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 Aduragbemi Omiyale
The embargo earlier placed in the trading of Thomas Wyatt Nigeria shares has been lifted by the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Regulation Limited.
The regulatory subsidiary of NGX Group lifted the suspension on Monday, July 6, 2026, via a notice signed by Bonaventure Onwuji on behalf of the Head of the Issuer Regulation Department of NGX RegCo.
Investors were earlier prevented from buying and selling equities of the organisation after it failed to submit its relevant financial statements as required by the listing rules.
The embargo was placed on October 31, 2025, in line with the provisions of Rule 3.1: Rules for Filing of Accounts and Treatment of Default Filing, which provides that if an issuer fails to file the relevant accounts by the expiration of the cure period, the exchange will: a) send to the issuer a second filing deficiency notification within two business days after the end of the cure period, b) suspend trading in the issuer’s securities, and c) notify the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the market within 24 hours of the suspension.
After filing the results with NGX Limited, and pursuant to Rule 3.3 of the Default Filing Rules, which states that the suspension of trading in the issuer’s securities shall be lifted upon submission of the relevant accounts provided the exchange is satisfied that the accounts comply with all applicable rules of the exchange. The exchange shall thereafter also announce through the medium by which the public and the SEC was initially notified of the suspension, that the suspension has been lifted, the suspension was lifted.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigerian domestic oil producer Renaissance Energy has recorded its first major oil discovery since taking over Oil Mining Lease (OML) 74 last year, following the successful drilling of an exploration well offshore Nigeria in a development that could support the country’s efforts to boost crude oil production and replenish reserves.
Preliminary results showed about 1,000 feet (305 metres) of crude oil-bearing reservoirs across seven zones, with data and fluid tests confirming light oil in high-quality reservoirs, Renaissance said in a statement, without providing further details.
OML 74 is a large shallow-water block in the eastern Niger Delta off Nigeria’s coast and holds at least eight previously undeveloped discoveries.
Renaissance, which now owns Shell’s former onshore and shallow-water assets, operates Nigeria’s largest upstream joint venture with 18 oil leases, two export terminals and a FPSO vessel in the oil-rich delta.
Commenting on Tuesday, Mr Tony Attah, the managing director/chief executive of Renaissance, said the discovery reflects the company’s renewed focus on exploration and its commitment to boosting Nigeria’s long-term oil production.
“The success of JK-004, just over one year after assuming operatorship of these assets, demonstrates the strength of our exploration programme,” he said.
He lauded the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), adding that the exploration performance reflected the collaboration with the company’s joint venture partners comprising the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), TotalEnergies Limited and Agip Energy and Natural Resources.
He added that the NNPC Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr Bayo Ojulari, and the Executive Vice President, Upstream, Mr Udobong Ntia, provided the needed strategic guidance with commitment for value delivery across the joint venture assets.
On his part, the Vice President of Exploration and Chief Explorer at Renaissance, Mr Johnbosco Uche, said the exploration success was due to the company’s subsurface excellence, technical rigour, and disciplined approach to reserve replacement.
“The JK-004 well provides a strong foundation for accelerated maturation with clear pathways to early development and value realisation,” the Chief Explorer said, adding that the strategic location of JK-004 near an existing field would enable rapid commercialisation.
The chief executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, described the feat as a perfect alignment with the commission’s vision of growing the nation’s reserves “to future-proof sustainable national growth,” and pledged to continue building the enabling regulatory environment required to support the Nigerian oil and gas industry.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The mandatory takeover bid of about 1.63 per cent shares held by minority shareholders of Premier Paints Plc by Xenergi has been launched.
Business Post learned that the exercise will open at 8 am on Monday, July 13, 2026, and close on Friday, August 7, 2026, and it concerns shareholders of Premier Paint, excluding Xenergi Plc, whose names appear in the register of members of Premier Paint on the qualification date, which was Monday, July 6, 2026.
Xenergi is looking to acquire a total of 2 million shares of Premier Paints at N38 per unit, amounting to N76 million.
The reason for this offer is to enable Xenergi comply with Section 142(4) of the ISA Act 2025 and Rules 445 – 448 of the SEC New Rules and Amendment dated August 30, 2021, following its acquisition of a 49.60 per cent majority equity stake in Premier Paint.
On June 8, 2026, Xenergi Plc acquired 61,003,350 ordinary shares in Premier Paint, representing a 49.60 per cent equity stake.
Xenergi Plc and Premier Paint Plc executed a Share Sale and Purchase Agreement detailing the terms and conditions of the acquisition. The acquisition was concluded following receipt of the required regulatory approvals from the Federal Competition & Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited.
In accordance with Section 142(4) of the ISA Act 2025, Xenergi is required to make a takeover bid to all the other shareholders of Premier Paint.
Consequently, on May 25, 2026, the board of Xenergi granted approval for a Takeover to be made to all qualifying shareholders, for the acquisition of the offer shares.
