Economy
S&P 500 Nears New Record Intraday High
By Investors Hub
The major U.S. index futures are currently pointing to a higher opening on Monday, with the S&P 500 poised to reach a new record intraday high.
The markets may continue to benefit from optimism about U.S.-China trade talks as well as news that the European Union has granted the U.K.?s request for a Brexit deadline extension.
The move by the EU, which delays Brexit until January 31st, was widely expected but still removes the risk of a damaging no-deal split on Thursday.
Overall trading activity may be somewhat subdued, however, as traders look ahead to the Federal Reserve?s monetary policy announcement on Wednesday.
CME Group?s FedWatch Tool is currently indicating a 94.1 percent chance that the Fed will cut interest rates by another 25 basis points.
Some closely watched economic data is also scheduled to be released later this week, including the Labor Department?s monthly jobs report on Friday.
Traders are also likely to keep an eye on reports on third quarter GDP, personal income and spending and manufacturing activity.
Stocks recovered from an initial move to the downside and moved mostly higher over the course of the trading session on Friday. With the upward move, the Nasdaq and the S&P 500 reached their best closing levels in three months.
The major averages pulled back off their highs of the session but remained firmly positive. The Dow climbed 152.53 points or 0.6 percent to 26,958.06, the Nasdaq advanced 57.32 points or 0.7 percent to 8,243.12 and the S&P 500 rose 12.26 points or 0.4 percent to 3,022.55.
For the week, the tech-heavy Nasdaq surged up by 1.9 percent, the S&P 500 jumped by 1.2 percent and the Dow climbed by 0.7 percent.
The strength on Wall Street came after a statement from the U.S. Trade Representative’s office said the U.S. and China have made progress toward finalizing a phase one trade deal.
The statement was released by the USTR following a phone call between U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He.
“They made headway on specific issues and the two sides are close to finalizing some sections of the agreement,” the USTR said. “Discussions will go on continuously at the deputy level, and the principals will have another call in the near future.”
The upbeat comments about the trade talks added to the positive sentiment seen in reaction to the latest batch of earnings.
Shares of Intel (INTC) moved sharply higher after the semiconductor giant released its third quarter results, spiking by 8.1 percent to a six-month high.
Intel reported better than expected quarterly results, raised its full-year revenue guidance, and added $20 billion to its stock repurchase program.
Credit card giant Visa (V) also posted a notable gain after reporting third quarter results that beat estimates and increasing its quarterly dividend by 20 percent.
Meanwhile, shares of Amazon (AMZN) climbed well off their lows of the session but still ended the session in the red.
The drop by Amazon came after the online retail giant reported weaker than expected third quarter earnings and provided a disappointing forecast for holiday sales.
On the U.S. economic front, revised data released by the University of Michigan showed consumer sentiment improved by slightly less than initially estimated in the month of October.
The report said the consumer sentiment index for October was downwardly revised to 95.5 from the preliminary reading of 96.0. Economists had expected the index to be unrevised.
Despite the downward revision, the consumer sentiment index for October was still up from the final September reading of 93.2.
“Sentiment was insignificantly below the mid month level, with the small loss spread over most components of the Index,” said Surveys of Consumers chief economist Richard Curtin.
He added, “The overall level of consumer confidence has remained quite favorable and largely unchanged during the past few years.”
Reflecting the positive reaction to Intel’s earnings, semiconductor stocks turned in some of the market’s best performances on the day.
The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index subsequently surged up by 2.1 percent, ending the session at a new record closing high.
Significant strength was also visible among transportation stocks, as reflected by the 1.7 percent gain posted by the Dow Jones Transportation Average.
Steel stocks also moved notably higher amid optimism about a U.S.-China trade deal, with the NYSE Arca Steel Index climbing by 1.6 percent to its best closing level in a month.
Energy, computer hardware and banking stocks also saw considerable strength on the day, while interest rate-sensitive utilities and commercial real estate stocks bucked the uptrend.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general elections, Mr Peter Obi, has expressed worry over plans by the administration of President Bola Tinubu to spend about $11.6 billion on debt servicing.
In a post on his social media platform on Monday, the opposition politician criticised this move, saying it is not good for the country.
He also said this action “should concern anyone interested in the country’s economic future and long-term development.”
The former Governor of Anambra State kicked against the penchant of the government to borrow from various sources without anything to show for it.
“There is nothing inherently wrong with borrowing when it is guided by prudence and directed toward productive investment, he noted, stressing that countries such as Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, and Indonesia are all heavily indebted, yet their borrowings are largely channelled into education, healthcare, infrastructure, and innovation – sectors that generate long-term economic returns and sustain repayment capacity.”
According to him, “despite high debt levels, their obligations remain more manageable because they are tied to measurable productivity.”
He said, “Nigeria’s situation, however, is markedly different. A huge proportion of past borrowing has been directed toward consumption, with limited visible or sustainable developmental outcomes to justify the scale of indebtedness.”
“It is also important to note that a huge portion of the debt currently being serviced was accumulated under the Tinubu administration itself, while borrowing has continued at a significant pace. The administration’s recent external borrowing alone includes about $6 billion (from First Abu Dhabi Bank in the UAE—$5 billion, and UK Export Finance via Citibank London—$1 billion), a further $1.25 billion under consideration from the World Bank, and an additional $516 million arranged through Deutsche Bank, bringing the latest known external loan commitments to roughly $7.8 billion. In addition, domestic borrowing through monthly bond issuances continues to add to the overall debt stock,” the businessman also stated.
“Against this backdrop, Nigeria’s 2026 budget shows that health is N2.46 trillion, education is N2.56 trillion, and poverty alleviation is N865 billion, giving a combined total of about N5.885 trillion for these three critical sectors.
“By comparison, debt servicing at about $11.6 billion (approximately N17–N18 trillion, depending on exchange rate assumptions) is almost three times higher than the total allocation to health, education, and social protection combined. This imbalance highlights a troubling fiscal reality in which debt obligations increasingly crowd out investment in human capital and poverty reduction.
“Moreover, even within the limited allocations to these sectors, funds may not be fully released, and a significant portion of what is eventually released could be misappropriated,” he further stated.
Mr Obi said, “The central issue is not borrowing itself, but whether borrowed funds are being converted into measurable productivity, inclusive growth, and improved living standards. Without this, debt servicing shifts from being a temporary fiscal obligation to a long-term structural burden that constrains development and deepens economic vulnerability.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
Pathway Advisors Limited, an issuing house and financial advisory firm, has announced the successful completion of the Series 2 Commercial Paper issuance for Veritasi Homes & Properties Plc.
The Series 2 offer, issued under Veritasi Homes’ newly registered N20.00 billion Commercial Paper Programme, raised N16.76 billion, significantly above its initial N12.00 billion target on the back of strong institutional demand.
This issuance builds on the company’s track record in the Nigerian debt capital market and follows the recently concluded N10 billion 3-year 20 per cent Series 1 Fixed Rate Bond Issuance, further reinforcing investor confidence in Veritasi Homes’ strong credit profile.
The 364-day tenor instrument attracted robust participation from a diverse pool of institutional investors, underscoring sustained confidence in the Company’s financial strength, operating model, and governance standards.
Commenting on the deal, the Founder/CEO of Pathway Advisors Limited, Mr Adekunle Alade (MBA, FCA, M.CIod), noted that the outcome further validates investor appetite for well-structured transactions in the Nigerian capital market.
“The strong oversubscription speaks to the market’s confidence in Veritasi Homes’ performance, governance, and repayment track record. We are pleased to continue supporting issuers with strong fundamentals in accessing efficient funding.’’
He further highlighted that Veritasi Homes’ consistent market activities since 2022, including successful issuances and full redemption of matured obligations, continue to strengthen its reputation among institutional investors.
“Pathway Advisors Limited remains committed to maintaining its leadership position within Nigeria’s capital markets through the origination and execution of transformative, value-driven, and commercially viable transactions by deploying innovative financial solutions and facilitating strategic capital formation across critical sectors.
“We are committed to supporting credible corporates in accessing efficient short-term and long-term financing solutions within the Nigerian capital market,” he said in a statement on Monday.
Speaking on the transaction, the Managing Director/CEO of Veritasi Homes & Properties Plc, Mr Nola Adetola, described the outcome as a strong endorsement of the company’s fundamentals.
“This result reflects the resilience of our business model, our growing market reputation, and the continued trust of the investment community. We are grateful to all institutional investors for their confidence in Veritasi Homes.”
He added that the proceeds from the issuance will be deployed to support the company’s working capital requirements, enhance liquidity, and complete the ongoing development activities across its real estate portfolio.
Mr Adetola also commended Pathway Advisors Limited for its advisory and arranging role in the successful execution of the transaction.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has approved the transition to the T+1 settlement cycle for capital market transactions from June 1, 2026.
This is coming some months after Nigeria moved from the T+3 settlement cycle to the T+2 settlement cycle.
The T+ settlement cycle is the number of working days required to complete a capital market transaction, such as the trading of securities, shares, and others, from the first day the trade was executed by an investor.
In a notice on Monday, the SEC, which is the apex capital market regulator in Nigeria, said it was authorising the new system to “promote an efficient, fair, and transparent capital market.”
Under the new arrangement, equities and commodities traded by investors at the market would be cleared and settled by the Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) within one day.
The agency noted that the migration to a T+1 settlement cycle forms part of its ongoing market modernisation initiatives aimed at enhancing market efficiency and strengthening risk management. reducing counterparty exposure, improving liquidity, and aligning the Nigerian capital market with international standards and global best practices.
“Accordingly, all eligible trades executed in the Nigerian capital market shall settle one business day after the trade date (T+1),” a part of the statement noted.
It was stressed that “Friday, May 29, 2026, shall be the final trading day under the existing T+2 settlement cycle. Trades executed on Friday, May 29, 2026, and Monday, June 1, 2026, shall both settle on Tuesday, June 2, 2026. All trades executed from Monday, June 1, 2026, onward shall be subject to the T+1 settlement cycle.”
SEC tasked all capital market operators, securities exchanges, clearing and settlement infrastructure providers, custodians, registrars, issuers, and other relevant stakeholders to take all necessary measures to ensure full operational readiness and compliance with the new settlement framework.
“Market participants are expected to review and align their systems, processes, controls, and operational workflows ahead of the implementation date,” it further stated, promising to continue to engage stakeholders and monitor the implementation process to ensure an orderly and seamless transition.
The regulator said it remains committed to strengthening market integrity, enhancing investor confidence, and fostering the development of a modern. resilient and globally competitive Nigerian capital market.
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