Business
Euro touches eight-month low as European shares fall
LONDON – The euro hit an eight-month trough against the dollar on Wednesday and German bond yields were at record lows ahead of inflation data expected to boost the case for further European Central Bank policy easing.
Investors were also awaiting a statement from the Federal Reserve following its policy meeting that some expect to signal a more hawkish policy outlook, and data likely to show the U.S. economy bouncing back strongly in the second quarter.
European shares dipped after French oil major Total (TOTF.PA) was hit by concerns over its investments in Russia following Tuesday’s tightening of European sanctions on Moscow after the downing of an airliner in neighboring Ukraine.
The euro fell to $1.3395, its lowest since November 2013, before recovering to $1.3400, down around 0.1 percent on the day EUR= after data showing Spanish consumer prices fell 0.3 percent in July from a year before.
The surprisingly big fall came even though figures released at the same time showed Spanish economic growth hit its fastest since before the financial crisis in the second quarter.
Traders said that if German inflation data, due at 1200 GMT (8.00 a.m. EDT), also came in below forecast, it would intensify pressure on the ECB to print money to support growth and avert deflation risks. ECONES ECONDE
The ECB cut all its interest rates in June and promised up to 1 trillion euros in cheap long-term loans to banks from September, but kept the door open to a program of large-scale asset purchases, known as quantitative easing (QE).
“The likelihood that the ECB will need to do QE at the end of the year is sharply increasing,” said Alessandro Giansanti, senior rate strategist at ING.
DIVERGING FORTUNES
The contrast between the moribund euro zone economy and an increasingly robust U.S. recovery is one factor in the dollar’s rise this week to a six-month high against a basket of six major currencies. The dollar index was last at 80.225 .DXY, after touching 81.245 on Tuesday as the euro cratered.
The Commerce Department is expected to report on Wednesday that the economy grew at a 3.2 percent annual pace in the second quarter, after it shrank 2.9 percent in the previous quarter.
Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen is not due to hold a news conference after the U.S. central bank’s two-day meeting, and the Fed will not update its economic forecasts, leaving a statement scheduled for release at 1800 GMT as investors’ focus.
On Friday, the Labor Department’s key nonfarm payrolls report is expected to show a rise of 231,000 jobs in July after an increase of 288,000 in June. The jobless rate is expected to hold steady at 6.1 percent.
With U.S. unemployment dropping over the last few months and inflation firming, some believe the Fed could adjust its wording to suggest a willingness to hike interest rates sooner rather than later as the bank approaches its “full employment” mandate.
The yield on the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury note US10YT=RR stood at 2.467 percent, not far from its U.S. close of 2.462 percent on Tuesday, when it got support from German, Italian and Spanish government debt yields hitting record lows.
“That widening yield spread differential is beginning to weigh more heavily on the euro,” said Lee Hardman, a currency economist at the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ.
RUSSIAN SANCTIONS
European shares bucked the upward trend in Asian markets. French oil major Total TOTF.PSA slid after saying it had stopped buying shares in Russia’s Novatek (NVTK.MM) on the day a Malaysia Airlines flight was downed over Ukraine.
Last April, Total forecast that Russia would become its biggest source of oil and gas output by 2020 thanks to its partnership with Novatek and their Yamal LNG project in Siberia.
Tuesday brought further European and U.S. sanctions against Russia over Moscow’s support for rebels in eastern Ukraine.
The FTSEurofirst 300 .FTEU3 index of top European shares was down 0.2 percent at 1,370.92 points, after gaining 0.3 percent on Tuesday.
Asian shares touched a six-and-half-year peak, with Japan’s Nikkei stock average .N225 ending up 0.2 percent, as upbeat earnings offset weaker-than-expected industrial production data which cast doubts over the strength of an expected third-quarter economic recovery.
U.S. crude CLc1 edged up around 0.1 percent on the day to $101.07 a barrel after touching an intraday low of $100.37 on Tuesday, its lowest since mid-July.
Spot gold XAU= was steady at $1,299 an ounce after slipping 0.5 percent and breaking below the key $1,300 level in the previous session.
– REUTERS
Nigerian comedian and popular skit maker, Chibuike Josh Alfred, known by his stage name Josh2Funny, has shed light on the profitability of the content-creating industry.
In a recent interview with Echo Room, Josh2Funny highlighted the impressive financial potential that content creators can achieve, noting that it is possible for them to comfortably afford multiple luxury cars, including up to four Lamborghini vehicles.
Speaking candidly, Josh2Funny emphasised that content creation has become an extremely lucrative field due to the constant demand for fresh and engaging material. “If you want to buy four Lamborghini from content creation, you can buy it,” he said.
His remarks underscore the significant revenue opportunities available in the digital content landscape.
Josh2Funny explained that the continuous consumption of online content is what drives its profitability. “What do you think we are doing in the content-creating industry? Are we joking? You all are with your phones, when you’re in the bathroom, when you’re [using the restroom], you’re consuming our stuff. It’s like pure water,” he stated.
READ MORE: SERAP Issues Tinubu 48-Hour Ultimatum Over Detained Minors
The comedian further elaborated that businesses or industries that deliver products consumed on a daily basis often see the most substantial financial returns. Content creation, with its high rate of daily consumption by audiences worldwide, aligns perfectly with this model.
“People are out there, consuming our content every time,” he said, reinforcing the idea that the reach and influence of content creators have never been more extensive.
Josh2Funny’s insights reveal why the content-creating industry has become a lucrative career path for many in Nigeria and around the world. With the continuous growth of social media platforms and the public’s insatiable appetite for entertainment and relatable content, creators are finding new and innovative ways to monetize their craft.
This shift not only highlights the potential for significant financial gain but also showcases the evolving landscape of digital media, where influencers, comedians, and skit makers can turn creativity into a sustainable and highly rewarding business.
A safety alert notification by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in Nigeria issued on October 31, 2024, regarding NIVEA BLACK & WHITE Invisible Roll-on deodorant (50 ml) batch number 93529610, in relation to the general European Union (EU) Rapid Alert System for Dangerous Non-Food Products (RAPEX), has come to our attention.
The batch is said to contain 2-(4-tert-Butylbenzyl propionaldehyde (BMHCA).
In a statement on Saturday, in Lagos, Beiersdorf, the owner of NIVEA brand, assured that the “the Batch No. 93529610 in question has not been marketed in Nigeria and thus never recalled”.
According to the statement, Beiersdorf was well informed that “Based on current European legislation, the use of ingredient 2-(4-tert-Butylbenzyl propionaldehyde (LilialTM) in cosmetic products has been banned from the European markets as of March 1, 2022.”
ALSO READ: We Load 2,900 Trucks Daily, Evacuate Products By Sea – Dangote Refinery
It acknowledged that “The batch in question, in fact, expired in January 2022 and was hence at the time fully compliant with the then valid European cosmetic regulation.
“As a responsible corporate citizen, Beiersdorf is working collaboratively with NAFDAC to safeguard the interest of the Nigerian consumers by ensuring that our locally manufactured product meets the global quality standards.”
It maintained that “The safety of our consumers remains our highest priority, consistent with our ethical philosophy as a business.”
In pursuit of this commitment, Beiersdorf’s entire NIVEA product portfolio formulations have been reformulated to be Lilial-free formulas in full compliance with the EU Regulation on cosmetic products well ahead of its Lilial ban coming into effect as far back as March 1, 2022. For instance, the formulation of NIVEA BLACK & WHITE Invisible Roll-on deodorant has been Lilial-free since at least 2020 across the globe, including Nigeria.
“Our trade partners were informed ahead of time and reminded of their responsibility to remove the outdated Lilial-containing products within the legal timeframe to fulfill their obligations with the European Cosmetic Product Regulation,” it added.
The Shell companies in Nigeria teamed up with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) and other stakeholders to build Information Communication Technology (ICT) centres and a digital library in Nigerian universities in 2024.
Biztellers reports that it initiative is part of their continuing support for education.
Some of the corporate bodies that executed the projects include the Shell Nigeria Exploration Production Company Limited (SNEPCo) and NNPC Ltd, and the Nigerian Content Monitoring and Development Board (NCDMB).
The benefiting institutions were, the Niger Delta University, Amassoma, Bayelsa State, which got a digital library in April, the Sa’adu Zungur University (formerly Bauchi State University), Gadau in Bauchi State, where an ICT Centre was commissioned in July, by The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd (SPDC) as part of the Joint Venture with NNPC, TotalEnergies and NAOC.
ALSO READ: NNPC Ltd Targets 3,000 In Free Cancer Screening Initiative
In what would sound like singing-off on the educational intervention initiative for 2024, the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), overflew with joy at the unveil of a world-class engineering design studios and ICT hub, courtesy of the SPDC, NNPC Ltd and other Joint Venture partners collaborated with NCDMB.
Reflecting on the three facilities, Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria, and Managing Director, SPDC, Osagie Okunbor, said, “This is Shell working to power lives in Nigeria. The projects have changed the academic and physical landscapes in the three universities and linked the students and lecturers to the global learning arena.”
The facilities at FUTO include two state-of-the-art engineering design studios and a fully furnished 100-seater ICT lecture hall, equipped with computers and smartboards with dedicated power and water supplies. FUTO was selected for the project as part of the “institutional strengthening” in the catchment area of SPDC’s Assa North Ohaji South Gas Development Project. They were launched at a colourful ceremony attended by representatives of the Imo State Government and principal officers of the university.
Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, represented by the Commissioner for Digital Economy and E-Government, Dr. Chimezie Amadi, said, “We deeply appreciate the efforts of our partners in NNPC, SPDC, Total Energies, and NAOC JV, who have invested in the future of Imo State by supporting this critical project. Your commitment to human capacity building aligns perfectly with our goals, and together, we will continue to drive innovation, skills development, and sustainable economic growth for our people.”
Okunbor’s address at the commissioning was read by General Manager, External Relations, Igo Weli, in which he expressed happiness “that the collaboration of SPDC, Joint venture partners, NCDMB, and FUTO has resulted in this successful social investment project that demonstrates our commitment to improving access to quality education for every Nigerian.”
On his part, the Executive Secretary NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, called on Nigerian institutions to domesticate the advancements in AI and other technologies.
“Our AI must understand Igbo, Hausa, Efik, Yoruba, and other local languages,” he said, speaking through Dr. Ama Ikuru, the Director in charge of Capacity Building.
“We must leapfrog the innovations of other nations and become a net exporter of advanced technology to achieve the lofty ideals of Nigerian content development,” he added.
The Chief Upstream Investment Officer, NNPC Upstream Investment Management Services, Bala Wunti, said in his address which was read by the Senior Advisor Stakeholders Relations, Halimat Wilson, “Innovation thrives in an environment where ideas can be freely exchanged and developed. The Engineering Studio and ICT Hub is designed to be such a place where students, researchers, and faculty can collaborate on projects, share knowledge, and push the boundaries of what is possible.
Welcoming guests earlier, FUTO Vice Chancellor, Prof Nnenna Oti, thanked the sponsors of the project “for a landmark donation” to the university.
The Shell Companies in Nigeria have been education since the 1950s through scholarships and other initiatives. These efforts have resulted in the award of thousands of secondary, undergraduate and postgraduate scholarship awards, provision of educational infrastructure and establishment of sabbatical and internship programmes as well as centres of excellence in several universities.
US Election: Cardi B Expresses Nerves
Tragic Building Collapse In R/State Leaves One Dead, Several Injured
JUST IN: Justice Adeyeye, Ekiti State’s CJ Passes On
BREAKING: Court Drops Charges Against 76 #EndBadGovernance Protesters
BBNaija’s Eloswag Responds To Leaked Sextape
Fuel Pricing: PETROAN Accuses Dangote Refinery Of Monopoly
OSSG Raises Alarm Over Murder Plot By APC Chieftain
NCC, SMEDAN, NAICOM, SEC, Others Set for SUPERNEWS SMEs Conf June 13
Sahara’s Tonye Cole resigns from GPHCDA
Oando opens ultra-modern petrol station in Lagos
Niger Delta Avengers: President Buhari Reads riot Act …considers the carrot and stick option
