Economy

Wall Street Opens Mixed on Looming Fed Meeting

Published

7 years ago

18/03/2019

By Investors Hub

The major U.S. index futures are pointing to a mixed opening on Monday, with stocks likely to show a lack of direction following the strong upward move seen last week.

Traders may be reluctant to make significant moves ahead of the Federal Reserve?s monetary policy announcement later this week.

The Fed is widely expected to leave interest rates unchanged, although traders are likely to keep a close eye on the accompanying statement for clues about the outlook for rates.

The central bank?s economic projections and Fed Chairman Jerome Powell?s subsequent press conference are also likely to be in focus.

Nonetheless, a notable drop by Boeing (BA) is likely to weigh on the Dow, with the aerospace giant sliding by 2.4 percent in pre-market trading.

The slump by Boeing comes after a Wall Street Journal report said federal prosecutors and Transportation Department officials are scrutinizing the development of the company?s 737 MAX jetliners.

Stocks fluctuated early in the session but moved mostly higher over the course of the trading day on Friday. With the upward move on the day, the Nasdaq and the S&P 500 reached their best closing levels in five months.

The major averages ended the day well off their highs of the session but still firmly in positive territory. The Dow climbed 138.93 points or 0.5 percent to 25,848.87, the Nasdaq advanced 57.62 points or 0.8 percent to 7,688.53 and the S&P 500 rose 14.00 points or 0.5 percent to 2,822.48.

With the gains on the day, the major averages moved notably higher for the week. The Dow jumped by 1.6 percent, while the S&P 500 surged up by 2.9 percent and the tech-heavy Nasdaq soared by 3.8 percent.

The strength on Wall Street came amid optimism about U.S.-China trade talks as well as indications of more Chinese economic stimulus.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang pledged support for the slowing economy during his annual news conference at the end of the National People’s Congress.

Li said the country could use reserve requirements and interest rates to prevent a sharper deceleration in the world’s second-largest economy.

Traders largely shrugged off the release of some disappointing U.S. economic data, including a Federal Reserve report showing industrial production rose by much less than expected in the month of February.

The Fed said industrial production inched up by 0.1 percent in February after falling by a revised 0.4 percent in January.

Economists had expected production to climb by 0.4 percent compared to the 0.6 percent drop originally reported for the previous month.

The uptick in production came as a spike in utilities output and an increase in mining output was largely offset by a continued drop in manufacturing output.

“The further decline in manufacturing output in February confirms that the global industrial slowdown is now weighing more heavily on U.S. producers,” said Andrew Hunter, Senior U.S. Economist at Capital Economics.

He added, “With tighter fiscal and monetary policy constraining domestic demand, the weaker external environment is another reason to expect a sustained slowdown in economic growth this year.”

A separate report from the New York Fed showed an unexpected slowdown in regional manufacturing growth in the month of March.

The New York Fed said its headline general business conditions index fell to 3.7 in March after climbing to 8.8 in February.

While a positive reading still indicates growth in regional manufacturing activity, economists had expected the index to rise to 10.0.

The index remained below 10 for the third straight month, which the New York Fed said suggests growth has remained quite a bit slower so far this year than it was for most of 2018.

Meanwhile, preliminary data released by the University of Michigan on Friday showed a significant improvement in U.S. consumer sentiment in the month of March.

The report said the consumer sentiment index jumped to 97.8 in March from the final February reading of 93.8. Economists had expected the index to rise to 95.3.

The bigger than expected increase by the index came as more positive assessments from lower income households more than offset a drop in sentiment among households with incomes in the top third.

“Since households with incomes in the top third account for more than half of all consumer expenditures, cautious observers will conclude that the latest data are another indication that the end of the expansion is on the distant horizon,” said Surveys of Consumers chief economist Richard Curtin.

He added, “While that may well be true, the current level of consumer sentiment at 97.8 hardly indicates an emerging downturn.”

Semiconductor stocks showed a substantial move to the upside on the day, driving the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index up by 2.9 percent to a six-month closing high.

Broadcom (AVGO) led the sector higher after the chipmaker reported fiscal first quarter earnings that exceeded analyst estimates.

Considerable strength also emerged among computer hardware stocks, as reflected by the 1.4 percent gain posted by the NYSE Arca Computer Hardware Index.

Biotechnology and tobacco stocks also saw significant strength on the day, while natural gas and oil service stocks showed notable moves to the downside.

Economy

All Set for Champion Breweries’ 50th AGM on Thursday

Published

4 hours ago

19/05/2026

Aduragbemi Omiyale

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

Barring any last-minute changes, the 50th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Champion Breweries Plc will take place on Thursday, May 21, 2026, at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, at 11:00 am.

At the yearly shareholders’ gathering, some of the key statutory and governance matters to be considered will include the Audited Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2025, alongside the Reports of the Directors, Auditors, and the Audit Committee.

Other agenda items are the declaration of dividends, election and re-election of Directors, authorisation for Directors to determine the remuneration of the Auditors, and election/re-election of shareholders’ representatives to the Audit Committee.

In line with its commitment to transparency, accountability, and shareholder engagement, the AGM will be held physically while also being accessible to stakeholders via the company’s official website: www.championbreweries.com.

This year’s AGM comes at a defining moment in the organisation’s corporate journey, following a transformative year marked by strategic expansion initiatives, including the acquisition of Bullet Energy Drink and its successful engagement with the capital market to raise growth capital.

These developments reinforce Champion Breweries Plc’s commitment to strengthening its competitive positioning, expanding its portfolio, and delivering long-term shareholder value.

The brewer has strengthened its transition into a group structure with the acquisition of an 80 per cent stake in enJOYbev B.V., a strategic move already delivering early earnings contribution and validating its international expansion drive.

The subsidiary’s results are now being consolidated into the Group accounts for the first time, with enJOYbev B.V. already contributing positively to earnings through operating profitability within the reporting period, an early validation of the group’s expansion strategy.

“This AGM reflects a defining chapter in our journey as a Company. The acquisition of Bullet, our successful capital market engagement, and the integration of enJOYbev B.V. into our group structure all signal a deliberate strategy for sustainable growth and diversification.

“These milestones position Champion Breweries Plc for stronger performance, broader market reach, and enhanced shareholder value. We remain committed to disciplined execution, operational excellence, and the highest standards of corporate governance,” the chairman of Champion Breweries, Mr Imo Abasi Jacob, said.

Economy

NRS Launches Unified Tax ID System

Published

9 hours ago

19/05/2026

Adedapo Adesanya

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) has unveiled a unified Taxpayer Identification (Tax ID) system for all taxable persons across the country as part of efforts to strengthen tax administration and improve transparency.

The agency announced the development in a public notice issued jointly with the Joint Revenue Board (JRB) on Monday.

According to the notice, the initiative is backed by Sections 6, 7, and 8 of the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025, which mandate every taxable person in Nigeria to obtain a Tax ID, in a wider move to expand the country’s tax base.

The NRS said the new framework is designed to create a centralised and harmonised taxpayer database that would enhance interactions between taxpayers and revenue authorities at both federal and sub-national levels.

“The Tax ID will serve as a single, unified identity for all taxpayers, enabling seamless interaction with tax authorities at both federal and sub-national levels. It is designed to consolidate taxpayer records, eliminate duplication, and ensure more efficient management of tax-related information,” the agency stated.

The revenue agency explained that the new system would simplify tax compliance procedures, including taxpayer registration, filing of returns, and payment processes.

According to the NRS, the framework is also expected to improve accountability and reduce leakages in tax collection by creating better visibility and tracking of taxpayer information nationwide.

“The initiative will simplify tax compliance processes, including registration, tax filing, and payment procedures. The system will improve transparency by enabling better visibility and tracking of taxpayer records while reducing leakages and improving accountability in tax collection. The framework will also harmonise taxpayer information across all levels of government,” the notice added.

The agency further disclosed that the new Tax ID system would replace the existing Tax Identification Number (TIN) Validation API currently used by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), financial institutions, and other organisations for taxpayer verification.

Economy

OTC Securities Exchange Falls 1.31% as Key Stocks Decline

Published

11 hours ago

19/05/2026

Adedapo Adesanya

By Adedapo Adesanya

Three bellwether stocks weakened the NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange by 1.31 per cent on Monday, May 18.

This brought the NASD Unlisted Security Index (NSI) by 54.71 points to 4,133.70 points from 4,188.41 points, and shrank the market capitalisation by N32.73 billion to N2.473 trillion from N2.506 trillion.

Yesterday, FrieslandCampina Wamco Plc contracted by N12.45 to sell at N146.55 per share compared with last Friday’s closing price of N159.00 per share, Central Securities and Clearing System (CSCS) Plc declined by N2.34 to N70.00 per unit from N72.34 per unit, and NASD Plc lost 50 Kobo to trade at N34.50 per share versus N35.00 per share.

The trio overpowered the N5.56 gained Newrest Asl Plc. This stock ended the trading session at N61.15 per unit, in contrast to the previous session’s N55.59 per unit.

During the trading day, the volume of securities traded by investors slid by 56.1 per cent to 514,142 units from 1.2 million units, and the value of securities dropped 29.8 per cent to close at N17.4 million versus N29.8 million, while the number of deals jumped 12.5 per cent to 27 deals from 24 deals.

Great Nigeria Insurance (GNI) Plc remained the most traded stock by value on a year-to-date basis, with 3.4 billion units sold for N8.4 billion, followed by CSCS Plc with 60.8 million units exchanged for N4.1 billion, and Okitipupa Plc with 27.9 million units traded for N1.9 billion.

GNI Plc also ended the day as the most traded stock by volume on a year-to-date basis with 3.4 billion units worth N8.4 billion, trailed by Resourcery Plc with 1.1 billion units valued at N415.7 million, and Infrastructure Guarantee Credit Plc with 400 million units transacted for N1.2 billion.