Economy
US Stocks Open Lower as Traders React to Earnings News
By Investors Hub
The major U.S. index futures are pointing to a lower opening on Thursday, with stocks likely to move back to the downside following the strength seen in the previous session.
The downward momentum for the markets comes as traders react to the latest batch of earnings news from several big-name companies.
Shares of J.C. Penney (JCP) are moving sharply lower in pre-market trading after the department store chain reported a narrower than expected first quarter adjusted loss but cut its full-year earnings guidance.
Network equipment maker Cisco Systems (CSCO) may also come under pressure after reporting better than expected fiscal third quarter earnings but providing a disappointing forecast.
On the other hand, shares of Wal-Mart (WMT) are likely to move to the upside after the retail giant reported first quarter results that exceeded analyst estimates on both the top and bottom lines.
Stocks fluctuated over the course of the trading session on Wednesday but largely maintained a positive bias before closing mostly higher. The upward move on the day came on the heels of the sharp pullback seen in the previous session.
The major averages closed in positive territory but well off their highs of the session. The Dow rose 62.52 points or 0.3 percent to 24,768.93, the Nasdaq advanced 46.67 points or 0.6 percent to 7,398.30 and the S&P 500 climbed 11.01 points or 0.4 percent to 2,722.46.
The strength on Wall Street partly reflected a positive reaction to earnings news from Macy’s (M), with the department store operator surging up by 10.8 percent.
Macy’s jumped to its best closing level in over a year after reporting better than expected first quarter results and providing upbeat guidance.
Buying interest was somewhat subdued, however, with geopolitical uncertainty keeping some traders on the sidelines after North Korea threatened to cancel an historic meeting between leader Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump.
In a statement published by the state-run Korean Central News Agency, North Korean First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Kim Kye Gwan suggested that Trump must accept the reclusive communist country as a nuclear power.
“If the U.S. is trying to drive us into a corner to force our unilateral nuclear abandonment, we will no longer be interested in such dialogue and cannot but reconsider our proceeding to the DPRK-U.S. summit,” Kim said.
Kim pointed to “unbridled remarks” by U.S. officials such as National Security Adviser John Bolton calling on North Korea to abandon nuclear weapons first and be compensated afterward.
The statement from Kim came after North Korea canceled high-level talks with South Korea planned for Wednesday over U.S.-South Korean military drills.
Despite the threats, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said the administrations remains hopeful the meeting will take place.
On the U.S. economic front, the Commerce Department released a report showing a sharp pullback in new residential construction in the month of April.
The report said housing starts plunged by 3.7 percent to an annual rate of 1.287 million in April after jumping by 3.6 percent to an upwardly revised 1.336 million in March.
Economists had expected housing starts to drop to an annual rate of 1.310 million from the 1.319 million originally reported for the previous month.
The Commerce Department said building permits also tumbled by 1.8 percent to an annual rate of 1.352 million in April after surging up by 4.1 percent to an upwardly revised 1.377 million in March.
Building permits, an indicator of future housing demand, had been expected to edge down to 1.350 million from the 1.354 million originally reported for the previous month.
A separate report from the Federal Reserve showed industrial production increased by slightly more than anticipated in the month of April.
The Fed said industrial production climbed by 0.7 percent in April, matching the upwardly revised increase in March. Economists had expected industrial production to rise by 0.6 percent.
Steel stocks turned in some of the market’s best performances, resulting in a 2.1 percent jump by the NYSE Arca Steel Index. With the gain, the index reached its best closing level in well over two months.
Considerable strength also emerged among computer hardware stocks, as reflected by the 1.5 percent gain posted by the NYSE Arca Computer Hardware Index. The advance lifted the index to a record closing high.
Hard drive and memory chip maker Western Digital (WDC) lead the hardware sector higher, surging up by 4.9 percent on the day.
Semiconductor stocks also showed a significant move to the upside, driving the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index up by 1.4 percent.
Micron Technology (MU) posted a standout gain after RBC Capital initiated coverage of the chipmaker’s stock with an Outperform rating.
Tobacco, oil service, and natural gas stocks also saw notable strength on the day, while weakness was visible among utilities stocks.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Between $30 billion and $50 billion in investments are anticipated from 22 major offshore projects by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) from now till 2030.
Speaking at the Society of Petroleum Engineers’ Nigeria Annual International Conference and Exhibition (NAICE 2026) in Lagos on Wednesday, the chief executive of NUPRC, Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, said since 2022, successive licensing rounds have opened access to some of Nigeria’s most prospective oil and gas acreages.
She made reference to the recent 2025 Licensing Round where 31 companies emerged successful bidders for 37 oil and gas blocks after progressing through a robust, data-driven and technology enabled evaluation process.
Mrs Eyesan said the 2026 Licensing Round, which is set to commence soon, is showing greater promise thanks to the transparency that has characterised licensing rounds.
“With preparations already underway for the 2026 Licensing Round, Nigeria is demonstrating that investment certainty is no longer an aspiration; it is becoming an enduring feature of our regulatory framework,” the NUPRC boss stated.
The agency’s chief, who was represented at the event by the Executive Commissioner for Development and Production, Mr Enorense Amadasu, the expected investments are expected to increase production, create jobs and strengthen energy security.
“Since 2024, the NUPRC has approved over $57 billion in Field Development Plan (FDPs) some of which have translated to Final Investment Decisions. Twenty-two major offshore projects are expected between 2026 and 2030 with an estimated investment potential of $30–50 billion.
“Beyond increasing production, these investments will create jobs, expand infrastructure, strengthen energy security and reinforce Nigeria’s position as a leading global upstream investment destination,” she stated.
She noted that besides developing its proven reserves, Nigeria is building a resilient energy future by maintaining a strong pipeline of exploration opportunities that will sustain long-term growth and energy security.
Mrs Eyesan said infrastructure deficit continues to undermine Africa’s promising potential, stating that, Nigeria is, however, addressing this challenge through a series of strategies.
“We are expanding gas gathering systems, processing facilities, pipelines and export infrastructure, while promoting shared facilities, open access, third party access and field tiebacks to reduce costs, speed up project delivery, maximise the use of existing infrastructure and help bring stranded oil and gas resources into production,” the NUPRC boss stated.
Besides these infrastructure strategies, Mrs Eyesan said stronger collaboration among government, security agencies, operators, host communities and private partners; as well as the Host Community Development Trust had led to an improvement in the protection of critical energy assets which had ultimately made Nigeria’s upstream sector more resilient.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Pathway Advisors Limited has launched a N25 billion Series 3 Commercial Paper (CP) issuance for Zeenab Foods Limited, with proceeds expected to strengthen the agro-processing company’s working capital and support its short-term funding needs.
The offer, which is being issued under Zeenab Foods’ N50 billion Commercial Paper Programme, opened for subscription on August 4 and will close on August 10, 2026. Issue and settlement are scheduled for August 11, while the commercial paper will mature on August 10, 2027.
Acting as the lead arranger and issuing house, Pathway Advisors structured the 364-day instrument at a discount rate of 19.69 per cent, translating to an effective yield of 24.50 per cent. The offer has a minimum subscription of N5 million, with additional investments accepted in multiples of N1,000.
Founded in 2011, Zeenab Foods operates across rice milling, the export of processed agricultural commodities, and the supply of food products to international donor organisations, including the United Nations World Food Programme (UN-WFP). The company runs processing facilities in Abuja and Kano, while maintaining export liaison offices in Changsha, Guangzhou and Shanghai in China, as well as Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
The company has received strong investment-grade ratings from leading credit rating agencies. Agusto & Co. assigned it a short-term rating of A1 and a long-term rating of A-, while DataPro Limited rated it A1 for the short term and A+ for the long term.
According to the transaction details, Zeenab Foods has maintained a strong repayment record under both its previous N20 billion Commercial Paper Programme and the current N50 billion programme. Since 2024, the company has redeemed multiple commercial paper series ahead of maturity, reinforcing investor confidence in its financial position.
The firm has also continued to expand its production capacity to meet growing demand. Its rice milling facility now has an installed capacity of 180 metric tonnes per day following a 50 per cent expansion completed in 2025, with average capacity utilisation standing at about 85 per cent.
Zeenab Foods has also positioned itself to benefit from policy changes in Nigeria’s agricultural sector. Following the federal government’s ban on raw shea nut exports in August 2025, the company leased a shea butter processing facility in Ogun State with an initial capacity of 100 metric tonnes per day. It plans to expand the facility to 300 metric tonnes daily while diversifying into soya oil processing, edible oil refining and cocoa butter production.
The organisation also expects continued growth from its long-standing relationship with the UN-WFP, supported by sustained humanitarian food demand across the Sahel region.
Pathway Advisors Limited, a Securities and Exchange Commission-regulated issuing house and financial advisory firm, said it remains focused on facilitating access to capital for businesses and supporting sustainable economic growth across key sectors of the Nigerian economy through its capital-raising and advisory services.
As MSMEs across the South-East seek opportunities for growth, market expansion and cross-border trade, Stanbic IBTC, in partnership with the Anambra State Government, convened the Nigeria Business Summit Regional Tour in Onitsha to equip businesses with practical solutions for sustainable growth.
The summit, organised in collaboration with the Anambra State Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade, brought together government officials, business leaders, trade associations, development partners and entrepreneurs to explore practical pathways for economic growth, business sustainability and increased participation in local and international trade.
Speaking at the event, which took place on Wednesday, 29 July 2026, Honourable Nonso Chukwuma Ebonwu, Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Anambra State, highlighted the importance of stronger partnerships between government, financial institutions and the private sector in creating an environment where businesses can thrive and contribute meaningfully to economic growth.
“Sustainable economic development requires strong partnerships between the public and private sectors. Financial institutions such as Stanbic IBTC have an important role to play by providing not only access to finance but also business advisory services, capacity building and the knowledge that enables businesses to grow sustainably,” he said.
Given Onitsha’s strategic position as a commercial hub, discussions centred on access to finance, enterprise development, business sustainability and opportunities for expansion into new markets. Stanbic IBTC’s Trade Team also provided practical insights into trade and export opportunities available to businesses operating within the South-East’s manufacturing and distribution value chains, highlighting strategies that can help enterprises improve competitiveness and unlock new growth opportunities.
Commenting on Stanbic IBTC’s commitment to supporting Nigerian businesses, Chuma Nwokocha, Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Holdings, said:
“We recognise the critical role businesses play in driving economic growth, creating jobs and fostering innovation. Supporting their growth remains central to our purpose of driving Africa’s growth, and we will continue to provide the solutions, partnerships and platforms they need to thrive.”
Also commenting on Stanbic IBTC’s support for Nigerian businesses, Remy Osuagwu, Executive Director, Business and Commercial Banking, Stanbic IBTC Bank, said:
“Our commitment to supporting businesses is unrelenting. Through strategic partnerships and platforms such as the Nigeria Business Summit Regional Tour, we are connecting entrepreneurs to the knowledge, networks and financial solutions needed to scale their businesses and compete more effectively in today’s evolving marketplace.”
The summit also highlighted Stanbic IBTC’s focus on providing businesses with access to the capital, insights and connections needed to achieve sustainable growth. This commitment aligns with the strategic direction of the bank’s Enterprise Banking business, led by Olajumoke Bello, as Stanbic IBTC continues to deepen engagement with MSMEs and growth-focused businesses across Nigeria.
The Onitsha engagement builds on successful editions of the Nigeria Business Summit Regional Tour previously held in Katsina, Aba and Ibadan. Through the initiative, Stanbic IBTC continues to work with public and private sector stakeholders to equip entrepreneurs with practical insights, strategic partnerships and business solutions that support sustainable growth.
