Business
U.S. Stock Rise on Positive Outlook
WASHINGTON – U.S. stock futures rose, with the S&P 500 set to extend its run to record highs, as markets return from a long holiday weekend with a positive outlook.About 90 minutes ahead of the open, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures climbed 54 points, or 0.3%, to 16640.
S&P 500 index futures advanced seven points, or 0.4%, to 1904 and Nasdaq-100 futures added 16 points, or 0.4%, to 3691. Changes in stock futures don’t always accurately predict stock moves after the opening bell.
The gains put the benchmark indexes on course for a fourth straight gain.
On Friday, the S&P 500 rose 0.4% to close at a record high for the 11th time this year. The Dow rose 63 points, or 0.4%, to close within 0.7% of its May 13 record of 16715.44.
U.S. markets were closed Monday for the Memorial Day holiday.
Robert Pavlik, chief market strategist at Banyan Partners, which oversees $4.5 billion in assets, said investors are coming back from a long weekend with good reason to be in a good mood. The S&P 500 is at all-time highs, the weekend elections in Europe didn’t ruffle any feathers, and corporate deal activity is continuing.
He cautioned investors not to get too optimistic, however, until economic data starts vastly improving.
“I’m positioned for stocks [to rise], but my holdings have gotten a little more conservative,” Mr. Pavlik said. “I tend to believe there’s a cap on this market, given the economic data we’ve seen.”
At 8:30 a.m. EDT, durable goods orders for April are expected to decline 0.7% on the month. At 9 a.m., the S&P/Case-Shiller 20-City home price index for March is seen rising 11.8% on the year.
After the market opens, the Conference Board’s consumer-confidence index for May, due out at 10 a.m., is forecast to rise to 83.0 from April’s 82.3.
The yield on the 10-year Treasury note was little changed at 2.537% from 2.536% late Friday.
Among early stock movers, Hillshire Brands surged 22% in premarket trading after Pilgrim’s Pride unveiled a $5.5 billion bid for the meats company, just two weeks after Hillshire agreed to buy Pinnacle Foods for $4.3 billion.
Pinnacle’s stock dropped 6.7%, while Pilgrim’s Pride fell 1.4%.
Separately, Dow component Pfizer rose 0.8% after the drug maker dropped its pursuit of British rival AstraZeneca, after AstraZeneca spurned Pfizer’s latest buyout proposal of $120 billion. AstraZeneca’s U.S.-listed shares fell 1.6%.
Crude oil futures slipped 0.3% to $104.06 a barrel, while gold futures lost 0.6% to $1,283.50 an ounce. The dollar gained some ground against the euro and the yen.
European markets gained ground, with the Stoxx Europe 600 up 0.2% and on course for a fifth-straight gain to the highest level since January 2008. On Monday, the Stoxx 600 rose 0.6%, led by strong gains in Italy following favorable election results over the weekend.
Asian markets were mixed. Japan’s Nikkei Stock Average rose 0.2% to notch a fourth straight gain, while China’s Shanghai Composite eased 0.3%.
– WALLSTREET JOURNAL
Business
FCT Generates More IGR Than Six North Central States Combined in Three Years
FCT Generates More IGR Than Six North Central States Combined in Three Years
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) generated more Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) than the six states in the North Central geopolitical zone combined between 2023 and 2025, according to figures from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
The FCT recorded a total IGR of ₦849.80 billion during the three-year period, while Kwara, Niger, Kogi, Plateau, Nasarawa and Benue collectively generated ₦704.42 billion.
ALSO READ: Inflation Falls to 15.43% as Food Prices Surge to 20.31% — NBS
The FCT recorded steady growth in its internally generated revenue throughout the period, rising from ₦211.10 billion in 2023 to ₦282.36 billion in 2024, before reaching ₦356.34 billion in 2025.
For the six North Central states, combined IGR stood at ₦176.55 billion in 2023, increased to ₦214.96 billion in 2024 and rose further to ₦312.91 billion in 2025.
Kwara State recorded the highest cumulative IGR among the six states, generating ₦226.20 billion over the three years.
It was followed by Niger with ₦122.71 billion, Kogi with ₦102.73 billion, Plateau with ₦102.08 billion, Nasarawa with ₦81.58 billion, and Benue with ₦69.12 billion.
The FCT’s three-year IGR was therefore about ₦145.38 billion higher than the combined revenue of the six North Central states.
The figures also show that the combined IGR of the six states increased substantially in 2025, when their total reached ₦312.91 billion, compared with ₦214.96 billion in 2024.
See full list below:
North Central States — Three-Year IGR (2023–2025)
Kwara — ₦226.20 billion
Niger — ₦122.71 billion
Kogi — ₦102.73 billion
Plateau — ₦102.08 billion
Nasarawa — ₦81.58 billion
Benue — ₦69.12 billion
North Central Total — ₦704.42 billion
By Year:
2023 — ₦176.55 billion
2024 — ₦214.96 billion
2025 — ₦312.91 billion
FCT:
2023 — ₦211.10 billion
2024 — ₦282.36 billion
2025 — ₦356.34 billion
Three-year total — ₦849.80 billion
Business
Dangote to Support Two Million Women with Refinery IPO Share Ownership
President and Chief Executive of Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), Aliko Dangote, has announced plans for the Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) to collaborate with state governments to empower vulnerable women across Nigeria through participation in the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (DPRP) Initial Public Offering (IPO).
Dangote made the announcement in New York during the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) while responding to a question from the Secretary to the Yobe State Government, Dr. Goje Mohammed.
The discussion focused on how partnerships between government and the private sector can help conflict-affected communities, particularly widows, build sustainable financial futures through investment opportunities.
READ ALSO: NGX Invest Expands Primary Market Access with WhatsApp Subscription Channel
According to Dangote, the Foundation will work closely with state governments to ensure that women from vulnerable groups, including widows and victims of conflict, can take advantage of the refinery’s share offering and begin building long-term wealth through equity ownership.
The initiative is designed to expand access to Nigeria’s capital market by giving women who might otherwise be excluded the opportunity to become shareholders in one of Africa’s largest industrial enterprises.
Speaking on the programme, Dangote revealed that the Foundation plans to provide additional support to participating women by donating shares to complement their investments.
“We are partnering with state governments to ensure that widows and other vulnerable women are able to buy shares in the refinery,” he said.
He explained that women who purchase shares under the IPO will receive an additional allotment of shares from the Foundation, helping them establish a long-term financial asset.
“Beyond enabling them to buy shares, the Foundation will also support them by donating additional shares that they can hold as savings for the future,” Dangote noted.
The programme targets up to two million women nationwide, making it one of the largest financial inclusion and women’s empowerment initiatives linked to Nigeria’s capital market.
“We are looking at reaching about two million women through this initiative,” he added.
The proposed intervention forms part of the broader objectives of the Dangote Refinery “People’s IPO,” which seeks to democratise ownership of the landmark refinery and enable more Nigerians to share in the value created by one of the country’s most significant private-sector investments.
The initiative is expected to have particular significance for conflict-affected states such as Yobe, where many widows and vulnerable households continue to face economic challenges resulting from years of insecurity. By facilitating access to investment opportunities, the partnership aims to provide a pathway to sustainable wealth creation and long-term financial security.
Dangote emphasized that collaboration between the Foundation and state governments will create a structured framework for supporting vulnerable women to participate in the IPO, reinforcing the role of investment and equity ownership as tools for economic empowerment, financial inclusion and social development.
Through this initiative, the ownership opportunity presented by the Dangote Refinery IPO will be extended to some of Nigeria’s most vulnerable women, helping them build assets, secure their futures and participate directly in the growth of a landmark national enterprise.
Business
NGX Invest Expands Primary Market Access with WhatsApp Subscription Channel
The Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX Group) has expanded access to its NGX Invest platform with the launch of a WhatsApp subscription channel.
Biztellers reports that it provides investors with an additional, convenient way to participate in public offers.
A statement from the company has it that investors can begin the subscription process by sending “Invest” to NGX Invest on WhatsApp at +234 812 731 9521. They can then follow the prompts to view eligible offers and complete the required subscription steps without downloading a separate application. As part of the process, investors will select a stockbroker through whom their application will be processed, ensuring that brokers remain an integral part of the investment journey.
READ ALSO: Dangote IPO Will Spread Wealth Across Nigeria – Emir Sanusi
The new channel extends NGX Invest’s growing distribution ecosystem, which connects issuers to investors through more than 100 distribution channels, including stockbrokers, banks, fintechs, mobile operators and other financial institutions via API connectivity.
By integrating WhatsApp into NGX Invest, the NGX Group is reducing friction in the investment process and bringing primary-market opportunities closer to investors through a platform they already use every day. For issuers, the integration provides an additional route to reach a broader pool of potential investors and support more efficient capital raising.
The development forms part of NGX Group’s broader strategy to use technology, partnerships and open distribution infrastructure to widen participation in Nigeria’s capital market.
Security remains central to the design of the investor journey. While WhatsApp provides the interface through which investors can access the service, subscriptions are processed through NGX Invest’s secure, regulated infrastructure. Investors are encouraged to interact only with the official NGX Invest WhatsApp number and should never share passwords, PINs, OTPs or other sensitive credentials with third parties.
As digital participation in Nigeria’s capital market grows, NGX Group remains focused on ensuring that increased access is supported by secure, transparent and regulated market infrastructure. The addition of WhatsApp combines the convenience of a familiar consumer channel with the safeguards required for participation in regulated public offers.
With WhatsApp now part of its distribution ecosystem, NGX Invest is further expanding the infrastructure through which investors can discover and participate in primary-market opportunities, while enabling issuers to reach a wider investing public.





