Economy
Wall Street in Early Pullback on Profit Taking
By Investors Hub
The major U.S. index futures are pointing to a lower opening on Thursday, with stocks likely to give back ground after moving sharply higher over the course of the previous session.
Profit taking may contribute to initial weakness on Wall Street after the strong gains posted in the previous session lifted the Dow and the S&P 500 to their best closing levels in nearly a month.
Traders may also look to move money into safe havens ahead of the Federal Reserve?s monetary policy announcement this afternoon.
The Fed is widely expected to leave interest rates unchanged, but the accompanying statement may shed additional light on the anticipated rate hike in December.
CME Group?s FedWatch tool indicates only a 7 percent chance the Fed will raise rates today but a 75 percent chance for a 25 basis point increase in rates next month.
Stocks showed a significant move to the upside during trading on Wednesday, adding to the gains posted in the previous session. With the continued upward move, the Dow and the S&P 500 reached their best closing levels in nearly a month.
The major averages ended the day just off their highs of the session. The Dow surged up 545.29 points or 2.1 percent to 26,180.30, the Nasdaq soared 194.79 points or 2.6 percent to 7,570.75 and the S&P 500 spiked 58.44 points or 2.1 percent to 2,813.89.
The rally on Wall Street came as the results of the highly anticipated midterm elections on Tuesday came largely in line with expectations.
Democrats are projected to retake control of the House for the first time since 2010, as Democratic candidates managed to flip a number of suburban districts across the country.
Control of the House will give Democrats subpoena power, potentially leading to numerous investigations of President Donald Trump’s administration.
House Democrats will also play a much larger role if Trump hopes to achieve any major legislative accomplishments in the next two years.
Meanwhile, Democrats did not fare as well as in the Senate, as Republicans appear poised to expand their majority in the upper chamber.
Republican candidates won Democratic Senate seats in Indiana, Missouri, and North Dakota and are leading in tight races in Florida and Arizona.
The GOP had been seen as likely to maintain control of the Senate due to the tough map faced by Democrats, who were defending 26 of the 35 seats on the ballot.
With Republicans expanding their majority, Trump will likely have an easier time pushing through more controversial judicial nominees.
Despite Republicans losing control of the House, Trump described the night as a “tremendous success” in a post on Twitter.
Software stocks showed a substantial move to the upside on the day, driving the Dow Jones Software Index up by 4 percent. The jump lifted the index to its best closing level in a month.
Considerable strength also emerged among retail stocks, as reflected by the 3.6 percent spike by the Dow Jones Retail Index.
Healthcare stocks also turned in a strong performance, resulting in a 2.9 percent advance by the Dow Jones Health Care Index.
DaVita (DVA) and Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) posted standout gains after California voters rejected a ballot measure that would have capped dialysis payments from insurance companies
Transportation, pharmaceutical, brokerage and chemical stocks also moved notably higher on the day, while gold stocks were among the few groups to buck the uptrend.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The board of Presco Plc has proposed the payment of an interim dividend of N10 per share to shareholders of the organisation for the first six months of this year.
This information was conveyed in the unaudited financial statements of the company released to the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited.
In the results for the half-year ended June 30, 2026, the fully integrated agro-industrial firm said the cash reward reinforces its commitment to delivering consistent shareholder returns.
It further assured that looking ahead, it remains focused on disciplined capital allocation, operational efficiency and long-term value creation while navigating evolving market conditions.
A look at the key financial highlights of the results showed that revenue was relatively stable at about N199.0 billion in the first half of 2026 and the same period of 2025 amid a high-cost operating environment and softer crude palm oil prices.
However, the pre-tax profit rose by 9.3 per cent to N122.2 billion from N119.9 billion as result of a 31.9 per cent reduction in financing costs.
Further, the Edo State-based company posted an EBITDA of N123.1 billion, which yielded a margin of 61.9 per cent, as the organisation strengthened its balance sheet, reducing total liabilities by 42.5 per cent to N277.8 billion, while equity grew 13.8 per cent to N503.6 billion, with a current ratio of 345.6 per cent, which underscores robust liquidity.
“Our H1 2026 performance underscores the strength of our operational model in a challenging environment. The 9.3 per cent growth in profit before tax, driven largely by a 31.9 per cent reduction in financing costs, reflects our deliberate focus on cost optimisation and balance sheet discipline.
“With equity up 13.8 per cent and liabilities down by 42.5 per cent, we have further fortified our financial foundation.
“The proposed interim dividend of N10 per share signals our confidence in the business’s trajectory and our commitment to rewarding shareholders,” the chief executive of Presco, Mr Reji George, stated.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The ex-depot prices of the two major petroleum products in the country, Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, and Automotive Gas Oil (Diesel), have been slashed by Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
The company, in a statement on Wednesday, disclosed that while petrol is now N1,165 per litre, diesel is now N1,570 per litre.
The energy firm said it slashed the prices to reaffirm its commitment to providing affordable, high-quality petroleum products to the Nigerian market.
The latest cut in the price of PMS represents N50, as it was previously sold to marketers at N1,215 per litre, while diesel witnessed an N80 reduction, as it was formerly being sold at N1,650 per litre.
Dangote Refinery stated that the downward price review reflects its ongoing efforts to enhance energy affordability, improve access to refined petroleum products, and support economic activities across Nigeria, saying it remains committed to ensuring stable supply while leveraging operational efficiencies to deliver value to consumers, businesses, and stakeholders.
As Africa’s largest refinery, Dangote Petroleum Refinery continues to play a pivotal role in strengthening Nigeria’s energy security, reducing reliance on imports, and supporting the nation’s economic development through the supply of world-class petroleum products.
The company reaffirmed its dedication to contributing to the growth of the Nigerian economy and passing on the benefits of improved operational efficiencies to consumers whenever market conditions permit.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Dangote Petroleum Refinery is preparing to raise about $5 billion through an initial public offering (IPO) expected to conclude in October, in what could become the largest stock market listing in Africa’s history.
The company has already submitted an initial application to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), with approval expected in the coming weeks. Once authorised, the refinery is expected to release its prospectus in September ahead of the public offer.
The primary listing will be on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited, although investors across Africa are expected to participate through structured investment instruments rather than a dual listing.
The proceeds will be used to expand the capacity of the 700,000-barrels-per-day refinery in Lagos and possibly support plans to replicate the project in Kenya as Dangote seeks to deepen Africa’s energy independence.
The proposed IPO comes after the refinery benefited from increased demand for refined products during the recent Iran conflict, supplying jet fuel across Africa and into Western Europe as global shortages disrupted markets.
As per Reuters, stock exchanges in South Africa, Kenya, Egypt, Ghana and Rwanda have held discussions with advisers to the transaction as interest in the offering continues to build across the continent.
Kenya alone could account for as much as $500 million of the targeted capital raise, driven largely by demand from institutional investors, including pension funds, the publication reported.
While the company is targeting a $5 billion raise, the final amount will depend on the outcome of the SEC’s review. If achieved, the offering would represent more than four per cent of the Nigerian Exchange’s current market capitalisation.
The IPO follows a $2.5 billion private placement completed last month, in which a six per cent stake in the refinery was sold, implying a valuation of about $40 billion.
That valuation, however, would place the refinery well above several listed global refining companies. Turkey’s Tupras, which operates a similar combined refining capacity across four facilities, has a market value of roughly $12 billion, while US-listed HF Sinclair, with a comparable processing capacity, is valued at around $16 billion.
Although the NGX generally requires companies on its main board to maintain a minimum free float of 20 per cent, there have been exceptions. Dangote Cement, for instance, currently has a free float of just over 12 per cent.
The publication also reported that investors outside Nigeria are likely to gain exposure through instruments such as global depositary receipts or exchange-traded products linked to the Nigerian-listed shares, rather than through a cross-listing on other African exchanges.
The founder of the 700,000-barrels-per-day capacity plant, Mr Aliko Dangote, said in April that the refinery aims to increase production capacity to 1.4 million barrels per day.
Mr Dangote is also pursuing plans to build another refinery in Lamu along Kenya’s coast in partnership with other East African governments, although it remains unclear whether part of the IPO proceeds will be allocated to that project valued at an estimated $17 billion.
