Business
Jobless claims fall, weak exports push up trade deficit
WASHINGTON – The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits fell more than expected last week, in a boost to the labor market outlook and the broader economy.
Other data on Thursday showed a weakening in exports in December, which if it extends to January could see trade being a drag on growth in the first quarter after it helped to buoy the economy in the last three months of 2013.
“The underlying economic trend is still positive,” said Craig Dismuke, chief economic strategist at Vining Sparks in Memphis.
Initial claims for state unemployment benefits declined 20,000 to a seasonally adjusted 331,000, the Labor Department said. That was a bit lower than economists’ expectations for a fall to 335,000 in the week ended February 1.
The data has no bearing on January’s employment report, which will be released on Friday, as it falls outside the survey period. Still, it bodes well for the jobs market.
The dollar extended gains against the euro and was little changed against the yen after the claims data, while U.S. Treasury debt prices fell and stock index futures rose.
Hiring is expected to have accelerated in January after being held down by unseasonably cold weather the prior month.
Nonfarm payrolls likely increased 185,000 last month, up from December’s tepid 74,000 count, according to a Reuters poll of economists. The unemployment rate is forecast to hold steady at a five-year low of 6.7 percent.
That would be confirmation that the economy continued to expanded after robust growth in the second half of 2013, which was driven by consumer spending, inventory accumulation and trade.
But economy could lose some support from trade. In a separate report, the Commerce Department said the trade deficit increased 12 percent to $38.7 billion in December as exports recorded their largest decline since October 2012.
When adjusted for inflation, the trade gap rose to $49.5 billion in December from $45.0 billion the prior month.
The government in its first estimate of fourth-quarter GDP last week cited trade as one of the key contributors to the economy’s 3.2 percent annual growth pace during the period.
Trade added 1.33 percentage points to fourth-quarter GDP growth as exports expanded at their quickest pace in three years and imports slowed.
There are, however, doubts that the robust export growth pace can be sustained in light of slowing growth in markets like China. December’s fall in exports could bolster that view.
In December, exports dropped 1.8 percent to $191.3 billion. However, petroleum exports hit a record high in December.
Imports edged up 0.3 percent to $230.0 billion in December. Imports of consumer goods hit a record high, but the impact was limited by a fall in the average price of imported crude oil, which hit its lowest level since February 2011.
The economy’s solid performance in the fourth quarter was mirrored by sturdy gains in productivity.
In another report, the Labor Department said productivity rose at a 3.2 percent annual rate after increasing at a 3.6 percent pace in the third quarter.
Economists polled by Reuters had forecast productivity, which measures hourly output per worker, rising at a 2.5 percent rate in the last three months of 2013.
Still, the underlying trend remained soft, with productivity increasing 1.7 percent compared to the same period in 2012. For all of 2013, productivity increased 0.6 percent.
That was the smallest gain since 2011 and compared to a 1.5 percent rise in 2012.
Unit labor costs – a gauge of the labor-related cost for any given unit of output – fell at a 1.6 percent rate in the fourth quarter, showing weak wage-related inflation pressures in the economy. Unit labor costs fell at a 2.0 percent rate in the third quarter.
Economists polled by Reuters had expected unit labor costs to fall at a 0.5 percent pace in the fourth quarter.
Labor costs were down 1.3 percent from the year-earlier period. They were up 1.0 percent in 2013, the weakest reading since 2010.
– REUTERS
Improved operating performances have seen Eterna Plc report higher revenue and profitability for the second quarter and half-year ended June 30, 2026.
The company’s unaudited consolidated financial results showed that revenue rose by 38 per cent to N217.31bn from N157.65bn in the corresponding period of 2025.
The results show that gross profit more than doubled to N15.99bn, while operating profit increased to N8.78bn from N2.34bn. Profit before tax rose by 389 per cent to N7.67bn from N1.57bn recorded in the corresponding period of 2025.
Profit after tax (PAT) increased to N5.88bn from N573.81m, while earnings per share (EPS) improved to N2.69 from N0.44.
The company also reported an improved financial position, with total assets standing at N82.75bn as of June 30, 2026.
Cash and bank balances increased to N20.36bn from N4.79bn as of December 31, 2025, while total liabilities declined to N51.22bn from N84.43bn. Total equity rose to N31.53bn from N7.77bn, reflecting stronger liquidity and capitalisation.
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On the results, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Jude Nwaulune, said, “These results demonstrate the strength of our business and the impact of disciplined execution across our operations. The significant improvement in profitability and financial position provides a solid foundation to advance our growth priorities.
“The successful Rights Issue has further strengthened our balance sheet, resulting in a healthy leverage position, stronger equity and improved net assets. We remain focused on expanding our retail, aviation, lubricants and gas businesses, improving operational efficiency and customer experience, and delivering sustainable value to shareholders and other stakeholders.”
The company said its full unaudited consolidated financial statements for the half-year ended June 30, 2026, are available on its website.
AVA Capital Plc has been admitted to the Main Board of Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) following the listing by introduction of its 5 billion ordinary shares at ₦7.50 per share, with a market capitalisation of ₦37.5 billion.
The listing marks a significant milestone in the Company’s growth journey, reinforcing its commitment to sustainable growth, strong corporate governance and long-term value creation, while enhancing its visibility within Nigeria’s capital market.
Speaking at the listing ceremony, the Chief Executive Officer of AVA Capital Plc, Kayode Fadahunsi, described the admission as a defining moment in the Company’s evolution. “Our admission to the Main Board of Nigerian Exchange is more than a listing; it is a public affirmation of the business we have built and the future we are committed to creating. We have established a resilient institution with a clear growth strategy, strong governance culture and an unwavering focus on creating sustainable value for our shareholders. Becoming a listed company deepens our accountability, broadens our visibility and positions us to seize new opportunities as we continue our growth journey.”
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Commenting on the listing, the Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Exchange Limited, Jude Chiemeka, said the admission reflects the continued confidence of businesses in Nigeria’s capital market as a platform for sustainable growth. “Today’s listing reflects the confidence that forward-looking companies continue to place in the Nigerian capital market. By joining the Main Board of Nigerian Exchange, AVA Capital Plc is embracing the transparency, governance standards and market discipline that define public companies, while positioning itself to access a broader investor base and unlock long-term value. We are delighted to welcome AVA Capital Plc to the NGX family and look forward to supporting its continued growth.”
The admission of AVA Capital Plc expands the range of investment opportunities available to investors while reinforcing NGX’s commitment to connecting businesses with long-term capital and supporting their growth through enhanced visibility, strong governance and deeper investor engagement.
June 2026 results of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) shows a Profit After Tax (PAT) of N535 billion, despite recording a marginal decline in crude oil and condensate production during the month.
The figure represents a 15.8 percent increase over the preceding month, according to the latest Monthly Financial and Operations Report of the state oil major, which indicates that the PAT rose by N73bn from the N462bn recorded in May, while revenue increased to N4.389tn.
According to the report, the company remitted cumulative statutory payments of N6.286tn to the Federation in H1, 2026.
It read, “NNPC Limited recorded N535bn profit after tax for the month of June, representing a 15.8 per cent increase from the N462bn recorded in May. Total revenue for the month stood at N4.389tn, while cumulative statutory payments to the Federation for the period January to June 2026 increased to N6.286tn, underscoring NNPC Limited’s sustained contribution to national revenue generation.”
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Average crude oil and condensate production declined marginally to 1.72 million barrels per day in June from 1.73 million barrels per day in May, representing a 0.58 percent decrease. However, output was 1.18 percent higher than the 1.70 million barrels per day recorded in June 2025.
According to the report, production was affected by operational disruptions, facility integrity issues and subsurface challenges across several assets.
It stated, “June production performance was impacted by operational disruptions, facility integrity issues, and subsurface challenges across several assets. However, performance was partially mitigated by production ramp-up following the completion of the Assa-Rumuekpe and 28-inch TNP Turnaround Maintenance.”
Despite the slight production decline, crude oil and condensate sales surged to 28.23 million barrels in June from 18.95 million barrels in May, representing a 48.97 percent month-on-month increase. The June sales volume was also 6.77 percent higher than the 26.44 million barrels sold in June 2025.
Gas production also improved, rising to 7,841 million standard cubic feet per day from 7,774 million standard cubic feet per day in May, while gas sales recovered to 4,970 million standard cubic feet per day from 4,921 million standard cubic feet per day.
The report highlighted progress on two major gas infrastructure projects. The Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben Gas Pipeline reached 98 percent completion, with final tie-in works ongoing.
It stated, “The Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben (OB3) Gas Pipeline progressed to 98% completion, with final tie-in works ongoing towards achieving First Gas in August 2026.”
Construction on the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano Gas Pipeline also advanced to 94 percent completion. According to the company, “Construction and installation activities on the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline advanced to 94 per cent completion, supporting the target of early gas delivery to Abuja in 2026.”
The NNPC Ltd declared that it would continue implementing measures to sustain production growth despite operational challenges.
It stated, “Focus remains on delivering incremental production across the asset portfolio by improving facility reliability and availability, minimizing Unscheduled Downtime, optimising crude export operations, and accelerating the maturation of production opportunities to sustain Upstream production growth.”
The report also showed that upstream pipeline availability remained at 100 percent during the month, while petrol availability across the NNPC Retail Limited stations stood at 53 percent. It added that all production, sales and financial figures remained provisional and were subject to reconciliation with relevant stakeholders.
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