Economy
Oil Prices Fall as Traders Weigh Trump’s Policy Direction
By Adedapo Adesanya
Oil prices continued to head south on Tuesday amid the further impact of policies by the administration of President Donald Trump of the United States.
Brent crude futures shed 24 cents or 0.32 per cent to trade at $75.93 per barrel and the US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures declined by 46 cents or 0.63 per cent to close at $72.70 a barrel.
Traders weighed President Trump’s latest move to exert maximum pressure push against Iran, warning that the Middle East nation cannot have a nuclear weapon.
He has accused former President Joe Biden of failing to enforce oil-export sanctions rigorously on Iran, therefore allowing the oil-producing country to sell oil to fund a nuclear weapons program and armed militias in the Middle East.
While Iran’s oil exports neared zero during his first term after reimposing sanctions, they rose under former President Biden’s tenure as Iran succeeded in evading sanctions.
Iran, the third-largest producer in the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, extracts about 3.3 million barrels of oil per day, or around 3 per cent of global output.
Also, a new 10 per cent US tariffs on Chinese imports took effect on Tuesday, creating retaliatory tariffs by China.
On Monday, Mr Trump suspended his threat of steep tariffs on Mexico and Canada, agreeing to a 30-day pause in return for concessions on border and crime enforcement.
The ongoing trade tensions between the US and China may dampen demand for oil, further pressuring prices.
Market analysts noted that these actions are likely to give rise to a stronger US Dollar which will in turn weaken oil prices.
This is also coming as OPEC and its allies, known as OPEC+ are still on track to increase oil supply gradually from April.
Meanwhile, the American Petroleum Institute (API) estimated that crude oil inventories in the US rose by 5.025 million barrels for the week ending January 24.
For the week prior, the API reported a 2.86 million barrel build in US crude oil inventories, while gasoline inventories saw a hefty build for multiple weeks in a row.
In 2024, crude oil inventories in the US dropped by more than 12 million barrels, according to the API’s inventory data, with the downward trend continuing beyond the new year.
The official data from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) will be released later on Wednesday.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The pre-registration training and examination for capital market operators (CMOs) for the second quarter of 2026 has been postponed.
Business Post gathered that the new date for the exercise is now Monday, June 15, 2026.
This information was disclosed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) through a circular on Monday, June 8, 2026.
The Nigerian capital market regulator stated that this postponement has also resulted in the extension of the deadline for registration to Friday, June 12, 2026.
In the notice today, the SEC expressed its regret for the inconvenience this action may cause operators, who had prepared for the initial date of the training and examination.
“Further to the recent circular on Q2 2026 Pre-registration Training and Examination, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) hereby informs all eligible applicants for the Q2 2026 Pre-registration Training and Examination that the commencement date has been postponed to Monday, June 15, 2026.
“Registration on the designated portal has also been extended to Friday, June 12, 2026. All other conditions contained in the circular remain unchanged.
“The commission regrets any inconvenience this postponement may cause and appreciates the understanding of all applicants,” the disclosure noted.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
One of the leading healthcare firms in Nigeria, Fidson Healthcare Plc, has listed additional shares on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited.
The new stocks absorbed into the stock market were 600 million units, raising the total issued and fully paid-up shares of Fidson to 3,000,000,000 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each from 2,400,000,000 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each.
The fresh equities came from the company’s rights issue of 600,000,000 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each at N35.00 per share.
They were issued to existing investors on the basis of one new ordinary share for every existing four ordinary shares held as of the close of business on Wednesday, November 12, 2025.
Confirming the development, the regulator in a notice said, “Trading licence holders are hereby notified that an additional 600,000,000 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each of Fidson Healthcare Plc were on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, listed on the daily official list of Nigerian Exchange Limited.
“The additional shares arose from the company’s rights issue of 600,000,000 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each at N35.00 per share on the basis of one new ordinary share for every existing four ordinary shares held as at the close of business on Wednesday, November 12, 2025.
“With the listing of the additional 600,000,000 ordinary shares, the total issued and fully paid-up shares of Fidson Healthcare Plc have now increased from 2,400,000,000 to 3,000,000,000 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each.”
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
This news will surely excite local contractors with verified claims of N100 million or less, as the federal government has approved their payments.
This approval for the disbursement was given by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Taiwo Oyedele.
This followed a verification and reconciliation exercise designed to ensure only validated claims qualify for payment.
The beneficiaries cover contractors across multiple ministries, departments and agencies. The release of the funds is expected to enable contractors to return to project sites, pay workers, settle suppliers and meet outstanding financial commitments.
In an announcement on Monday, the Federal Ministry of Finance also said this latest batch of payments would ease liquidity pressure on small businesses and accelerate economic activity nationwide.
It was noted that the payments for verified claims of N100 million below were strategically done to spread economic impact broadly rather than concentrate disbursements among a handful of large firms.
The payments form part of a broader push to clear inherited contractor obligations, with over N700 billion verified in recent months.
“For many beneficiaries, the release of funds represents more than a financial transaction. It provides the certainty needed to sustain operations, preserve jobs, complete ongoing projects, and contribute to economic recovery and growth,” the ministry said in a statement.
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