Economy
Global Stocks Sell-off Engulfs Asia Over Trade War Fears
By Investors Hub
Asian stocks joined a global sell-off on Friday after President Donald Trump vowed to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, sparking fears of a trade war. Concerns over a faster pace of interest rate increases in the U.S. also kept investors nervous.
China’s Shanghai Composite Index dropped 19.18 points or 0.6 percent to 3,254.58 and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index plunged 460.80 points or 1.5 percent to 30,583.45 as investors looked ahead to an upcoming session of the National People’s Congress starting next week in Beijing. The gathering of 3,000-plus delegates is expected to set the tone for the year’s development plans.
Japanese shares tumbled amid a stronger yen as investors fretted about a potential trade war and the prospect of the ECB and Bank of Japan exiting extraordinary stimulus.
The Nikkei 225 Index slumped 542.83 points or 2.5 percent to 21,181.64, the lowest closing level since February 14th. The index fell 3.2 percent for the week. The broader Topix Index closed 1.8 percent lower at 1,708.34, dragged down by steel and aluminum companies.
Exporters Sony, Canon and Panasonic fell 1-2 percent as the yen strengthened. Steel makers Nisshin Steel, Kobe Steel and JFE Holdings all fell around 3 percent, while automakers Toyota Motor, Honda Motor and Mazda Motor lost 2-4 percent on worries that higher tariffs could boost their costs.
In economic news, Japanese core consumer inflation rose at the fastest pace in nearly three years in February, while the jobless rate hit its lowest level in nearly 25 years in a sign that the labor market is tightening.
Australian shares extended losses for the third straight session, dragged down by miners after Trump said the U.S. would impose tariffs of 25 percent on steel imports and 10 percent on imported aluminum.
The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index dropped 44.40 points or 0.7 percent to 5,928.90, while the broader All Ordinaries Index ended down 47.30 points or 0.8 percent at 6,028.40.
Miners BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto and Fortescue Metals Group fell between 0.8 percent and 1.6 percent. BlueScope Steel rose 0.8 percent on expectations that its North American operations will benefit from the tariffs announced by Trump.
Woolworths shed 0.6 percent after the ACCC said it would take the company to the federal court, accusing it of incorrectly labeling its ‘W Select eco’ branded disposable picnic products as biodegradable.
Meanwhile, gold miner Newcrest gained over 1 percent and Regis Resources jumped more than 2 percent as gold prices rebounded from two-month lows.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Oil traded lower on Wednesday after US President Donald Trump eased fears of disruptions to Iranian supplies, indicating that killings in Iran’s crackdown on civil unrest were subsiding.
Yesterday, the price of Brent futures declined by 92 cents or 1.41 per cent to $64.55 per barrel while the US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures slipped 96 or 1.57 per cent to $60.19 a barrel.
Prices had risen on fears of Iranian supply disruptions due to a potential US attack on Iran and possible retaliation against US regional interests.
President Trump said on Wednesday afternoon he had been told that killings in Iran’s crackdown on nationwide protests were subsiding and he believed there was currently no plan for large-scale executions.
Still, tensions between Iran and the US remained high after Iran had warned US allies in the Middle East it would strike American bases on their soil if the US attacked it. The US began evacuating military personnel from a key Qatar air base on Wednesday.
While markets may have cooled somewhat on the back of President Trump’s comments, protests in Iran have persisted, and there remains plenty of uncertainty over what might come next.
Market analysts noted that continued protests in Iran risk tightening global oil balances through near-term supply losses, but mainly through rising geopolitical risk premium.
However, this remains somewhat minimal as the protests had not spread to the main Iranian oil-producing areas, which had limited the effect on actual supply.
Also supporting oil prices, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis President Neel Kashkari said on Wednesday he was optimistic about the economic outlook and expected inflation to ease.
It is also looking increasingly likely that Venezuela’s oil supply is set to return to markets, with the US completing its first sale of Venezuelan oil on Wednesday.
Two supertankers departed Venezuelan waters on Monday with about 1.8 million barrels each of crude in what may be the first shipments of a 50 million-barrel supply deal between Venezuela and the US to get exports moving again following the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
Crude oil inventories in the US increased by 3.4 million barrels during the week ending January 14, according to new data from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) released on Wednesday.
The EIA’s data release follows figures by the American Petroleum Institute (API) that were released a day earlier, which suggested that crude oil inventories grew by 5.27 million barrels.
By Adedapo Adesanya
TotalEnergies EP Nigeria has signed a Sale and Purchase Agreement with Vaaris for the divestment of its 10 per cent non-operated interest in the Renaissance JV licences in Nigeria.
The Renaissance JV, formerly known as the SPDC JV, is an unincorporated joint venture between Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (55 per cent), Renaissance Africa Energy Company Ltd (30 per cent, operator), TotalEnergies EP Nigeria (10 per cent) and Agip Energy and Natural Resources Nigeria (5 per cent), which holds 18 licences in the Niger Delta.
In a statement by TotalEnergies on Wednesday, it was stated that under the agreement signed with Vaaris, TotalEnergies EP Nigeria will sell its 10 per cent participating interest and all its rights and obligations in 15 licences of Renaissance JV, which are producing mainly oil.
Production from these licences, it was said, represented approximately 16,000 barrels equivalent per day in company’s share in 2025.
The agreement also stated that TotalEnergies EP Nigeria will also transfer to Vaaris its 10 per cent participating interest in the three other licences of Renaissance JV which are producing mainly gas, namely OML 23, OML 28 and OML 77, while TotalEnergies will retain full economic interest in these licences, which currently account for 50 per cent of Nigeria LNG gas supply.
Business Post reports that the conclusion of the deal is subject to customary conditions, including regulatory approvals.
“TotalEnergies EP Nigeria has signed a Sale and Purchase Agreement with Vaaris for the sale of its 10 per cent non-operated interest in the Renaissance JV licences in Nigeria.
“Under the agreement signed with Vaaris, TotalEnergies EP Nigeria will sell to Vaaris its 10 per cent participating interest and all its rights and obligations in 15 licences of Renaissance JV, which are producing mainly oil. Production from these licences represented approximately 16,000 barrels equivalent per day in the company’s share in 2025.
“TotalEnergies EP Nigeria will also transfer to Vaaris its 10 per cent participating interest in the 3 other licenses of Renaissance JV, which are producing mainly gas (OML 23, OML 28 and OML 77), while TotalEnergies will retain full economic interest in these licenses, which currently account for 50 per cent of Nigeria LNG gas supply. Closing is subject to customary conditions, including regulatory approvals,” the statement reads in part.
The development is part of TotalEnergies’ strategies to dump more assets to lighten its books and debt.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The trading licence of Monument Securities and Finance Limited has been revoked by the regulatory arm of the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Group Plc.
Known as NGX Regulations Limited (NGX Regco), the regulator said it took back the operating licence of the organisation after it shut down its operations.
The revocation of the licence was approved by Regulation and New Business Committee (RNBC) at its meeting held on September 24, 2025, a notice from the signed by the Head of Market Regulations at the agency, Chinedu Akamaka, said.
“This is to formally notify all trading license holders that the board of NGX Regulation Limited (NGX RegCo) has approved the decision of the Regulation and New Business Committee (RNBC)” in respect of Monument Securities and Finance Limited, a part of the disclosure stated.
Monument Securities and Finance Limited was earlier licensed to assist clients with the trading of stocks in the Nigerian capital market.
However, with the latest development, the firm is no longer authorised to perform this function.
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