Business
U.S. Stock Futures Edge Lower
NEW YORK — U.S. stock futures edged lower, pulling back from the sharp gains seen at the end of last week, as investors digested recent signs of lackluster economic growth.
European markets erased early gains to trade little changed, with some downbeat industrial production data weighing on sentiment.About 90 minutes ahead of the open, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures slipped 27 points, or 0.2%, to 15712. Last week, the Dow rose 354 points over the last two sessions, the biggest two-day gain in four months, to erase Monday’s 326-point tumble and snap a two-week losing streak.
S&P 500 index futures eased four points, or 0.2%, to 1790 and Nasdaq 100 futures gave up two points, or 0.1%, to 3556. Changes in stock futures don’t always accurately predict stock moves after the opening bell.
Despite last week’s turnaround, the Dow is still down 4.7% on the year and the S&P 500 is 2.8% below its record high seen Jan. 15. Investors have been grappling with concerns over slowing economic growth at a time when the Federal Reserve is paring back on stimulus measures, along with worries about recent turbulence in emerging markets. Data on Friday seemed to add to those concerns, as U.S. employment growth data was weaker-than-expected for a second-straight month.
Joel Johnson, founder of JohnsonBrunetti Retirement & Investment Specialists, which oversees $300 million, said the market could remain volatile over the coming weeks as uncertainty over the economy and Federal Reserve policy hang over investors’ minds, but he recommends investors not to overreact to short-term market weakness.“We’re telling our clients, pullbacks can be expected, stay the course and don’t expect what you saw last year,” Mr. Johnson said, as the S&P 500 soared 30% in 2013. “Expect a little volatility. But overall, the economy will be in a better spot and the markets will be modestly higher this year.”
There were no major economic data scheduled for release on Monday. But later in the week, investors will be focusing on new Fed Chairwoman Janet Yellen’s testimony to Congress on Tuesday and Wednesday, jobless claims and retail sales on Thursday and industrial production and consumer sentiment on Friday.
In other markets, the yield on the 10-year Treasury note inched higher to 2.679% from 2.675% late Friday.
Crude oil futures lost 0.4% to $99.47 a barrel, after settling Friday at a new high for the year, while gold futures gained 0.7% to $1,272.50 an ounce. The dollar lost some ground against the euro and the yen.
In Europe, the Stoxx Europe 600 was down less than 0.1% and was in danger of snapping a three-session winning streak. Industrial production in France declined more than expected in December, while production in Italy surprisingly fell on the month.German’s DAX 30 index gave up less than 0.1%, the U.K.’s FTSE 100 edged up less than 0.1% and France’s CAC 40 ticked up 0.1%.
Emerging-market currencies were mostly lower against the dollar, but remained well above their weakest levels hit during the recent selloff, having recovered some losses last week. The Turkish lira, South African rand, and Hungarian forint all fell against the dollar.
Asian markets were mostly higher as strength seen last week in the U.S. market carried over. China’s Shanghai Composite rallied 2% to close at a five-week high and Japan’s Nikkei Stock Average ran up 1.8%.
In corporate news, Hasbro slid 1% in premarket trading after the toymaker reported fourth-quarter earnings that missed analyst estimates, amid weakness in its boys’ category.
Yelp rallied 8.9% after The Wall Street Journal reported that Yahoo will incorporate Yelp’s listings and reviews of local businesses into search results. Yahoo’s stock advanced 1.7%.
– WALLSTREET JOURNAL
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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