Business
China open more doors to foreign stock investors
SHANGHAI – China has relaxed rules to allow more foreign participation in its main stock market, in the latest step towards liberalizing the financial system in the world’s second-largest economy.
From Thursday, foreign investors on the Shanghai stock exchange will be allowed to invest in more products and can invest up to 30 percent in a single company, up from 20 percent previously.
The move comes just days after the People’s Bank of China, the central bank, doubled the daily trading band of its currency, and after it earlier this month provided an explicit timeframe for the liberalization of the country’s deposit rates.
The country’s stock markets showed muted reaction to the latest change on Thursday but analysts said it highlighted the overall direction of the reforms.
“We’re at the point where developments of this kind represent important forward steps,” said Tom Gatley, a senior analyst at GaveKal Dragonomics in Beijing.
With immediate effect, the exchange raised the shareholding limit for Qualified Foreign Institutional Investors (QFII) and Renminbi Qualified Foreign Institutional Investors (RQFII) in a single company to 30 percent from 20 percent, according to new rules by the exchange published on its website late on Wednesday.
The QFII and RQFII schemes are the main channels of foreign investments in China’s stock markets. As of end-February, China had issued total quotas of $52.3 billion under the QFII program and 180.4 billion yuan ($29 billion) under the RQFII program, which allows investments using offshore yuan.
The Shanghai bourse also said foreign investors would now be permitted to trade asset-backed securities, when-issued debt and bonds issued by Chinese policy banks for the first time. They can now also participate in the preferred share program, which is expected to be launched soon, it said.
“The move comes at a time when China’s stock market is quite weak and regulators hope to attract more foreign investment,” said Zheng Weigang, a senior trader at Shanghai Securities.
“However, compared with China’s large capitalized stock market, the overall amount of QFII and RQFII investment accounts for only a limited portion, so the impact of the new rules may be limited.
“Besides, because of lackluster growth of China’s economy in recent quarters, foreigners’ interest in China’s stock market is also not that strong, and that will also limit the impact of the new rules.”
The CSI300 index of top Chinese companies on the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges .CSI300 was up 0.3 percent on Thursday while the Shanghai Composite Index .SSEC was up 0.4 percent.
YUAN, INTEREST RATE REFORM
On Saturday, the PBOC widened the daily trading range for the yuan, which analysts said suggested regulators believe the economy is stable enough to handle more promised reforms going forward.
The PBOC’s governor said earlier in the month that the country’s deposit rates are likely to be liberalized in one to two years – the most explicit timeframe to date for what would be the final step in freeing up banks to set their own interest rates.
On capital market reforms, China has been widening channels for investors buying mainland stocks, bonds and money market instruments.
Last year, China doubled the overall quota of the QFII scheme to $150 billion and said it would expand the RQFII pilot program to London, Singapore, Taiwan and other unnamed locations. The RQFII scheme is currently available through designated institutions in Hong Kong.
However, foreign interest in Chinese equities has been tempered in recent years by concerns that onshore markets are driven primarily by speculation on policy direction and stimulus spending instead of business and economic fundamentals.
Investors also cite corporate governance issues as a problem. Analysts say a lack of clarity about how Beijing will tax profits from QFII investments has also restrained more conservative investors.
China is aiming to transform its commercial centre Shanghai into a global financial hub on par with the likes of London and Singapore by 2020 but analysts say there is still a long way to go.
“If you want people to take you seriously as a financial centre, then you have to allow non-Chinese people to participate in the whole range of capital instruments,” Gatley said.
“There are other things substantially more important for making Shanghai a credible financial hub, notably capital account convertibility. That’s the major one.”
– REUTERS
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.”
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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.
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.
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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.
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.
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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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