of September.
The Labor Department said its producer price index for final demand climbed by 0.4 percent in September after edging up by 0.2 percent in August.
Excluding food and energy prices, core producer prices still rose by 0.4 percent in September after inching up by 0.1 percent in August. Core prices had been expected to rise by 0.2 percent.
A separate Labor Department report showed first-time claims for unemployment benefits fell by more than anticipated in the week ended October 7th.
The report said initial jobless claims dropped to 243,000, a decrease of 15,000 from the previous week’s revised level of 258,000. Economists had expected jobless claims to dip to 251,000.
Telecom stocks showed a significant move to the downside over the course of the session, dragging the NYSE Arca Telecom Index down by 2.7 percent. The index pulled back after ending the previous session at a nearly two-month closing high.
AT&T (T) led the telecom sector lower after warning its third quarter results were negatively impacted by recent hurricanes in the U.S. as well as earthquakes in Mexico.
Considerable weakness also emerged among banking stocks, as reflected by the 1.2 percent drop by the Dow Jones Banks Index. A notable decline by Citigroup weighed on the sector.
Oil service stocks also came under pressure amid a decrease by the price of crude oil, while some strength was visible among trucking, tobacco, and railroad stocks.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Two advisers to Dangote Petroleum Refinery’s planned Initial Public Offering (IPO) on Tuesday announced a $1 billion underwriting programme for the offering, giving the plant potentially powerful new route to African and international capital.
Marob Strategies and Consulting DIFC Limited and Lilium Capital Group said in a statement that the programme comprises a completed and funded $600 million private placement and a $400 million underwriting commitment for the planned IPO.
The $600 million placement is already complete.
The remaining $400 million commitment will only come into effect when the IPO is launched and remains subject to market conditions, regulatory and corporate approvals, and definitive documentation and securities-law requirements, according to the advisers.
Dangote Petroleum Refinery, built by Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote, has become a symbol of Nigeria’s attempt to reduce dependence on imported refined petroleum products while building domestic refining and petrochemical capacity.
Recall that it has applied to Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for a $5 billion IPO. However, the final size of the offering has yet to be determined.
The refinery has emerged as a major beneficiary of supply disruptions linked to the Iran war, increasing sales of jet fuel across Africa and into Western Europe as buyers seek alternative supplies.
The planned listing could rank among the largest IPOs in Africa, depending on the final size of the offering and market conditions at launch.
“This is an important milestone for DPRP and for African capital markets,” Mr Dangote said in the announcement, describing the completed placement and IPO underwriting commitment as a sign of confidence in the refinery’s strategic role.
On his part, Marob Strategies Chairman, Mr Benedict Oramah, a former president of the refinery’s backer Africa Export-Import Bank, said investor interest demonstrated appetite for African-led capital markets transactions involving transformative assets on the continent.
Adding his part, Lilium Capital Chairman, Mr Simon Tiemtoré, similarly framed the deal as an effort to connect major African investment opportunities with institutional capital across the continent and international markets.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) could impose fines of up to five per cent of the annual turnover of petroleum operators found guilty of serious anti-competitive practices in the midstream and downstream sectors.
This was contained in the draft regulations of the proposed Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Prevention of Anti-Competitive Practices and Behaviour Regulations, 2026.
According to the proposal, errant companies of serious offences such as price-fixing, bid-rigging, market allocation, abuse of market dominance and other conduct capable of causing significant harm to competition could be fined between three and five per cent of their annual turnover.
It further proposed that persistent or serious offenders may also have their licences suspended or revoked, while the NMDPRA may impose daily penalties on operators that fail to comply with its orders or continue prohibited conduct after being directed to stop.
The draft regulation stated: “Where the Authority determines, after investigation and due process, that a licensee or any other person has engaged in anti-competitive conduct or breached any provision of this Regulation or the Act, it may impose administrative fines as provided herein.
The maximum administrative fine shall not exceed five per cent of the annual turnover of the offending undertaking for the preceding financial year.
“For purposes of these regulations, ‘annual turnover’ means gross revenues or sales derived from the regulated business activities in Nigeria. Where multiple entities or group structures are involved, the Authority may consider the turnover of the group, subsidiary, or segment most directly involved in the infringement.”
“Where a licensee or person fails to comply with an order or directive of the Authority, a daily penalty may be imposed for each day the violation continues.
“Where a prohibited practice continues after a final order, the daily penalty could rise to between N10m and N50m. Before imposing a fine, the NMDPRA would issue a Notice of Intention to Fine setting out the facts and findings, the nature of the infringement, the basis for calculating the proposed fine and the proposed deadline for payment,” it proposed.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigerian billionaire, Mr Femi Otedola, the chairman of First HoldCo, has acquired an additional 147.74 million shares of the financial services group through his investment vehicle, Calvados Global Services Limited.
According to a regulatory filing obtained from the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited on Monday, Mr Otedola purchased the stocks valued at N20.68 billion.
The notice said the investor purchased about 147,737,699 ordinary shares at N140 per share on August 14.
The transaction increases Mr Otedola’s stake in the financial services group from 11.99 billion shares (26.1 per cent) to 12.13 billion shares (26.4 per cent).
The acquisition comes less than two weeks after the billionaire bought 138.04 million ordinary shares for about N18.11 billion.
Prior to that, Mr Otedola had said he had invested more than N600 billion of his personal wealth in the bank, describing the investment as a “long-term generational commitment” rather than a turnaround play.
Responding to speculation about increasing his stake, Mr Otedola said his investment philosophy favours majority control.
“My investment threshold is always over and above 51 per cent,” the billionaire had said.
“One of my key investment principles is that firm shareholder control, with due regard for minority interest, is a key ingredient to executing reforms and restructuring to deliver value to all stakeholders.”
The bank’s share price had recently risen to an all-time high of N140 per share, pushing its market capitalisation to N6.37 trillion.
In recent months, Mr Otedola has also made other high-profile investments outside the banking sector, including the acquisition of a luxury residence in London’s exclusive Mayfair district, further expanding his international real estate portfolio.
He is also believed to have participated in a financing arrangement involving the Dangote Refinery, providing funds to support its working capital needs as the facility scaled up operations.
