Economy
Veterans Day Holiday May Lead to Choppy Trading on Wall Street
By Investors Hub
The major U.S. index futures are pointing to a lower open on Monday, with stocks likely to see further downside after moving notably lower last Friday.
Lingering concerns about the outlook for global economic growth and a continued increase in interest rates may contribute to early weakness on Wall Street.
Government officers, the bond markets, and most banks are closed in observance of Veterans Day, however, potentially leading to limited trading activity.
A lack of major U.S. economic data may also keep some traders on the sidelines, contributing to a relatively choppy trading day.
In the coming days, traders are likely to keep a close eye on reports on consumer price inflation, retail sales, and industrial production.
A speech by Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell on Wednesday is also likely to attract attention, as traders look for additional clues about the outlook for interest rates.
Last week, the Fed left interest rates unchanged as widely expected but indicated it remains on track to gradually raise rates despite signs of a slowdown in the pace of growth in business investment.
CME Group’s FedWatch tool currently indicates a nearly 76 percent chance the Fed will raise rates by a quarter point following a two-day meeting scheduled for December 18th and 19th.
Following the mixed performance seen on Thursday, stocks moved mostly lower during the trading day on Friday. With the drop on the day, the Dow pulled back off its best closing level in a month.
The major averages climbed well off their worst levels of the day but remained firmly in negative territory. The Dow fell 201.92 points or 0.8 percent to 25,989.30, the Nasdaq tumbled 123.98 points or 1.7 percent to 7,406.90 and the S&P 500 slid 25.82 points or 0.9 percent to 2,781.01.
Despite the pullback on the day, the major averages all moved higher for the week. The Dow surged up by 2.8 percent, the S&P 500 jumped by 2.1 percent and the Nasdaq climbed by 0.7 percent.
The weakness on Wall Street partly reflected renewed concerns about the outlook for interest rates on the heels of the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy announcement on Thursday.
The Fed left interest rates unchanged as widely expected but indicated it remains on track to gradually raise rates despite signs of a slowdown in the pace of growth in business investment.
Adding to the concerns about interest rates, the Labor Department released a report showing a much bigger than expected increase in producer prices in the month of October.
The Labor Department said its producer price index for final demand climbed by 0.6 percent in October after rising by 0.2 percent in September. Economists had been expecting another 0.2 percent uptick.
Excluding food and energy prices, core producer prices still rose by 0.5 percent in October after edging up by 0.2 percent in September. Core prices had been expected to rise by another 0.2 percent.
Compared to the same month a year ago, producer prices in October were up by 2.9 percent, reflecting an acceleration from the 2.6 percent increase in September.
The annual rate of growth in core consumer prices also accelerated modestly to 2.6 percent in October from 2.5 percent in September.
“Overall, the producer prices data show that inflationary pressures remain fairly strong, which will keep the Fed hiking rates once a quarter in the near term,” said Andrew Hunter, U.S. Economist at Capital Economics.
A separate report from the University of Michigan showed a slight deterioration in consumer sentiment in the month of November.
The report said the consumer sentiment index edged down to 98.3 in November from the final October reading of 98.6. Economists had expected the index to dip to 98.0.
Extending a recent sell-off, tobacco stocks moved sharply lower over the course of the session, dragging the NYSE Arca Tobacco Index down by 3.5 percent. The index tumbled to its lowest closing level in well over two months.
The steep drop by tobacco stocks was partly due to a report from the Wall Street Journal indicating FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb plans to pursue a ban on menthol cigarettes.
Substantial weakness was also visible among biotechnology stocks, as reflected by the 2.8 percent slump by the NYSE Arca Biotechnology Index.
Steel stocks also saw considerable weakness amid concerns about the outlook for global demand, with the NYSE Arca Steel Index plunging by 2.5 percent.
Technology, gold, retail and brokerage stocks also showed notable moves to the downside, reflecting broad based weakness on Wall Street.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
New independent research has revealed that the parent company of Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram, Meta, contributes about $820 million to the Nigerian economy every year.
In the new report titled Nigeria’s Digital Economy, conducted by Public First, it was discovered that about 14 million Nigerian small and medium enterprises (SMEs) used Meta’s apps like Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, Meta AI, and Threads, to start and grow their businesses in 2025, contributing $2 billion to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and delivering an estimated $640 million in productivity gains through more efficient instant messaging.
Business Post gathered from the study released in Abuja on Thursday that the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) is set to add about $22 billion to Nigeria’s DGP by 2035.
It was observed that virtually all Nigerian businesses surveyed confessed that Meta’s platforms have expanded their customer reach, with the company’s platforms functioning as essential digital infrastructure connecting Nigerian entrepreneurs to customers, markets, and new economic opportunities.
WhatsApp is Nigeria’s gateway to AI
WhatsApp is playing a central role in connecting Nigerians to AI and new economic opportunities across the region. The platform serves as Nigerians’ primary AI surface — reflecting the wider regional pattern where 93 per cent of Meta AI prompts in Sub-Saharan Africa are made via WhatsApp — demonstrating how AI adoption in Nigeria is happening through the tools people already use every day.
“Nigeria is one of the most dynamic, entrepreneurial and digitally engaged markets in the world — and this research makes clear the scale of what is possible when Nigerian ambition meets the right digital tools.
“From a tailor in Lagos reaching customers across the country through Instagram, to a small business owner in Kano taking orders on WhatsApp, to a creator in Abuja building a global audience on Facebook — Meta’s platforms are removing the traditional barriers to growth and unlocking real economic opportunity,” the Director of Public Policy for Sub-Saharan Africa at Meta, Balkissa Ide Siddo, said.
The fact that 80 per cent of Nigerians say access to reliable internet has improved compared to a decade ago speaks to the progress already made, and with continued investment in connectivity, smart policy that supports innovation, and the rise of open-source AI built for and by Africans, Nigeria is exceptionally well positioned to lead the continent’s next decade of digital growth. We are proud to be a long-term partner in that journey,” Ide Siddo added.
AI and Nigeria’s next growth frontier
The research highlights the transformative potential of artificial intelligence for Nigeria’s economy and innovation ecosystem.
SMEs are reaching new customers across Nigeria
For Nigerian small businesses, Meta’s platforms have become a primary sales and discovery channel. 81 per cent of online businesses surveyed said Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp have expanded their customer base beyond their local geography — reducing customer acquisition costs and giving a business in Kano access to the same advertising and commerce tools available to businesses in Lagos, London or New York.
“Nigeria’s digital transformation is creating new opportunities for businesses, creators and consumers alike. The findings show that Meta’s platforms are helping Nigerian firms grow across formal and informal sectors, supporting entrepreneurship and strengthening participation in one of the world’s most rapidly expanding digital economies.
“With the right combination of infrastructure, platform access and open-source AI, the upside for Nigeria is significant,” a Director at Public First, Alison Neyle, stated.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigerian energy giant, Oando Plc, says it is reporting rising revenues as global crude buyers increasingly turn away from the volatile Middle East in search of safer supply sources.
According to the chief executive of Oando, Mr Wale Tinubu, the crisis around the Strait of Hormuz has damaged the Gulf region’s long-standing reputation as the world’s safest and most reliable oil-producing hub, leading to demand elsewhere.
Speaking in a recent interview on the sidelines of the Africa CEO Forum in Kigali, Rwanda, Mr Tinubu disclosed that Oando is already benefiting financially from the geopolitical tensions.
“We are certainly getting a windfall increase in our revenues,” Mr Tinubu said.
According to him, mounting security concerns around the Strait of Hormuz have forced buyers to reconsider their dependence on Middle Eastern crude. The waterway accounts for around 20 per cent of global crude and liquified natural gas (LNG) flows, mostly to Asian markets.
“The Middle Eastern premium you got from being a stable environment to produce hydrocarbons has been shattered,” he added.
The conflict is rapidly reshaping global energy trade flows, with African producers, particularly Nigeria, emerging as alternative suppliers at a time of heightened uncertainty in the Gulf.
Indonesia recently took in some Nigeria crude to cushion against the impact that disruptions are having on fuel supplies.
Mr Tinubu said Oando is rolling out a seven-well drilling campaign aiming to add 10,000 barrels per day by the end of the year.
Oando is also looking to raise up to $750 million to execute a 100-well onshore drilling campaign, aiming to triple its oil and gas output from 32,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day to nearly 100,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day.
According to Mr Tinubu, global supply shocks have created highly favourable conditions for securing financing and expanding operations to meet supply gaps.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigerian billionaire investor, Mr Femi Otedola, has announced plans to invest $100 million in the Dangote Refinery, which plans to list later this year.
Mr Otedola disclosed this on Wednesday after leading a delegation of top executives from First HoldCo on a visit to the Dangote refinery.
“On a personal note, I’ve appealed to him (Aliko Dangote). I’ve been here with him 25 times, so my compensation is he’s going to allocate to me shares worth $100 million in the private placement,” the billionaire said.
Mr Otedola had previously denied that he had any stake or funded the construction of a 650,000 barrels per day facility.
The announcement marks his next big move after increasing his stake in First Holdco as well as buying a $10 million property in London.
Mr Dangote last year said the refinery could sell up to 10 per cent stake in the listing, which is valued at about $5 billion. It is aiming for a valuation of up to $50 billion for Dangote refinery.
The billionaire is planning to make the IPO a cross-border listing to enable the refinery to draw investments from domestic and international investors.
Mr Dangote, this week, said the IPO is designed to democratise wealth creation and give Africans direct access to participate in the continent’s industrial transformation.
On his part, Mr Dangote, president of the Dangote Group, says the company is targeting a private placement of about $2 billion for the refinery.
While the actual date for the IPO is yet to be announced, Mr Otedola’s early investment indicates value and could spur other high-net-worth individuals to show interest.
Mr Otedola, an ally of Mr Dangote, led top executives of First HoldCo on a tour of the refinery and the fertiliser plants in the Lekki free trade zone area.
The team also visited key project sites such as the jetty, a facility built by Dangote industries to receive large vessels.
-
Feature/OPED6 years agoDavos was Different this year
-
Travel/Tourism10 years ago
Lagos Seals Western Lodge Hotel In Ikorodu
-
Showbiz3 years agoEstranged Lover Releases Videos of Empress Njamah Bathing
-
Banking8 years agoSort Codes of GTBank Branches in Nigeria
-
Economy3 years agoSubsidy Removal: CNG at N130 Per Litre Cheaper Than Petrol—IPMAN
-
Banking3 years agoSort Codes of UBA Branches in Nigeria
-
Banking3 years agoFirst Bank Announces Planned Downtime
-
Sports3 years agoHighest Paid Nigerian Footballer – How Much Do Nigerian Footballers Earn