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Asia shares falter, unable to shake jitters

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SYDNEY – Asian shares struggled to sustain the slimmest of rallies on Wednesday as a hesitant performance by the Japanese market fuelled fresh demand for safety in the yen and top-rated bonds.

Dealers had cautioned that the mood remained brittle and it would only take a poor U.S. payrolls report on Friday to set the bears running again.

The ADP reading on private hiring is due later on Wednesday and any disappointment will be taken badly by investors.

The strain was clearly taking a toll with the Nikkei .N225 rising, falling, then rising again to be up 1.1 percent at 14,163. It never even got close to testing resistance at the 200-day moving average of 14,425, while there remains a large gap to fill between Monday’s close and Tuesday’s opening.

The index has shed 14 percent since the start of the year following last year’s 50 percent boom.

The faltering performance was all the more disappointing as some major corporate names reported upbeat earnings. Panasonic Corp (6752.T) jumped 17 percent after its quarterly earnings more than tripled, while Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) rose 5 percent after predicting record annual profits.

MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS swung to a 0.3 percent loss, while South Korea could only eke out a gain of 0.4 percent .KS11.

On Wall Street, the Dow .DJI had ended Tuesday up 0.47 percent, while the S&P 500 .SPX added 0.76 percent. But stock futures were trading lower on Wednesday with the S&P e-mini contract off 0.3 percent.

The underwhelming bounce in the Nikkei led investors to again bid up the safe haven yen, with the dollar easing to 101.46 yen from an early top of 101.77.

The euro eased a touch to $1.3510, still dogged by speculation that the threat of deflation might nudge the European Central Bank into easing policy at its meeting on Thursday.

The major mover in currencies was the Australian dollar which surged after the country’s central bank on Tuesday shut the door on further rate cuts, citing a pick-up in housing and consumption and higher than expected inflation.

The Aussie was enjoying the view at $0.8890 after climbing a steep 2 percent overnight. It also rallied sharply on the euro and yen as speculators were forced to cut short positions in what had been a very crowded trade.

The New Zealand dollar got its own boost when jobs data showed strong employment growth for the fourth quarter of last year, adding to the already considerable case for a hike in interest rates.

The reluctance to take risks led to demand for U.S. Treasuries, with the 10-year yield ticking down to 2.61 percent, not far from the recent three-month lows at 2.57 percent.

Gold failed to get much of a boost and remained sluggish at $1,252.89 an ounce.

In commodities, prices for wheat were boosted by dry weather and declining crop conditions in the United States, while soymeal and corn were in high demand.

Broad gains in grains and natural gas lifted the Thomson Reuters/Core Commodity Index .TRJCRB 1 percent, the biggest one-day gain in nearly a month.

U.S. oil futures rose on bets on a reduced stockpile at a key delivery point due to the start-up of a major pipeline. The March NYMEX contract added 44 cents to $97.63 a barrel, while Brent crude rose 22 cents to $106.00.

– REUTERS

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Shell Pledges Support for Nigeria’s Energy Journey

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Shell reiterates commitment to lower CO2 emissions in Nigeria

Shell will continue to support Nigeria in its efforts to build a secure energy future through investments and efficient delivery of its businesses in Nigeria.

“We continue to invest in Nigeria’s future through our projects, our people, and our enduring confidence in the potential of this nation,” General Manager, Development and Subsurface Shell Nigeria Deepwater, Kun Jiang said today while delivering the sponsor’s remarks at the 49th edition of the Nigeria Annual International Conference and Exhibition of the Society of Petroleum Engineers in Lagos.

Kun highlighted current investments in Bonga North, HI and the advancement of Bonga Southwest as testimonies of Shell’s confidence in Nigeria’s deepwater future. The confidence was further reiterated with the recent launch of a US$3 billion contract financing programme by Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo), which will help Nigerian contractors build capability, create value, and accelerate project delivery.

Shell is a major sponsor of the conference as part of a longstanding support for a professional body which has contributed to the development of the oil and gas industry. Discussing the theme of the conference; “Thriving in the Evolving Global Energy Landscape: Collaborative Growth and Resilience,” Kun said Nigeria had a lot of opportunities despite geopolitical tensions that threaten global supply chains and market volatility and shifting energy dynamics.

“With a population exceeding 240 million people, abundant natural resources, world-class talent, and growing domestic energy needs, Nigeria has all the ingredients to become one of the world’s most attractive energy investment destination,” she pointed out. “But potential alone does not create prosperity. Potential must be converted into progress. Resources must be transformed into value. Opportunity must be matched by action.”

ALSO READ: Eterna Posts N5.88bn Profit for H1

Nigeria must continue to attract capital, strengthen the business environment, embrace technology to unlock potentials if it will thrive in the global evolving energy landscape. She added: “The future will belong to countries and industries that combine resilience with innovation, ambition with collaboration and investment with execution excellence. Nigeria has the resources. Nigeria has the talent. Nigeria has the opportunity. What is required now is the collective determination to seize it.”

Shell is mounting an exhibition at the SPE conference with SNEPCo’s Senior Production Geologist Abidemi Belgore taking industry leaders and regulators round the stand.

Key areas of interest include technological breakthroughs that have enhanced output at Bonga and facilitated the execution of the Bonga North project. Also highlighted on the stand is the full range of Shell businesses in Nigeria from deepwater oil production and integrated gas to renewables and power solutions as well as social investments across the country.

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Naira Gains Strength, Appreciates to N1,408/$ in Parallel Market

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Naira To Dollar Exchanges At N464.67

The Nigerian naira recorded further gains against the United States dollar on Monday, appreciating to N1,408 per dollar in the parallel market, compared to N1,415/$ recorded at the close of trading last weekend.

The local currency also strengthened in the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market (NFEM), where it appreciated to N1,365 per dollar, up from N1,368/$ at the end of last week.

According to data released by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the indicative exchange rate improved by N3, reflecting sustained appreciation of the naira in the official market.

ALSO READ: Unstable Naira Makes ₦1m Salary Worthless — NLC

The latest gains also narrowed the gap between the parallel and official exchange rates to N43 per dollar, down from N47 per dollar recorded on Friday, indicating a gradual convergence between both markets.

Meanwhile, activity in the official foreign exchange market increased significantly, with interbank turnover surging by 132.3 per cent to N137.05 million, compared to N58.99 million recorded last weekend.

The improved performance of the naira across both markets comes amid continued efforts by monetary authorities to stabilise the foreign exchange market and enhance liquidity.

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Pinnacle Convenes 2026 Vendors’ Forum

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With a view to improving operational efficiency, safety, compliance and service delivery across its operations, Pinnacle Oil & Gas Limited has reaffirmed commitment to building stronger relationships with its vendors.

The company made the commitment at its 2026 Vendors’ Forum held in Lagos under the theme, “Partnering for Operational Excellence,” with the sub-theme, “Strengthening Partnerships Through Compliance, Safety, Performance and Innovation.”

The forum brought together more than 100 existing and prospective vendors as well as key stakeholders, both physically and virtually, to strengthen collaboration and align suppliers with the company’s operational standards and growth strategy.

Speaking at the event, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Pinnacle Oil & Gas, Adenike Labinjo, described vendors as strategic partners whose commitment to quality, innovation, safety and compliance is critical to the company’s success.

She said as Pinnacle continues to expand its operations, it has become increasingly important for the company and its vendors to share a common understanding of expectations, responsibilities and performance standards.

Labinjo stressed that safety, regulatory compliance and ethical business practices remain non-negotiable in all engagements with suppliers.

She noted that stronger collaboration with vendors would help the company deliver greater value to customers and other stakeholders while supporting sustainable business growth.

The forum featured technical presentations by senior executives from the company’s Procurement, Engineering, Compliance, Finance, Legal, Health, Safety and Environment (HSE), and Sales and Marketing departments.

Participants received guidance on Pinnacle’s procurement procedures, vendor onboarding and prequalification processes, Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements, tax invoicing, payment processes, contractual obligations, technical specifications, contractor responsibilities, supplier performance expectations and Service Level Agreements.

The company also unveiled improvements to its Purchase Order (PO) process aimed at improving efficiency, transparency and ease of doing business with vendors.

A major highlight of the event was an interactive question-and-answer session where vendors engaged directly with the company’s leadership on procurement procedures, compliance requirements, project execution, HSE standards and areas for continuous improvement.

According to Pinnacle, the session reinforced its commitment to transparency, open communication and stronger collaboration with suppliers.

ALSO READ: Eterna Posts N5.88bn Profit for H1

The company also recognised outstanding vendors whose contributions have supported its operational performance over the past year. Five companies received Certificates of Recognition for exceptional service delivery, innovation and partnership.

The award recipients were Great Grace Enterprise for Outstanding Delivery Performance, Cevets Nigeria Limited for Excellence in Project Delivery, Ceezik Projekts for Outstanding Quality, Diadco Nigeria Limited for Outstanding Responsiveness, and Sephill Innovative Solutions Limited for Best Commercial Value.

On the significance of the forum, Head of Procurement and Administration, Oluseyi Ogunfowora, said the initiative reflects Pinnacle’s determination to build stronger partnerships through transparency, collaboration and shared accountability.

She explained that the procurement function coordinates the requirements of Engineering, Operations, Marine, Compliance, Legal, Finance, HSE and other business units to ensure a fair, efficient and transparent procurement process.

Ogunfowora urged vendors to submit complete and compliant documentation, communicate proactively and seek clarification whenever necessary.

“The success of our business depends on the strength of our partnerships,” she said. “When vendors clearly understand our expectations and we work together with transparency, compliance and open communication, we create a high-performing vendor ecosystem that benefits everyone.”

She added that the 2026 Vendors’ Forum forms part of Pinnacle’s broader strategy to strengthen supplier engagement, improve operational efficiency and reinforce a culture of compliance, safety, innovation and continuous improvement throughout its value chain.

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