Business
U.S. Stock Futures Pull Back
WASHINGTON – U.S. stock futures pulled back to start the week, as weakness in overseas markets and a mixed reaction to corporate deal news set a negative tone.
About 90 minutes ahead of the open, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures fell 26 points, or 0.2%, to 16439. On Friday, the Dow rose 45 points, or 0.3%, but ended the week 1.3% below its record close of 16715.44 hit last Tuesday.
S&P 500 index futures gave up three points, or 0.2%, to 1872 and Nasdaq-100 futures lost six points, or 0.2%, to 3577. Changes in stock futures don’t always accurately predict stock moves after the opening bell.The S&P 500 closed Friday 1% below last Tuesday’s record high of 1897.45.
The Russell 2000 small-cap index, which has been hit particularly hard over the last several weeks, started a rebound in midday trading on Thursday. At Thursday’s intraday low, the index was down 10.4% from its March 4 record high close; since then, it has gained 1.9%. On Monday, the iShares Russell 2000 exchange-traded fund slipped 0.2% in premarket trading.
In corporate news, the U.S.-listed shares of AstraZeneca slumped 10% after the U.K. drug maker rejected what Pfizer said was its final increased offer. Late Sunday, Pfizer made a final offer that valued AstraZeneca at about $120 billion. Dow component Pfizer gained 2%.
“The falling apart of the AstraZeneca deal could be setting a negative tone on today’s trading, because the health-care sector has been one of the better performers,” said Sam Stovall, chief equity strategist at S&P Capital IQ.
The SPDR Health Care ETF has gained 4.9% so far this year, while the S&P 500 has advanced 1.6%.DirecTV eased 0.2% after agreeing to be acquired by AT&T for $49 billion. Dow component AT&T dropped 2.5%.
Campbell Soup slid 6.5% after the convenience-food company topped fiscal third-quarter adjusted earnings estimates, but lowered its full-year sales growth outlook amid disappointing soup sales.
The U.S. economic calendar was bare Monday. Investors will be looking ahead to the minutes of the Federal Reserve’s last policy meeting, to be released Wednesday, followed by data on jobless claims and sales of existing and new homes later in the week.
Meanwhile, data from China showed that home prices increased in April, but the pace of growth slowed for the six straight month. And prices for second homes in Beijing fell by the most in two years.
The yield on the 10-year Treasury note inched up to 2.520% from 2.518% late Friday. Crude-oil futures climbed 0.8% to $102.80 a barrel, while gold futures gained 0.7% to $1,302 an ounce.
The dollar lost some ground against the euro and the yen.European markets declined, with the Stoxx Europe 600 losing 0.3% after closing out last week with a fifth-straight weekly gain. Investors said there was no single catalyst for the weakness, with last week’s disappointing euro-zone growth figures, weak Chinese data and a big drop in AstraZeneca all adding to the negative sentiment.
Also, there was some concern ahead of European parliamentary elections later this month, which look set for a strong showing from anti-European Union parties.
“The weakness in the market today is likely a hangover from last week’s disappointing euro-area growth figures, but also reflects uncertainty ahead of the European elections. There is certainly more nervousness in the market, but I think that will dissipate as soon as the elections are over,” said Aengus McMahon, credit strategist at ING.
Germany’s DAX 30 index lost 0.1% and the U.K.’s FTSE 100 gave up 0.2%, while France’s CAC 40 tacked on 0.2%. Italian stocks bore the brunt of the selling, with the FTSE MIB index falling 1.5%.
Asian markets were lower, with China’s Shanghai Composite losing 1.1% and Japan’s Nikkei Stock Average slipping 0.6%.
– WALLSTREET JOURNAL
Business
Dangote Plans 10,000MW Power Intervention, Raises Africa Investment Ambition to $70bn
President/Chief Executive, Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, has disclosed plans to increase the group’s investment programme in Africa from $50 billion to about $70 billion under its Vision 2030.
Biztellers reports that this strategy would witness a major intervention in electricity generation to support industrial growth, to the tune of 10,000-megawatt.
Addressing creative industry stakeholders from Northern Nigeria, including content creators, journalists, bloggers, entertainers and Kannywood stars, Dangote said expanding production, creating jobs and providing reliable electricity were essential to unlocking Nigeria’s economic potential.
He identified inadequate power supply as a major obstacle to the survival of small and medium-sized enterprises, warning that businesses dependent on petrol and diesel generators would struggle to remain profitable. Dangote said the group was considering a 10,000-megawatt power programme across Africa, potentially including Nigeria, alongside an expansion of the generating capacity dedicated to its own operations.
“We initially planned to invest $50 billion. We are now looking at increasing that to about $70 billion in Africa,” he said.
Explaining the ambition behind Vision 2030, Dangote said African businesses must take greater responsibility for investing in the continent and addressing the infrastructure constraints that discourage other investors.
READ ALSO: Chevron Nigeria Emerges Second-best Exhibitor at NAPE 2026
According to him, inconsistent government policies and unreliable electricity remain significant barriers to investment. He said the group had largely addressed the power challenge within its operations by generating its own electricity.
“Across the group, we currently have almost 1,500 megawatts. By the time we complete Vision 2030, that could rise to between 4,500 and 5,000 megawatts,” he said. “That is captive power—electricity for our own operations. Separately, part of the vision is to intervene in power generation with 10,000 megawatts across Africa, potentially including Nigeria.”
Responding to a question about the economic decision that would most improve the lives of ordinary Nigerians, Dangote placed electricity at the centre of the country’s development needs.
He argued that individual households and companies installing alternative power systems would not, by itself, resolve the wider economic problem.
“Installing solar power for yourself does not mean the wider problem has been solved. Other people may not have that option,” he said. “A vibrant economy is driven by small and medium-sized enterprises. Large companies such as ours help sustain those businesses, but SMEs are essential to economic activity. When you generate electricity using diesel or petrol, it becomes very difficult to make money.”
Dangote expressed confidence in Nigeria’s entrepreneurial strength, saying the country had yet to realise the full benefits of its large and dynamic economy. He said businesses had a responsibility to invest and create opportunities, while the government should concentrate on providing policies and conditions that allow enterprises to grow.
“The government’s principal responsibility is to create an enabling environment through good policies. With the right policies, businesses can invest and create jobs,” he said.
The industrialist identified agriculture and solid minerals as areas with substantial potential, particularly in Northern Nigeria, but stressed that the country must move beyond exporting unprocessed resources. He said investment in infrastructure, including ports, could open markets for other producers and make it easier for businesses to develop and export their products.
“It is not only about us; it is about Nigeria and the African continent,” he said. “We should not simply export raw materials and then buy back the processed products at many times the price. That is the pattern we want to change. Without production, we will continue to face economic difficulties. We must build a productive economy.”
Sharing lessons from his business career, Dangote attributed the group’s expansion to focus, financial discipline and the consistent reinvestment of earnings. He said the transition from trading to manufacturing was built around products the group already understood, supported by established customers, distribution networks and market knowledge.
“The logical next step was backward integration: producing the things we were already importing,” he said.
Dangote also urged entrepreneurs to avoid spending anticipated profits and to recognise when a venture was no longer commercially viable.
“Give it your best effort, but when you do the numbers and they are not adding up, you must be willing to leave,” he said.
Despite the challenges facing businesses, he maintained that the group would continue investing and encouraged smaller enterprises to build opportunities around major industrial projects.
“People like us will continue investing. People like you can build businesses around those investments—as suppliers, producers and service providers,” he said.
Business
Chevron Nigeria Emerges Second-best Exhibitor at NAPE 2026
Chevron Nigeria won the second-best exhibitor award at the just-concluded 2026 Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE) conference and exhibition at Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Biztellers reports that Olajumoke Cecilia Ajayi, FNAPE, NAPE President (2025–2026) and Managing Director/CEO of Ingentia Energies Limited, presented the award to Chevron, during the awards dinner on November 12, 2026.
The award is in recognition of Chevron’s outstanding exhibition, where visitors to its booth, particularly students, took part in Geology/Geophysics presentations and quizzes, word games, and Human Resources/Nigerian Content presentations and quizzes, with gifts for winners and participants.
Commenting on the award, the leader of the Chevron’s exhibition team, Dr. Victor Anyaegbudike, Manager Communications, Chevron companies in Nigeria and the Mid Africa Region, commended NAPE for its commitment to hosting the annual conference and exhibition. He noted that Chevron has operated in Nigeria for over 60 years, contributing to the country’s growth and development and making human investments that yield long-term, transformative returns.
READ ALSO: Tinubu, Shettima Head to Jos for APC Presidential Campaign Rally
“At Chevron Nigeria, we drive innovation and investment to open up opportunities for growth, jobs, productivity and lasting value. Forums like the NAPE conference and exhibition matter because they bring government, academia, students and industry together around shared goals and a better understanding of one another,” he remarked.
Victor noted that Chevron is committed to building productive, collaborative and mutually beneficial relationships, grounded in trust, with governments, partners, customers, communities and employees. “We believe that affordable, reliable and ever-cleaner energy is vital to a more prosperous and sustainable world,” he said.
Attendees at the NAPE conference and exhibition included representatives of the Federal Government of Nigeria, industry regulators, industry leaders, academics, and students from tertiary institutions across the country.
Business
NGX Gains 1.36% as Market Capitalisation Climbs to ₦163.80trn
The Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) recorded a 1.36 per cent weekly gain as its market capitalisation increased to ₦163.80 trillion at the close of trading on Friday, November 13, 2026.
The NGX All-Share Index (ASI) rose to 252,269.16 points, pushing the market’s year-to-date return to 62.11 per cent.
The performance reflected a positive trading week for the equities market, with 43 listed companies recording price appreciation, compared with 29 in the previous week.
SEE MORE:NGX Market Cap Falls to ₦163.65trn As All-Share Index Drops
According to the Exchange’s weekly market report, investors traded 8.03 billion shares valued at ₦185.36 billion in 160,836 deals during the week.
This represented a significant increase in trading volume from the 2.83 billion shares exchanged in 192,158 deals in the preceding week, although the total value of transactions declined from ₦208.41 billion.
The Financial Services Industry dominated trading activities, accounting for 4.85 billion shares worth ₦95.79 billion. This represented 60.45 per cent of the total equity turnover volume and 51.68 per cent of turnover value.
The Agriculture Industry followed with 2.24 billion shares valued at ₦22.78 billion, while the Consumer Goods Industry recorded 260.99 million shares worth ₦11.89 billion.
Further details of the market performance showed that 39 equities declined during the week, compared with 57 in the previous week, while 64 equities closed unchanged against 60 recorded in the preceding period.
On the gainers’ chart, Champion Breweries Plc emerged as the best-performing stock, appreciating by 27.27 per cent, while LivingTrust Mortgage Bank Plc recorded the biggest loss, declining by 18.53 per cent.
Meanwhile, trading in Exchange-Traded Products (ETPs) stood at 1.21 million units valued at ₦278.97 million in 3,351 deals, compared with 1.46 million units worth ₦381.82 million in 4,085 deals in the previous week.
The fixed-income segment recorded 156,612 units valued at ₦177.88 million in 41 deals, against 21.99 million units worth ₦20.60 billion in 48 deals recorded in the preceding week.
The Exchange also recorded the listing of two commercial paper instruments issued by Thrive Agric Limited.
The instruments comprised ₦3.17 billion Series 1 (Tranche A) and ₦2.09 billion Series 1 (Tranche B) Commercial Papers, with a combined value of approximately ₦5.26 billion.





